Can a UV spectrophotometer measure polyacrylamide concentration?

This study presents a method for quantification of polyacrylamide concentration using an in-line UV–vis spectrophotometer that can generate real-time data. Absorbance spectra of seven polymers were established in the wavelength range of 191.5–750 nm and the highest absorbance was recorded at 191.5 nm for all polymers.

Which polyacrylamide polymers were tested with distilled water?

In the first phase of experiments, seven polyacrylamide polymers (Hydrex 3591, 3593, 3596, 3661, 3572, MagnaFloc LT 27AG and FloPolymer CB 4350) were tested with distilled water to establish their detection limits and characteristics of their UV absorbance spectra.

Do polyacrylamide polymers absorb light?

The results from this study indicate that polyacrylamide polymers used for water and wastewater treatment strongly absorb light in the 191.5–230 nm wavelength range, and the peak absorbance was measured at 191.5 nm for all of the seven polymers tested in this study.

What are the detection limits of polymers in distilled water?

The detection limits in distilled water were different for different polymers and depended on polymer type and chemistry. In addition, presence of organic and inorganic impurities in water samples impacted the detection limits. In distilled water samples, the detection limits were below 0.1 mg/L for all polymers at 191.5 nm.

Does water quality affect the sensitivity of Hydrex 3572 polymer measurements?

Results in Table 2 illustrate that the sensitivity of the polymer measurements is affected by the water quality and presence of organic and inorganic matter. Hydrex 3572 was tested in different water matrices and the calculated MDL value ranged from 0.05 to 1.2 mg/L.

What are residual polymer concentrations in water & wastewater treatment plants?

There is very little information available on the residual polymer concentrations in samples collected from water and wastewater treatment plants after a process that involves polymer addition (e.g., coagulation and flocculation, sludge conditioning and dewatering).