Development of acrylamide residue analysis in waters : in situ studies
Résumé
Polyacrylamide-based-flocculants are used in many fields such as agriculture, mineral processing and wastewater treatment and in particular for the suspended solids decantation processes. Flocculants are essentially formed by ultra-high molecular weight polymer, stemming from a polymerization process between acrylic acid and acrylamide. During the production of polyacrylamide, 0.025% to 0.05% of residual acrylamide is left in the polyacrylamide molecule. This monomer is known to be a human neurotoxin, an animal carcinogen and neurotoxin, and is believed to be a human carcinogen. In France, the washing water used in Aggregates industry is recycled by flocculation / decantation in thickeners. The aim of this research is to examine the fate and the transport of acrylamide in Aggregates industry and for that analytical development is needed to study acrylamide in the industrial process and in the aquatic environment nearby the site. Extraction and analysis of acrylamide from several kinds of waters (process, surface water and groundwater) have been optimized. A detection limit of 20 ng/L has been reached and the performances of the method have been validated according to standard ISO 17025. The repeatability of the method is constant, efficient and accurate by the use of C13 tracer. Effect of suspended particular matter and stability of acrylamide both in waters and organic extracts has been evaluated. In field application has been undertaken showing the occurrence of acrylamide in the industrial process and in aquatic compartments from few nanograms g per liter two several micrograms per liter, highlighting the need of further experiments to investigate the fate and behavior of this compound.