Polysaccharide-based macromolecular materials for decolorization of textile effluents

Abstract

Polysaccharides are the renewable natural reservoir which can be tailored to obtain a broad spectrum of macromolecular materials. The multifunctional nature of polysaccharides offers wide flexibility of tailoring and modification. To suit adsorption applications, many water-soluble polysaccharides have been transformed to insoluble materials by chemical modification and cross-linking. These materials have also been utilized for coagulation-flocculation of industrial wastes. Depending upon the targeted application, which may be either adsorption or coagulation and flocculation, the solubility and characteristics of these materials are tailored. Present chapter focuses on the polysaccharides and polysaccharide-derived materials that are known to decolorize industrial waste and synthetic aqueous dye solutions through flocculation and adsorption.