Polysaccharide agents and methods of their use for removing solids from water

Abstract

Polysaccharide agents for removing solids from an aqueous suspension and methods for using the polysaccharide agents to remove solids from an aqueous suspension.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows: 
     
         1 . A method for removing solids from an aqueous suspension of solids, comprising,
 contacting an aqueous suspension of solids with a quantity of a plant polysaccharide agent for a period of time sufficient to flocculate a portion of the solids to provide a suspension comprising flocculated solids, and   mechanically dewatering the suspension comprising flocculated solids to provide separated solids and an aqueous supernate.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising removing at least a portion of the separated solids from the aqueous supernate. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the plant polysaccharide agent is an extract selected from cactus, okra, fenugreek, aloe, chia, psyllium, and tamarind extracts. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the plant polysaccharide agent is a fenugreek extract. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the polysaccharide agent is an extract of two or more of cactus, okra, fenugreek, aloe, chia, psyllium, or tamarind extracts. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the quantity of the plant polysaccharide agent is from about 0.005 g agent/L aqueous suspension to about 1 g agent/L aqueous suspension. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the quantity of plant polysaccharide agent is about 0.5 g agent/L aqueous suspension. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein contacting an aqueous suspension of solids with a quantity of a plant polysaccharide agent further comprises contacting with tamarind gum. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the aqueous suspension is tannery waste, municipal wastewater, sewage, textile waste, drinking water, electrochemical waste, biodigestate waste, agricultural waste, brewery waste, dairy waste, surface water, ground water, storm water runoff, or anaerobic digestate. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the removed solids comprise suspended solids or total dissolved solids. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the removed solids comprise metals. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the removed solids comprise nutrients. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the removed solids comprise microorganisms. 
     
     
         14 . A method for removing solids from an aqueous suspension of solids, comprising:
 contacting an aqueous suspension of solids having a first concentration of suspended solids with a quantity of a plant polysaccharide agent for a period of time sufficient to flocculate at least a portion of the solids to provide a suspension comprising flocculated solids, wherein the plant polysaccharide agent is an extract selected from fenugreek, cactus, okra, aloe, chia, psyllium, or tamarind extracts; and   removing at least a portion of the flocculated solids from the suspension comprising flocculated solids to provide an aqueous medium having a second concentration of suspended solids, wherein the first concentration is greater than the second concentration.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the plant polysaccharide agent is a combination of two or more extracts including fenugreek extract. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein contacting an aqueous suspension of solids with a quantity of a plant polysaccharide agent further comprises contacting with tamarind gum. 
     
     
         17 . A composition, comprising:
 (a) a fenugreek extract; and   (b) one or more plant polysaccharide extracts,   wherein the ratio of fenugreek extract to the one or more plant polysaccharide extracts is from about 0.5 to 2.0 based on dry weight.   
     
     
         18 . The composition of  claim 17 , wherein the one or more plant polysaccharide extracts are selected from cactus, okra, aloe, chia, psyllium, or tamarind extracts. 
     
     
         19 . The composition of  claim 17 , wherein the one or more plant polysaccharide extracts is a tamarind extract. 
     
     
         20 . The composition of  claim 17  further comprising tamarind gum.