Recycled plastic powder for oil spill clean-up

Abstract

This work investigated an eco-friendly, low-cost approach for oil spill remediation using recycled plastic powder (RPP). SEM, TEM and BET analysis, characterized the plastic sorbents. Batch adsorption experiments demonstrated RPP's effectiveness in oil removal under various conditions. Pseudo-second-order kinetics provided a good description of adsorption kinetics, indicating chemisorption as the main mechanism. Optimal oil removal of 96.1 % was achieved at pH 7, 25 °C temperature, 90 min contact time, 50 mg L−1 starting oil content, and 20 mg RPP dose. Adsorption equilibrium followed the Sips isotherm model, suggesting complex heterogeneous adsorption with highest capability of 53.4 mg g−1. Thermodynamic studies verified the endothermic and spontaneous nature of adsorption. RPP also showed excellent regeneration capability, recovering 95.2 % of the initial adsorption capacity after 5 reuse cycles. Generally, recycled plastic may be more cost-effective than producing new plastic from raw materials, as it reduces the need for virgin materials and can save energy.