Adsorption and effects of water-soluble acrylic acid-based polymers on activated sludge

Novak, Janja (author), Rozman, Ula (author), Kalčíková, Gabriela (author)

Synthetic water-soluble polymers are used in agriculture, household cleaners, printing inks, lubricants, paints, adhesives, personal care products, and cosmetics. They often end up in wastewater, which is then treated in wastewater treatment plants before being released into the environment. In this study, we investigated the interactions and effects of synthetic water-soluble polymers, namely a homopolymer and a copolymer of acrylic acid, on activated sludge. The results showed that the homopolymer and copolymer were rapidly adsorbed on the activated sludge (˃70%) immediately after the initial contact and the adsorption process was described by the Freundlich isotherm model. The adsorption of copolymer affected the sedimentation rate of activated sludge. The endogenous and exogenous respiration of the activated sludge was not significantly affected by the presence of homopolymer or copolymer. However, their dose-response effect on exogenous respiration was observed. These results indicated that acrylic acid-based polymers can adhere to a high degree to activated sludge and thus also possibly to other biotic surfaces in the environment. Considering the large amount of synthetic water-soluble polymers released into the environment, their interactions and fate in the environment should be further investigated.

• Language: English
• Keywords: adhesion, cosmetics, hydrophilic polymers, polymers in liquid formulations, wastewater treatment
• Work type: Article
• Typology: 1.01 - Original Scientific Article
• Organization: FKKT - Faculty of Chemistry and Chemical Technology
• Publication status: Published
• Publication version: Version of Record
• Year: 2025
• Number of pages: Str. 2339-2346
• Numbering: Vol. 44, iss. 8
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-173767
• UDC: 628.3:678.744.32
• ISSN on article: 0730-7268
• DOI: 10.1093/etojnl/vgaf144
• COBISS.SI-ID: 249765635
• Publication date in RUL: 22.09.2025

Record is a part of a journal

• Title: Environmental toxicology and chemistry
• Shortened title: Environ. toxicol. chem.
• Publisher: Oxford Academic
• ISSN: 0730-7268
• COBISS.SI-ID: 26796032

Secondary language

• Language: Slovenian
• Keywords: adhezija, kozmetika, hidrofilni polimeri, polimeri v tekočih formulacijah, čiščenje odpadnih vod

Projects

• Funder: ARIS - Slovenian Research and Innovation Agency
• Project number: P2-0191
• Name: Kemijsko inženirstvo

• Funder: ARIS - Slovenian Research and Innovation Agency
• Project number: N2-0298
• Name: Interakcije okoljsko relevantne mikroplastike in biotskih površin v vodnem okolju