Oil Spill Cleanup Applications Research Articles

Magnetically separable sorbent based on activated carbon derived from a new precursor Rhizoclonium hookeri for facile oil spill clean-up

A huge quantity of synthetic toxic materials ends-up in water bodies causing long-lasting environmental and economic impacts due to catastrophic oil spill. Exploring marine algae as sorbent materials for oil spill remediation is a relatively new area and holds great potential. Herein, macroalgae Rhizoclonium hookeri (RH) derived magnetically recoverable RH-activated carbon (RHAC@Fe3O4) composite has been proposed as an innovative and robust strategy for oil spill clean-up. The application of RHAC@Fe3O4 composite was investigated for oil removal by varying time (10–60 min), dosage (0.2–1 g) and temperature (20, 30, 40 °C) to ascertain its optimal performance using both unused and used motor oil. Characterization studies showed that KOH activation resulted in developing pore structure and surface functionalities in the algal biochar. The percentage of oil uptake from simulated oil spill was over 90 % in 30 min at room temperature using 0.8 g composite. Moreover, Fe3O4 loading onto carbon material allowed magnetic separation as a convenient alternative to filtration for the recovery of oil laden composite. Apart from superior oil removal ability, synthesized composite demonstrated robust performance up to four cycles in synthetic sea water matrices. Comparative study revealed better oil sequestration efficiency of RHAC@Fe3O4 (93 %) as compared to its precursors, i.e. algal biochar (71 %) and AC (88 %). Based on these findings, it is advocated that designed RHAC@Fe3O4 composite being eco-friendly, economical and readily recoverable with enhanced oil uptake ability could potentially be an innovative platform for oil spill clean-up applications.

Preparation of Open-Cell Long-Chain Branched Polypropylene Foams for Oil Absorption.

This study aimed to prepare open-cell foams using a blend of long-chain branched polypropylene and polyolefin elastomer (LCBPP/POE) for the production of reusable oil absorbents. The supercritical CO2 foaming process was conducted using a two-step batch rapid depressurization method. This unique two-step foaming approach significantly expanded the temperature and pressure windows, resulting in more uniform cells with smaller sizes, ultimately leading to higher expansion ratios and an increased open cell content. The foaming process was optimized by adjusting parameters, such as the LCBPP/POE ratio, foaming temperature, and foaming pressure, reaching a maximum open cell content of 97.6% and a maximum expansion ratio of 48. The influence of polypropylene (PP) crystallization was investigated with the aid of scanning electron microscopy and differential scanning calorimetry. Furthermore, the hydrophobic and lipophilic characteristics of the LCBPP/POE open-cell foam were determined via contact angle measurements and oil/water separation tests. Oil absorption tests revealed that the blended LCBPP/POE foam has a higher oil absorption capacity than that of the pure LCBPP foam. The cyclic oil absorption tests demonstrated the outstanding ductility and recoverability of the LCBPP/POE open-cell foam in comparison to those of the pure LCBPP foam. Over 10 cycles, the LCBPP/POE foam maintained a substantial adsorption capacity, retaining 99.3% of its initial oil absorption capacity. With its notable features, including a high open cell content, excellent hydrophobic and lipophilic characteristics, superior oil absorption capacity, impressive cyclic oil absorption performance, and robust reusability, LCBPP/POE open-cell foams exhibit significant promise as potential oil adsorbents for use in oil spill cleanup applications.

Enhanced antibacterial activity of composite fibers from polylactic acid and nanosilver‐coated ground tea leaves for sustainable green composite textiles

AbstractThis study aimed to create an environmentally friendly composite textile with enhanced antibacterial properties using polylactic acid (PLA) and nanosilver‐coated ground tea leaves (Ag/GTL). The green coating process was applied to produce the Ag/GTL, which was further used as an additive in the PLA matrix. Composite fiber showed a light green color and a slightly rough surface. The thermal properties tended to decrease with increasing masterbatch content, while the crystallinity was significantly increased. The mechanical test demonstrated the composite fibers trend toward decreased tenacity and higher elongation at break. PLA‐3, which has good spinnability and acceptable mechanical properties, was used to prepare the composite fabric. Moreover, the Ag/GTL additive also enhanced the antibacterial activity of composite fabric, especially Staphylococcus aureus as the gram‐positive bacteria and Escherichia coli as the gram‐negative bacteria, by up to 99%. In addition, composite fibers exhibiting engine oil sorption were expected to be applied in oil spill cleanup applications.

