EVALUATION OF DESULPHURIZATION POTENTIALS OF BARIUM CHLORIDE, CALCIUM HYDROXIDE, SODIUM HYDROXIDE AND HYDROCHLORIC ACID ON DIESEL, KEROSENE AND GASOLINE

Abstract

The sulphur content in refined petroleum products namely diesel (AGO), kerosene (DPK) and gasoline (PMS) obtained from a commercial Filling Station in Abakaliki, Ebonyi State were determined before and after desulphurization with aqueous ionic solutions of NaOH, BaCl2, Ca(OH)2 and HCl using a single beam UV-Vis spectrophotometer (Genesys 1OS, Thermo-Scientific). Results obtained showed that the amount of sulphur contained in the samples before desulphurization were 1.457, 0.992 and 1.294 mg/L in diesel, kerosene and gasoline respectively. The highest sulphur recovery of 0.676 mg/L (46.4 %), 0.315 mg/L (31.8 %), and 0.555 mg/L (42.9%) in diesel, gasoline and kerosene respectively were obtained with a 10 % w/v solution of NaOH after desulphurization. This was followed by a 10 % w/v solution of BaCl2 which gave 35.0 % and 23.0 % desulphurization in Diesel and gasoline respectively. The performance of Aqueous solutions of Ca(OH)2 and HCl in desulphurizing kerosene and gasoline were relatively low (3.2 %,11.4 % and 15 %, 4.6 % respectively) compared with aqueous NaOH. The results showed appreciable reduction in sulphur content of the samples with NaOH exhibiting the highest desulphurization potential in all the samples assayed. Thus these ionic solutions possess the potential to extract sulphur compounds in petroleum products.