Oil Spill Recovery Research Articles

Solar‐Assisted, Highly Efficient, and In Situ Recovery of Crude Oil Spill by FeCo2S4‐Modified Sponge

Rapid cleanup of oil spill is becoming a great challenge since crude oil is hard to clean up by conventional porous oil sorbents because of its high viscosity. Herein, novel fabrication of a hydrophobic/oleophilic and photothermal polydopamine (PDA)/FeCo2S4/polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) coated polyurethane (PU) sponge using chemical polymerization and dip‐coating methods is reported. The optimized composite sponge exhibits high hydrophobicity, high absorption capacity for oils and organic liquids, excellent chemical resistance, and stable recycling. Furthermore, PDA/FeCo2S4/PDMS@PU sponge shows outstanding photothermal conversion capability. Under sunlight irradiation, crude oil viscosity can be reduced by two orders of magnitude due to the rapid temperature rise in PDA/FeCo2S4/PDMS@PU sponge. In addition, a method of in situ pumping for uninterrupted recovery of oil spills from the water surface is designed. Benefiting from great mechanical performance and photothermal conversion capacity, the PDA/FeCo2S4/PDMS@PU sponge can be regarded as an ideal sorbent candidate for the collection of crude oil and treatment of large‐scale oil spill disasters.

A review on the effectiveness of nanocomposites for the treatment and recovery of oil spill

The introduction of unintended oil spills into the marine ecosystem has a significant impact on aquatic life and raises important environmental concerns. The present review summarizes the recent studies where nanocomposites are applied to treat oil spills. The review deals with the techniques used to fabricate nanocomposites and identify the characteristics of nanocomposites beneficial for efficient recovery and treatment of oil spills. It classifies the nanocomposites into four categories, namely bio-based materials, polymeric materials, inorganic-inorganic nanocomposites, and carbon-based nanocomposites, and provides an insight into understanding the interactions of these nanocomposites with different types of oils. Among nanocomposites, bio-based nanocomposites are the most cost-effective and environmentally friendly. The grafting or modification of magnetic nanoparticles with polymers or other organic materials is preferred to avoid oxidation in wet conditions. The method of synthesizing magnetic nanocomposites and functionalization polymer is essential as it influences saturation magnetization. Notably, the inorganic polymer-based nanocomposite is very less developed and studied for oil spill treatment. Also, the review covers some practical considerations for treating oil spills with nanocomposites. Finally, some aspects of future developments are discussed. The terms "Environmentally friendly," "cost-effective," and "low cost" are often used, but most of the studies lack a critical analysis of the cost and environmental damage caused by chemical alteration techniques. However, the oil and gas industry will considerably benefit from the stimulation of ideas and scientific discoveries in this field.

Reusable Sugar-Based Gelator for Marine Oil-Spill Recovery and Waste Water Treatment.

In this work, the gelation ability of a series of novel pyridine-based glucose tailored gelators (DPHAEN, DPHABN, and DPHAHN) with a flexible alkyl chain has been examined in binary solvent mixtures using a number of techniques, for example, UV spectroscopy, FT-IR spectroscopy, NMR spectroscopy, rheology measurement, SEM, XRD, and computational study. Proposed herein is an environment-friendly method to realize toxic dye separation and oil/water separation. It has been found that gels in a selective binary solvent mixture are efficient reusable absorbers of toxic dye molecules. A new gravitational force-driven, simple one-step, toxic dye removal and oil-water separation method is presented for sustainable filtration of waste water and simultaneous collection of oil. The gel column also showed high stability and reusability over repeated use and can be easily scaled for efficient clean-up of a large number of toxic dyes and oil spills present in water. Studies also exposed that the gel column can simultaneously separate dye molecules and mineral oils from water. This simple, green, and efficient method overcomes a nontrivial hurdle for environmentally safe separation of toxic dyes as well as oil/water mixtures and offers insights into the design of advanced materials for practical oil/water separation.

Multifunctional photothermal fabrics with water repellent for efficient crude oil adsorption and seawater desalination

Solar-driven crude oil adsorption and seawater desalination have become promising strategies for oil spill recovery and freshwater production, respectively. However, the water adsorbed into the solar absorber has negative impacts on both the oil adsorption capacity and water evaporation rate, so it is vital to restrain water from entering the solar absorber. Herein, a versatile photothermal fabric was prepared by modifying carbon cloth (CC) with polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS). The introduction of PDMS improves the light absorption and the hydrophobicity, and prevents water from being adsorbed into the absorber. Taking advantage of the above properties, CC@PDMS exhibits an outstanding crude oil adsorption capacity of 21.13 g g−1 and a remarkable evaporation rate of 1.81 kg m−2 h−1. This work provides a facile strategy for solving the common issue of solar-driven crude oil adsorption and solar steam generation.