Biobased Castor Oil-Based Polyurethane Foams Grafted with Octadecylsilane-Modified Diatomite for Use as Eco-Friendly and Low-Cost Sorbents for Crude Oil Clean-Up Applications.

Herein we report the synthesis and characterization of novel castor oil-based polyurethane (PU) foam functionalized with octadecyltrichlorosilane (C18)-modified diatomaceous earth (DE) particles, exhibiting superior hydrophobicity and oil adsorption, and poor water absorption, for use in effective clean-up of crude oil spillage in water bodies. High-performance and low-cost sorbents have a tremendous attraction in oil spill clean-up applications. Recent studies have focused on the use of castor oil as a significant polyol that can be used as a biodegradable and eco-friendly raw material for the synthesis of PU. However, biobased in-house synthesis of foam modified with C18-DE particles has not yet been reported. This study involves the synthesis of PU using castor oil, further modification of castor oil-based PU using C18 silane, characterization studies and elucidation of oil adsorption capacity. The FTIR analysis confirmed the fusion of C18 silane particles inside the PU skeleton by adding the new functional group, and the XRD study signified the inclusion of crystalline peaks in amorphous pristine PU foam owing to the silane cross-link structure. Thermogravimetric analysis indicated improvement in thermal stability and high residual content after chemical modification with alkyl chain moieties. The SEM and EDX analyses showed the surface's roughness and the incorporation of inorganic and organic elements into pristine PU foam. The contact angle analysis showed increased hydrophobicity of the modified PU foams treated with C18-DE particles. The oil absorption studies showed that the C18-DE-modified PU foam, in comparison with the unmodified one, exhibited a 2.91-fold increase in the oil adsorption capacity and a 3.44-fold decrease in the water absorbing nature. From these studies, it is understood that this novel foam can be considered as a potential candidate for cleaning up oil spillage on water bodies.

Facile fabrication of superhydrophobic–superoleophilic ZnCo2O4 nickel foam for highly efficient oil/water separation

AbstractIn recent years, the fabrication of hydrophobic materials and their excellent applications in oil spill cleanup has attracted widespread attention. Herein, we report the rapid and straightforward preparation of ZnCo2O4 nickel foam by hydrothermal synthesis. The prepared sample surfaces possess excellent superlipophilicity and superhydrophobicity after modification by stearic acid, so it can efficiently absorb light and heavy oil in water, and the absorption efficiency is over 99%. Besides, the unmodified ZnCo2O4 nickel foam could be subjected to effective oil–water separation at standard temperature and pressure, and its separation efficiency can be more than 97.4%. After 20 continuous filtration cycles, it can maintain stable high separation efficiency and even work under harsh environmental conditions, like acid, alkali, salt solution, high and low temperature, and ultraviolet radiation. Compared with other methods of manufacturing hydrophobic materials, this method is facile, lower cost, environmentally durable, and highly efficient. Therefore, the as‐prepared ZnCo2O4 nickel foam has good application value in treating oily wastewater.

Fabrication of superhydrophobic/oleophilic starch cryogel via a simple sol-gel immersion process for removing oil from water

Superhydrophobic/oleophilic adsorbents have attracted considerable attention for removing oil spill that poses a serious threat to the aquatic ecosystem. Porous starch–based materials have been proved to have good oil absorption performance, but superhydrophobicity of these materials has not yet been realized. Herein, a superhydrophobic starch-based adsorbent (HTSC) was fabricated through a simple sol–gel immersion process of hexadecyltrimethoxysilane and tetraethyl orthosilicate in the presence of starch cryogel. The adsorbent was simultaneously provided with low surface energy and hierarchical micro/nanostructures via hydrolysis–condensation reaction. HTSC exhibited high water contact angle (>153.0°) and low sliding angle (<8.0°) as well as excellent self-cleaning and anti-fouling properties. The structural support and stable chemical bonding endowed the material with good mechanical and chemical durability. HTSC also possessed reasonable oil adsorption performance (2.6–7.5 g/g), which was dominated by its porosity and followed pseudo-second-order model. Its selective wettability towards oil and water allowed it to be applied for oil removal under water and from the water surface. This novel superhydrophobic starch–based adsorbent shows promising application in oil spill cleanup.

