Physicochemical properties of glycyrrhizic acid in aqueous media II: Effect on flocculation-deflocculation behavior of suspensions of sulfathiazole and graphite.

The flocculation-deflocculation behavior of sulfathiazole and graphite in aqueous solutions of glycyrrhizic acid was studied by measuring the sedimentation volume and turbidity of supernates. The dispersing effect of glycyrrhizic acid on suspension of sulfathiazole showed a maximum in the pH 3-4 region, the same pH region where the zeta-potential of sulfathiazole particles showed a negative maximum. The results were explained by the variation of degrees of ionization of glycyrrhizic acid and sulfathiazole with pH. With graphite suspensions, the pH region where the dispersing effect of glycyrrhizic acid showed a maximum shifted to a higher pH compared with sulfathiazole. This result can be attributed to the fact that graphite is a nonpolar substance so the surface properties are not affected by a pH change. Hence, the adsorption of glycyrrhizic acid occurs even in a fairly high pH range.