Dodecanoyl chloride modified starch particles: A candidate for the removal of hydrocarbons and heavy metals in wastewater

In the last decade, global research on biodegradable materials for wastewater treatment has increased due to the fact that its volume has increased significantly. Native quinoa starch (NQS) and modified quinoa starch (MQS) with Dodecanoyl Chloride (DC) were used to obtain particles that interact with cationic molecules, oils, and heavy metals such as Cd, Hg, Pb, and As due to exposure of the -OH group during esterification, thus improving the interaction with divalent metal ions. With the chemical modification carried out, a greater affinity with oily agents was noted on the surface of the granule, obtaining more compact agglomerates or flocs which were more stable than those generated with the NQS. The pH of the solution was a determining factor for the stability of the emulsion generated, efficiency of oil removal (92%), and decrease in turbidity (98%) and chemical oxygen demand COD (87%). The removal of heavy metals was more efficient using NQS with 85% on average for the metals used in the synthetic wastewater, while for the NQS removal reached on average 60% compared to MQS.