Superhydrophobic starch-based adsorbent with honeycomb coral-like surface fabricated via facile immersion process for removing oil from water

The development of novel superhydrophobic adsorbents is highly demanded for tackling frequent oil spill accidents. Porous starch-based materials have been proven to possess good oil absorption performance, but their superhydrophobicity has not yet been reported, thus limiting their application in oil spill cleanup. Herein, a superhydrophobic starch-based adsorbent (MSC) was fabricated through the facile immersion process of starch cryogel (SC) into toluene solution of methyltrichlorosilane (MTS). Low-surface-energy and honeycomb coral-like micro/nanostructures, which contribute to high water contact angle (>151.0°) and low sliding angle (<15.0°), were provided simultaneously to SC by the hydrolysis-condensation reaction of MTS. MSC exhibited excellent water repellent, self-cleaning, and anti-fouling properties, as well as passable mechanical and chemical durability. The reasonable oil adsorption performance and selective wettability toward oil and water allowed this absorbent to be applied for heavy oil removal underwater and oil slick cleaning from the water surface. It is expected that the facile strategy provided by this work will accelerate the application of superhydrophobic starch-based materials in oil contamination removal and other industrial activities.

Superhydrophobic starch-based nanocomposite cryogel for oil removal underwater and magnetically guided oil slick cleanup

Low-cost and eco-friendly carbohydrate-based absorbents have attracted great attention for cleaning oil spill that poses a serious threat to the ecosystem. Porous starch-based materials have been proven to have good oil absorption performance, but the hydrophilicity of these materials limits their application in oil spill cleanup. Herein, a novel starch-based superhydrophobic absorbent (HMS-SiO2@MSC) was achieved by introducing nanoparticles into starch cryogel. Fe3O4 and silylated SiO2 nanoparticles endowed the adsorbent with magnetism (saturation magnetization: 4.36 emu/g) and superhydrophobicity (water contact angle: 154.4°), respectively. In addition, the surface chemical composition and microstructure of the adsorbent were investigated in detail. Some crucial properties of HMS-SiO2@MSC were also comprehensively confirmed, including water-repellent, self-cleaning, anti-fouling, and durability. Furthermore, HMS-SiO2@MSC exhibited good practicability of removing oil underwater and magnetically guided cleaning oil slick on the water surface. This work provided a new carbohydrate-based adsorbent, which would broaden the application fields of starch.

Electrospun composites nanofibers from cellulose acetate/carbon black as efficient adsorbents for heavy and light machine oil from aquatic environment

The feasibility of preparing cellulose acetate/carbon black (CA/CB) composite nanofiber in one step through electrospinning process and investigating its potential oil absorbability and application for machine oil removal from aquatic environment was reported. Different CA/CB composite nanofibers were fabricated by electrospinning of cellulose acetate (CA) solution containing different loads of 0.7, 1.5, and 2.2% CB relative to the weight of CA and labeled as CA/CB0.7, CA/CB1.5, and CA/CB2.2. The scanning electron microscope (SEM) images showed continuous and smooth fiber with submicron diameter ranging from 400–900 nm with good adhering of CB into CA nanofiber. Furthermore, the CA/CB composite nanofibers exhibited high surface area compared with CA nanofiber, which reached 3.057, 2.8718 and 8.244 m2/g for CA/CB0.7, CA/CB1.5 and CA/CB2.2, respectively. Oil adsorption tests were performed with heavy and light machine oils. The CA/CB composite nanofibers showed higher affinity for oil removal from an aqueous solution than pure CA nanofiber. The CA/CB1.5 composite nanofiber has an exceptional performance for the adsorption of both oils, and the maximum oil adsorbed reached 10.6 and 18.3 g/g for light and heavy machine oils, respectively. The kinetic of machine oils adsorption was fitted well by the pseudo-second-order model. Besides, CA/CB composite nanofiber exposed good adsorption properties and respectable reusability after regeneration for four consecutive cycles. The results advocate the excellent potential of as-fabricated CA/CB composite nanofiber as a promising reusable oil adsorbent for oil spill cleanup applications.

