Valorizing Biowaste for Wastewater Treatment: Dewatering Sludges Using Specified Risk Material-Based Flocculants for Industrial Sustainability

Sludges, particularly clay-enriched fluid tailings, are major waste streams disposed from mining and mineral processing industries. To improve the separation of sludges into water stackable solids, a novel flocculant was developed in this study using peptides specified risk materials (SRMs), proteinaceous animal rendering industries; synthesis accomplished with polyamidoamine epichlorohydrin (PAE) one-pot aqueous reaction. Settling tests standard kaolinite suspensions showed that compared to petrochemical-based (hydrolyzed polyacrylamide, HPAM) widely used current industry, SRM-based achieved similar settling rate but more complete ultimate dewatering (sediment volume reduced by 47.5%). Unlike HPAM, performance did not require gypsum, common industrial aid could be detrimental downstream processing. Interfacial particle size analyses revealed peptide–PAE adsorbed at surfaces through electrostatic interactions, fine solids’ net surface charge (? ?40 ?15 mV), facilitated rapid aggregations these highly suspended solids. Overall, proof-of-concept demonstrates great potential protein-based address intractable sludge challenges for sustainability as well environmental footprints.