Synthesis of starch-grafted polymers for color, turbidity, and TDS reduction from industrial wastewater: optimization using response surface methodology

This study aimed to develop starch-grafted polymers (SGP) as eco-friendly flocculants for industrial wastewater treatment and to optimize their performance using Response Surface Methodology (RSM). Three starch-grafted polymers were synthesized through graft polymerization of acrylamide and acrylic acid onto a starch backbone and characterized by viscosity measurements, FTIR, SEM, and EDX analyses. The synthesized polymers were evaluated in combination with activated potato peel (APP) and bentonite for the reduction of color, turbidity, and total dissolved solids (TDS) from industrial wastewater. Process optimization was performed using a Central Composite Design (CCD) within RSM. Under optimized conditions, the treatment system achieved 90.2% color reduction, 88.9% turbidity removal, and 86.6% TDS reduction. The results demonstrate that the synergistic combination of starch-grafted polymers, APP, and bentonite provides an efficient, low-cost, and sustainable approach for industrial wastewater remediation.