Oil spill cleanup by natural fibers: a review

Purpose In recent years, oil spill pollution has become one of the main problems of environmental pollution. Recovering oil by means of sorbent materials is a very promising approach and has acquired more attention due to its high cleanup efficiency. Compared to synthetic fibrous sorbents, the use of natural fibers in oil spill cleanups offers several advantages including environmental friendliness, degradable features and cost-effectiveness. Therefore, studies on developing sorbents using natural fibers for oil spill cleanup applications have become a research hotspot. Design/methodology/approach This paper reviews the work conducted by several researchers in developing oil sorbents from fibers such as cattail, nettle, cotton, milkweed, kapok, populous seed fiber and Metaplexis japonica fiber. Some featured critical parameters influencing the oil sorption capacity of fibrous substrates are discussed. Oil sorption capacity and reusability performance of various fibers are also discussed. Recent developments in oil spill cleanups and test methods for oil sorbents are briefly covered. Findings The main parameters influencing the oil sorption capacity of sorbents are fiber morphological structure, fiber density (g/cc), wax (%), hollowness (%) and water contact angle. An extensive literature review showed that oil sorption capacity is highest for Metaplexis japonica fiber followed by populous seed fiber, kapok, milkweed, cotton, nettle and cattail fiber. After use, the sorbents can be buried under soil or they can also be burned so that they can be vanished from the surface without causing environmental-related issues. Originality/value This review paper aims to summarize research studies conducted related to various natural fibers for oil spill cleanups, fiber structural characteristics influencing oil sorption and recent developments in oil spill cleanups. This work will inspire future researchers with various knowledge backgrounds, particularly, from a sustainability perspective.

Ultra-hydrophobic aluminum foam development for potential application in continuous water-oil separation processes

Owing to their applicability as a selective barrier, porous materials with modified surfaces have been presented as alternatives for addressing oil spills in water. For this application, surface treatment seeks both maximization of surface area and formation of a low-energy layer. To achieve an effective selective barrier that is useful in the separation of oil-water mixtures, with future application in oil spill cleanup, this work presents aluminum foams treated with sodium hydroxide and immersed in dodecanoic acid to achieve pickling and reduction of surface energy, respectively. Treatment efficiency was evaluated using the Brunauer–Emmett–Teller method and contact angle measurements. Results were consistent with other hydrophobic materials. Pore sizes of 425 µm, 850 µm, and 1200 µm were used to evaluate separation of water and oil mixtures under static and dynamic conditions. Oil recovery efficiencies for all pore sizes were greater than 98%.

Robust and switchable superwetting sponge-like membrane: Towards on-demand emulsion separation and aqueous pollutant degradation

There remains a great challenge to integrate reversible separation of emulsified oil/water mixtures and treatment of organic contaminants in complex oily wastewaters. Herein, sponge-like Co(OH)2 nanosheets coated stainless steel mesh (SSM) was designed through electrodeposition route within only 20 min. Due to the highly porous hierarchical architecture, the membrane displays superhydrophilicity and underwater superoleophilicity with water contact angle of nearly 0° and underwater oil contact angle greater than 160.1°, achieving high-efficient separation of surfactant-stabilized oil-in-water emulsion (≥99.9%) and fast permission flux up to 540 L m−2 h−1. Interestingly, reversible wettability transition for on-demand emulsified oil/water separation can be easily manipulated for at least 10 cycles by the alternation treatment with stearic acid and NaOH/tetrahydrofuran in turn. The membrane reveals outstanding superwetting stability against mechanical abrasion, heat treatment and harsh corrosive conditions. Importantly, the Co(OH)2/SSM exhibits a high catalyzing potential to effectively oxidize the aqueous contaminant (i.e. Acid Orange 7) with a maximum degradation efficiency of almost 100% in 6 min. All these attractive features make the smart membrane a promising candidate for potential extensive application in oil spill cleanup and industrial emulsified oily wastewater treatment.