Engineering a 3D porous carbon sponge as a self-floating solar energy utilization platform for photothermal oil spill recovery and photocatalytic H2 evolution

The porous carbon sponge + g-C3N4 photocatalytic system was facile synthesized by using melamine-formaldehyde (MF) foams and urea.

A new class of amide-based organogels: from oil spill recovery to self-assembly structure analysis

H-bonding and van der Waals forces affect the self-assembly between molecules, explaining the self-assembly process of the gel. The spatial configuration of the dimer and the forces between molecules can be visualized through the ESP graph.

Surface-modified magnetite nanoparticles using polyethylene terephthalate waste derivatives for oil spill remediation.

This work aims at synthesizing new cross-linked poly ionic liquids, CPILs, VIMDE-Cl and CPIL, VIMDE-TFA, utilizing polyethylene terephthalate waste as a precursor and applying them to magnetite nanoparticles surface modification, producing surface-modified magnetite nanoparticles, SMNPs, VDCL/MNPs, and VDTA/MNPs, respectively. The structures of VIMDE-Cl and VIMDE-TFA, VDCL/MNPs, and VDTA/MNPs, were verified using different techniques. The particle sizes of SMNPs, VDCL/MNPs, and VDTA/MNPs, were evaluated with a transmission electron microscope and dynamic light scattering. The compatibility of VDCL/MNPs and VDTA/MNPs with crude oil components and their response to an external magnet were also measured using contact angle measurements and a vibrating sample magnetometer. The data confirmed the formation of SMNPs, nanosized structure, compatibility with oil components, and response to an external magnet. For that, VDCL/MNPs and VDTA/MNPs were applied for oil spill recovery using different SMNP : crude oil weight ratios. The impact of contact time on SMNPs' performance was also evaluated. The data indicated increased performance with an increase in SMNPs ratio, reaching maximum values of 99% and 96% for VDCL/MNPs and VDTA/MNPs, respectively, at SMNPs : crude oil ratio of 1 : 1. According to the results, the optimal contact time was 6 min, resulting in 89% and 97% performance for VDCL/MNPs and VDTA/MNPs at 1 : 4 SMNPs : crude oil ratio.

A β-d-glucose pentaacetate derivative as an efficient phase selective gelator for oil spill recovery

After simply filtering and evaporating, the recovery rates of compound 1 and mineral oil are 81% and 93%, respectively.

Composite magnetic sheet as sorbent for oil spill Clean-up

Water is the most vital resource required for the survival. But the cleanliness of this resource has been compromised in the form of oil spills which occurs due to the tanker disaster, transportation and storage of oil. It is extremely urgent to find the effective counter measure for oil spill treatment which aims oil spill-recovery strategy. Out of all the measures, development of a good biodegradable sorbent for spillage has sustained interest. To solve this environmental problem of oil spill, magnetic Sheet was synthesised by using lumen loading procedure using alkali treated bamboo fibers and cobalt ferrite nanoparticles (CoFe 2 O 4 ). Lumen loading permits the ferrite particles to be introduced solely into the lumens of bamboo fibres. For aiming this, CoFe 2 O 4 nanoparticles were first prepared by the sol–gel method and fibers were pre-treated with 6 % NaOH. Then synthesised ferrites were merged with the fibers. The samples were characterized by employing Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM-EDS), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), X-ray Diffraction (XRD). SEM confirms the deposition of cobalt ferrites nano particles on the surface and into the macropores of fibers. The sorption capacity for raw bamboo fibers, alkali treated bamboo fibers and composite sheet was calculated for three different type of oil such as mustard oil, coconut oil and olive oil. The sorption capacity shown by the raw bamboo fiber, 6 % NaOH treated bamboo fiber and composite magnetic sheet was in the range 1.8–2.2 g, 16.2–18.8 g and 1.8–2.4 g of oil per gram of sample respectively. The outcomes propose that the prepared magnetic sheet can be used as absorbent for oil-spill clean-up.

Inorganic Subnanometer Nanowire-Based Organogels: Trends, Challenges, and Opportunities.

Organogels exhibit many excellent properties and multiple functions. Conventionally, polymers and low-molecular-mass organic gelators (LMOGs) are used for preparing organogels, showing potential applications. Recently, a subnanometer nanowire (SNW) gelator applicable for various organic liquids emerged, which has potential for semi-solidification, safe storage, and transportation of organic liquids and oil spill recovery. This perspective summarizes and compares these three kinds of organogels. Through this perspective, the challenges and opportunities for SNW-based organogels are made clearer. Regulating functions of gels by controlling the structure and composition of SNWs and developing other subnanometer material gelators may be further research directions.

