When a polymer is soluble in water, how is it able to interact with the adsorbate molecules dispersed in the solution? I need some logical explanation regarding this phenomenon along with relevant literature. Thanks in advance.
Dear Noor ul Ain, you didn't specified the type of polymer and its mechanism of action. I will talk about flocculants. These are polar and charged ionic polymers of four types: polar/neutral, anionic, cationic, and zwetterionic (+ & -). Flocculants help disperded substances to associate/agglomerate so that they settle down by gravity. They do so mainly by two mechanisms: charge neutralization and bridging. My Regards
I think you need to do the literature research, but here is a basic answer to your question. Water soluble polymers disperse in water but do not dissolve i.e. they remain as they are. If these polymers have functional groups that can chelate or interact to metals and other functional groups on organic pollutants or create a micro-environment (emulsions) which these pollutants "prefer" over the aqueous environment, they can be "captured". These metals and other hydrophobic organics will remain with the polymer as it is removed from the water. It is very similar to the way detergents work that have an amphipathic nature and can act as phase transfer agents. These polymeric and oligomeric systems can exist across phase boundaries to interact with imputes that would otherwise be difficult to remove. Other systems include heterogeneous ion exchange resins like that which are used as water softening systems and zeolites (kitty litter in some cases) and activated carbon although not water soluble, but need to be considered to develop a full understanding of such systems. If you cannot separate such systems from the water, they also become pollutants.