Development of highly efficient, renewable and durable alginate composite aerogels for oil/water separation

To valorize the naturally abundant biomass, bio-composites made of biomass and functional nano-materials have attracted a great deal of attention. By incorporating alginate with TiO2/RGO nanocomposites, TiO2/RGO/Alginate composite (TRGA) aerogels are fabricated via a facile freeze-drying method. TiO2/RGO nanocomposites can effectively improve the surface roughness and mechanical performance of alginate-based matrix, and provide the aerogels with light-driven self-cleaning ability. Without further chemical modification, the as-fabricated TRGA aerogel shows: i) collective underwater superoleophobicity (θoil > 150° for various oils), ii) effective oil/water separation performance (9.76 L·m−2·s−1 water permeate flux and 99.96% separation efficiency) and iii) excellent light-induced recyclability. With light-driven self-cleaning ability, the continuously deteriorated separation performance of aerogel can be easily renewed, and maintain an effective oil/water separation performance even after 120 cycles. Benefiting from its facile fabrication and excellent properties, the developed aerogel can be a promising candidate for practical oil/water separation in marine oil spill clean-up applications.

Superhydrophobic/superoleophilic corn straw as an eco-friendly oil sorbent for the removal of spilled oil

Here, a distinctive eco-friendly corn straw material with preferable superhydrophobicity and superoleophilicity for separating oil from liquid mixtures is proposed. The raw corn straw was successfully modified by deposition of SiO2/ZnO composite particles on the fiber surface and subsequent hydrophobic modification with octyltriethoxysilane. The modified corn straw was found to have preferable chemical durability and environmental continuance, with water and oil contact angles of 152° and 0°, respectively, allowing it to both selectively adsorb oils and completely repel water. In addition, it was provided with a high capacity of sorption, making it an ideal candidate for potential oil spill cleanup applications. Due to its natural attributes to float on water, it is convenient for transportation after the oil adsorption is completed. Hence, the modified corn straw provides an eco-friendly alternative for the cleanup of oil spills, as well as a means to relieve the environmental problem of agricultural waste disposal.

Investigation and Evaluation of Poly (n- butyl acrylate) for Oil Fractions Spill Removal Applications

This work is aiming at investigating the preparation and characterization of n-butyl acrylate (BA) to be used in oil spill removing applications. N-Butyl Acrylate was prepared by solution polymerization taking into account the effect of monomer concentration, polymerization time, initiator concentration, cross-linker concentration and polymerization temperature on the yield of n- butyl acrylate to optimize the polymerization conditions. Thermal analysis has been done using thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) in the range of 25oC to 600oC and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) in the range of 35oC to 400oC. The results showed that n- butyl acrylate is thermally stable to satisfy the requirements of oil spill cleanup applications. The chemical structure of n- butyl acrylate was confirmed using Fourier Transform Infrared analysis (FTIR). The morphology of n- butyl acrylate that controls its ability to absorb oil spills was observed using scanning electron microscope (SEM). It was found that n-butyl acrylate has the ability to absorb gasoline, kerosene, diesel, xylene, octanol and Mobil oil. Sorption capacity of the polymer in dry system, static system and dynamic system in addition to its reusability of sorbent several times were studied.

Oil sorption behavior of acetylated nettle fiber

In this work, acetylation of raw nettle fibers was performed to improve the oil sorption capacity. Raw nettle fibers were acetylated with acetic anhydride using N-Bromosuccinimide (NBS) as a catalyst. Box–Behnken experimental design was used to study the effect of some selected parameters such as reaction time, reaction temperature and catalyst concentration (%) on weight percent gain (WPG) and oil sorption behavior. Highest WPG and oil sorption were achieved at 90 min reaction time, 120 °C and 2% catalyst. The oil sorption of acetylated nettle was 23.21 g/g and 18.75 g/g against diesel engine oil and crude oil, respectively. Nettle fibers were also characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, thermal gravimetric analysis and Scanning electron microscopy. Oil sorption capacity of acetylated nettle were higher than that of commercial polypropylene sorbent. Hence, these acetylated nettle fibers can be used in the place of synthetic sorbents for oil spill cleanup applications.

