Study of liquids absorption and retention capacities of new cellulosic materials and sodium cellulose carboxylmethylate prepared from Posidonia

The Posidonia is a sea plant which is abundant on the Tunisian coasts. Important quantities of Posidonia oceanica fragments are accumulated every year on the beaches which must be cleaned every summer. This plant contains an important ratio of cellulosic materials. On other hand, local sanitary articles industry use important quantities of absorbing materials. The aim of this work is to take advantage of this available biomass by using it as a raw material for the preparation of some of these absorbing materials. In this aim three cellulose qualities of various purities are prepared starting from Posidonia wastes and from these three cellulosic materials six qualities of sodium carboxymethylcellulose (CMCNa) are synthesised, these qualities differ by there substitution degree. The performances of all these materials are evaluated in term of absorption and retention capacities. With this end in view, three kinds of liquids are used: the deionized water, the synthetic urine and the salt solution. Then the evaluated performances are compared with those of some commercial absorbent materials used in local industries (industrial cellulosic pulp and superabsorbant). This comparison shows that the different prepared CMCNa have a retention capacity largely higher than those of the commercial cellulosic pulp. The difference can reaches 405 %. The evaluated absorption capacities of all the prepared CMCNa are generally similar to those of the commercial cellulosic pulp. However the tested superabsorbant presents, in all cases, the best performances in term of liquid absorption and retention.