Oil Spill Cleanup from Sea Water by Sorbent Materials

TLDR

The study compares three sorbents to evaluate their suitability for oil spill cleanup. The authors assessed polypropylene, rice hull, and bagasse (two particle sizes) for oil sorption capacity and recovery efficiency. Polypropylene sorbs 7–9 × its weight, bagasse (18–45 mesh) is second best, while bagasse (14–18 mesh) and rice hull have lower but comparable capacities; oil viscosity influences sorption, and all sorbents preferentially remove oil from the water surface.

Abstract

Abstract Three sorbents were compared in order to determine their potential for oil spill cleanup. Polypropylene nonwoven web, rice hull, and bagasse with two different particle sizes were evaluated in terms of oil sorption capacities and oil recovery efficiencies. Polypropylene can sorb almost 7 to 9 times its weight from different oils. Bagasse, 18 to 45 mesh size, follows polypropylene as the second sorbent in oil spill cleanup. Bagasse, 14 to 18 mesh size, and rice hull have comparable oil sorption capacities, which are lower than those of the two former sorbents. It was found that oil viscosity plays an important role in oil sorption by sorbents. All adsorbents used in this work could remove the oil from the surface of the water preferentially.