Multifunctional magnetic superhydrophobic carbonaceous aerogel with micro/nano-scale hierarchical structures for environmental remediation and energy storage

Multifunctional magnetic superhydrophobic carbonaceous (MSC) aerogel with hierarchically porous structures is successfully prepared via carbonization process using disposable cotton balls followed by surface-coating of Fe3O4 particles and post hydrophobic-modified treatment with long-chain silanes. The developed MSC aerogel demonstrates ultralow density (<2 mg/cm3) and ultrahigh porosity (>99.9%), robust superhydrophobicity and superoleophilicity (θwater = 160.5°, θoil = 0°, a rolling contact angle of 1.8°). The aerogel has excellent absorption capacity (61–113 g/g) for various oily liquids, and can be manipulated above the contaminated water under magnetism. More importantly, benefitting from its fire resistance and compressibility, the MSC aerogel can be recycled easily using distillation, squeezing and combustion, depending on the kinds of contaminants. Furthermore, this material can be a good candidate for supercapacitors. All these features make the material a versatile and comprehensive material for various applications in oil spill cleanup and energy storage.

Development of Nettle–Polypropylene-Blended Needle-Punched Nonwoven Fabrics for Oil Spill Cleanup Applications

ABSTRACT In this work, the effects of fabric weight, needling density, and blend proportion of nettle and polypropylene (PP) fibers on diesel engine oil and crude oil sorption were studied. Needle-punched nonwoven fabric samples were prepared as per Box and Behnken experimental design. Highest crude oil sorption (23.59 g/g) and diesel engine oil sorption (17.02 g/g) of the fabric were obtained at nettle/PP (30/70) needle-punched nonwoven with lower needling density and lower fabric weight. Further, oil retention capacity of nettle/PP (30/70) needle-punched nonwovens and other factors influencing the oil sorption behavior of textile substrates such as stirring speed, salinity, temperature, and hydrophobicity-oleophilicity were investigated. From the reusability test, it is noted that the sorption capacity of nettle/PP (30/70) nonwoven fabric after the eighth cycle was 9.15 g/g and 8.45 g/g against crude and diesel engine oil, respectively. From this study, it is concluded that nettle/PP (30/70) can be efficiently used for removal of oil spill.

Oil Spill Cleanup by Bonded Nettle Fibrous Mat

Nettle is a cellulose plant fiber which enormously exists in tropical wasteland areas around the world. Various researchers throughout the world have studied the characteristics of nettle in different forms such as fibers, yarns and fabrics. In the present work, 100% nonwoven nettle fibrous assembly has been produced using needle punching machine and investigated for its suitability in oil spill cleanup applications. The oil sorption capacity of 100% needle-punched nonwoven nettle fibrous assembly against crude oil and diesel engine oil was 22.39 g/g and 19.29 g/g, respectively. Further, nonwoven nettle fibrous assembly was also subjected to tests such as reusability, burning tests, temperature test, shake test and extraction test. These test results confirm that 100% needle-punched nonwoven nettle fibrous assembly can be effectively used for oil spill cleanup applications.

Superhydrophobic and Compressible Silica-polyHIPE Covalently Bonded Porous Networks via Emulsion Templating for Oil Spill Cleanup and Recovery

We synthesize porous polyHIPE networks with silanol functionalities in the polyHIPE backbone. These silanol functionalities are used for covalent bonding with silica aerogels embedded in the polyHIPE. Covalent bonding between silica and polyHIPE networks are confirmed using Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy. Silica aerogels covalently bonded with polyHIPE network show macroporous and mesoporous morphologies and possess excellent properties like high bendability, high elasticity, superhydrophobicity (~160°), low density (~0.128 g/cm3), and low thermal conductivity (~0.045 W/m·K). Oil absorption from water/oil mixtures and recovery of the absorbed oil (by squeezing) from flexible silica-polyHIPE networks is studied. The silica-polyHIPE is shown to absorb crude oil ~16-times its own weight and can be reused multiple times after recovery. Hence, such materials are very important for oil spill cleanup applications from aqueous systems.