International Journal of Advancements in Research & Technology, Volume Ř, Issue Ş, August-ŘŖŗř 14 ISSN ŘŘŝŞ-ŝŝŜř Copyright © 2013 SciResPub. IJOART Polymeric Cellulose Derivative: Carboxymethyl-Cellulose as useful Organic Flocculant against Industrial Waste Waters Zeenat M. Ali 1 , Moina Akhtar Mughal 2 , A. Jabbar Laghari 3 , A. K. Ansari 4 , Hussain Saleem 5* 1, 4 Mehran University of Engineering & Technology, Jamshoro, Sindh, Pakistan 2 Dr. M. A. Kazi Institute of Chemistry, University of Sindh, Jamshoro, Sindh, Pakistan 3 Institute of Advanced Research Studies in Chemical Sciences, University of Sindh, Jamshoro, Pakistan 5 Department of Computer Science, University of Karachi, Karachi, Pakistan ABSTRACT The present study focuses on polymeric cellulose derivative; Carboxymethyl-Cellulose (CMC) prepared from locally available cheap cotton stalks considered as waste. The successful synthesis and extraction of polymer CMC was done with etherification process involving use of Monochloroacetic acid and Sodium Hydroxide. The polymeric flocculant was examined and optimized for its dosage level (70mg/L), optimum pH level (7pH) and reduction efficiency in percentage (average 60%) of Total Dissolved Solids (TDS), Conductivity, Turbidity, and Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD), when applied against industrial wastewater samples. The statistical study of natural polymeric flocculant was conducted using Langmuir and fruendlich adsorption isotherm models. Langmuir model was found suitable for adsorption of effluent pollutants and revealed mono layer formation on a homogeneous surface of CMC. Keywords : Carboxymethyl Cellulose; Cotton Stalks; Organic Flocculant; Wastewater 1 INTRODUCTION HEMICAL process industries are producing number of valuable products and generating highly toxic and hazardous wastewater. The direct disposal of toxic wastewater into river or sea causes harmful effects on marine and human life. These wastewaters increase the concentration of pollutants at high rate and damage living tissues of marine bodies. Due to this reason, the available water resources in world are going to be polluted and shortage of pure water is increasing day by day. Overall the world is trying to preserve the water resources by implementing cost effective wastewater treatment policies. During 1951 to 2008 per capita water consumption in Pakistan reduced continuously by 5000 cm 3 to 1100 cm 3 due to improper implementation of wastewater treatment policies [9], [12]. In terms of population, around 55% found short of safe water reach, uncovered by economic survey [6]. Pakistan is also rich in industrial sector and generating high rate of wastewater per day that is disposed off directly into rivers and seas without any proper and effective treatment. It is confirmed now that industrial wastewater possesses thousands of organic and inorganic impurities which create disinfectant byproducts and cause of many water borne diseases. The removal of suspended solids, pathogens, organic matter from effluents requires mandatory disposal or treatment before human consumption in order to prevent water borne plagues and diseases [8]. Many technologies and processes are utilized for the treatment of industrial wastewater, still efforts have to be taken for cost effective treatment of industrial wastewater by utilizing natural or waste materials. Natural plants rich in carbohydrates and polysaccharides. About 90% wastewater could be converted into chemical and biochemical forms. Cellulose is available in abundant quantities as renewable biopolymer in nature [15]. Cotton stalks as an agricultural waste produced from cotton crops in Pakistan have no proper utilization in industrial applications. Currently cotton stalks are used as fuel for domestic cooking. Pakistan cultivated cotton crops up to 13.3 million bales and Sindh province cultivated close to 3.5 million bales in year of 2012. The waste generation rate of cotton stalks in Sanghar district was 1.42 millions tons (14,23,129 tons) in year 2009 [7]. Cotton stalk consists of cellulosic and polysaccharide materials. The properties of agricultural waste cellulosic materials have been modified chemically using carboxymethylation reactions [11]. The Cellulose derivative i.e. Carboxymethyl Cellulose (CMC) have carboxymethyl groups −C ଶ − COO attached to hydroxyl groups on the backbone of cellulose molecule of glucopyranose units. Synthetic cellulose materials have applications in agricultural, wastewater treatment, drug release and hygienic products because of their abundant resources, low production-cost and bio-degradability [1]. In contemporary world, research is focused on wastewater treatment using organic polymers with applications on contaminants [15]. Present research emphasized on the effective reduction of toxic pollutants from industrial wastewaters by utilizing cost effective agricultural waste cotton stalks as advanced natural polymeric flocculant. In other words, CMC is the point of focus. C ___________________________________________________ * Email: hussainsaleem@uok.edu.pk (Corresponding Author)