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Our flocculants are specially designed for the treatment of various types of industrial wastewater, such as municipal or paper industry wastewater. When added into turbid water suspended with particles, flocculants neutralize the electric charges of polymeric particles suspended in the water and promote adsorption and bridging of these polymers. As result, rapid agglomeration and the sedimentation will occur, leading to faster separation and clarification of the wastewater, and thereby improve operating efficiency and reduce costs.

Flocculants: Types, Properties and Applications

Table 1: Major Types of Flocculants

Type	Chemical Composition	Charge	Molecular Weight
Anionic PAM	Polyacrylamide with carboxyl groups	Negative	5–25 million Da
Cationic PAM	Polyacrylamide with amine groups	Positive	3–20 million Da
Nonionic PAM	Pure polyacrylamide	Neutral	5–15 million Da
Inorganic	Aluminum sulfate, ferric chloride	Positive/Negative	Low MW
Natural	Chitosan, starch derivatives	Variable	10k–500k Da

Table 2: Key Performance Characteristics

Property	Anionic PAM	Cationic PAM	Nonionic PAM	Inorganic
Solubility	High	High	High	High
pH Range	5–10	2–9	2–12	2–8
Dosage (ppm)	0.5–5	1–10	1–8	50–500
Sludge Volume	Low	Medium	Medium	High
Cost	Medium	High	Medium	Low

Table 3: Industrial Applications

Industry	Preferred Flocculant	Function
Wastewater	Anionic/Cationic PAM	Clarification, sludge dewatering
Mining	Anionic PAM	Tailings settling, water recovery
Paper	Cationic PAM	Retention aid, drainage improvement
Food Processing	Nonionic PAM	Protein separation, juice clarification
Oil & Gas	Cationic PAM	Drilling fluid treatment

Table 4: Advantages & Limitations

Flocculant	Advantages	Limitations
Anionic PAM	High efficiency, low sludge volume	Less effective in acidic conditions
Cationic PAM	Works with organic sludge	Expensive, sensitive to pH
Nonionic PAM	Broad pH compatibility	Lower charge density
Inorganic	Low cost, fast action	High sludge production

Table 5: Environmental & Safety Considerations

Parameter	PAM-Based	Inorganic
Biodegradability	Low (but non-toxic)	High
Toxicity	Low (monomer control)	Medium (metal ions)
VOC Emissions	None	None
Handling	Dust control needed	Corrosive, pH control

Flocculants are essential for solid-liquid separation in water treatment and industrial processes. Polyacrylamide (PAM)-based flocculants dominate due to their high efficiency, while inorganic coagulants remain cost-effective for some applications. Selection depends on water chemistry, sludge characteristics, and cost considerations.

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