Synthesis, characterization and formulation of a sodium polyaspartate derivative incorporated with wetting agents as an efficient dust suppressant for the mining industry

Abstract Dust emissions generated during mining operations represent an important environmental and occupational health concern due to their adverse effects on air quality, human health, and surrounding ecosystems. Although water spraying is commonly applied for dust control, its limited retention capacity and short‐term effectiveness have promoted the development of environmentally friendly chemical suppressants. In this study, a pyridinium modified sodium polyaspartate derivative (PAsp‐D) was synthesized through grafting of a quaternary ammonium salt onto sodium polyaspartate and evaluated as a dust suppressant for mining applications. The synthesized material was characterized by FTIR, 1 H‐NMR, and SEM. Dust suppression performance was assessed through water retention, contact angle, mechanical compression resistance, and thermo‐mechanical analysis. In addition, glycerol was incorporated at different concentrations as a wetting/plasticizing agent to evaluate its influence on the physicochemical and mechanical properties of the treated dust samples. The modified polymer exhibited improved water retention and enhanced wettability compared to water‐treated samples and unmodified polyaspartate. Formulations containing moderate glycerol concentrations showed improved elastic stability and thermal dimensional stability, whereas excessive glycerol addition reduced compressive strength and partially diminished the hydrophilic effect. SEM analysis revealed the formation of a polymer‐glycerol film surrounding dust particles and promoting particle agglomeration. The results demonstrate that quaternary ammonium‐modified polyaspartate combined with glycerol provides a tunable balance between moisture retention, elasticity, and mechanical stabilization, highlighting its potential as an environmentally friendly dust suppressant for mining applications.