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Submitted to: Industrial Crops and Products
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal Publication Acceptance Date: 7/3/1996 Publication Date: N/A Citation: N/A Interpretive Summary: Industrial companies pollute our waterways with heavy metal discharges which result in imposed EPA fines. Use of agricultural commodities, for example, corn fiber will lessen pollution. Value-added products (non animal feed) from corn fiber, reacted with citric acid at high temperature, have been researched to provide materials which are potentially biodegradable. Several reaction parameters were explored to yield products, which can be used as substitutes for commercial petrochemically available products, to remove toxic heavy metals from industrial wastewaters. Technical Abstract: Corn fiber was allowed to react thermochemically with citric acid to potentially yield biodegradable products possessing high ion exchange capacity. Reaction variables studied were: citric acid level, reaction time (0-24 h) and temperature (110-140 deg C). Reaction efficiencies approaching 100% were achieved, while minimizing cross-linking and maximizing carboxyl content. Carboxyl content was determined and copper binding capacity at pH 4.5 was evaluated. |