A Review of User-Centred Design Methods for Designing a Portable Oil Spill Skimmer

Boom and skimmer are mechanical techniques in Oil Spill Response and Recovery (OSRR) that collect oil from the water surface. However, there are several drawbacks of using boom and skimmer, such as the oil could pass over the boom during strong wind and high tides. Moreover, the currently available oil skimmer designed by the engineers is heavy-duty; in consequence, it is ineffective in shallow water. Thus, there is a need to develop a portable oil spill skimmer to complement the current drawbacks. Several journals on the fabrication of the oil spill skimmer were reviewed. Findings from literature shows that the development of oil spill skimmer lacks user requirements when designing a portable oil spill skimmer. This article provides a systematic review of Kansei Engineering and the Analytical Hierarchy Process in the product development process. Therefore, Kansei Engineering and Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) can be incorporated in the early stage of designing a portable oil spill skimmer. This paper also includes the application of Kansei Engineering and AHP in design research articles. Findings from observed articles indicate a lack of design and development technologies relating to products for environmental protection; the AHP and Kansei Engineering application is somewhat lacking. Moreover, the fabrication of an oil spill skimmer focuses more on technical specifications and includes fewer user requirements. As a result, the characteristics such as ease of use, robustness, and safety cannot be evaluated. The AHP and Kansei Engineering methodology can be extended to the design and manufacture of products for environmental protection.

Oil spill assessment maps of the central Salish Sea – Marine seafloor & coastal habitats of concern – A tool for oil spill mitigation within the San Juan Archipelago, Washington State, USA

The potential for oil spills within the San Juan Archipelago of the central Salish Sea of Washington State, USA, has been an increasing concern for some time. Within this region, the spectacular islands, coastline, and underwater environment has drawn tourists, fisher people, residents, and researchers from around the world to play, live, and study. The diverse biological resources of the region provide sustenance for many of the islanders and supports a valuable tourist industry for whale watching; salmon, crab, and shrimp fishing; and underwater diving – all of which can be adversely impacted by an oil spill.The present plans to ship more hydrocarbon products, including diluted bitumen (dilbit), from transfer sites located along the coastline of mainland British Columbia, Canada, has the potential to increase tanker vessel traffic seven-fold through the San Juan Archipelago (Seattle Times, June 22, 2019). This, along with other types of marine traffic such as cruise ships, tug-and-tow barges, articulated tank barges, bulk carriers, freighters, and general cargo shipping will increase the risk of a collision, grounding, or other events that may lead to a significant oil spill. To date, the central Salish Sea region is only marginally prepared for an oil spill tracking, containment, and recovery action. Thus, a need exists to stage equipment for the mitigation of an oil spill event if critical marine habitats are to be protected. We focus on some of these critical benthic habitats such as for rockfish (Sebastes spp.), lingcod (Ophiodon elongatus), the forage fish Pacific sand lance (Ammodytes Personatus), eelgrass (Zostera marina) meadows that are recruitment habitat for herring (Clupus herengus), and kelp (Nerocystis luetkeana) forests.To strategically locate or assemble any mitigation apparatus for a rapid response to an oil spill, a map showing critical marine habitats is a necessity. Such a map should highlight the most critical habitats along the marine transportation corridors (primarily Rosario Strait, Haro Strait, and Guemes Channel) as well as the relatively isolated sounds and bays including Padilla Bay, Samish Bay, and Fidalgo Bay that could act as depotcenters for oil accumulation. This study addresses that need and usefulness for such a map, as no longer can it be said that what lies beneath the sea's surface is “out-of-sight”, and thus “out-of-mind”. This means that this study is critical to the development of realistic Natural Resources Damage Assessment (NRDA) settlements and can be used to inform developments of future Geographic Response Plans (GRPs) of the State of Washington. The process described here is not unique to the central Salish Sea and can be used as a template elsewhere for NRDA's and other protective measures after being modified to account for specific habitats deemed critical to those areas.

Novel ferrocene chalcone organic gels for oil spill treatment and recovery

Herein, we developed three novel ferrocene-based chalcone gelators Y1-3. The three gelators were synthesized by introducing long alkyl chains of different lengths into the chalcone structure. The gelation behavior of the gelators in the solvent, especially in the oil phase, was studied, and the synthesized gelators were proved to have good gelation properties in the oil phase. Through the self-assembly behavior of gelators Y1-3 in the oil phase and the study of thermal stability, the effects of different alkyl long chains on the gelation ability of gelators in the oil phase were investigated, indicating that alkyl groups the longer the chain, the more stable the gel formed. The gelation mechanism of gelators Y1-3 was deduced by Gaussian calculation. Finally, the application research on oil identification and oil spill recovery was done on the gelators, and it was found that the gel factors can identify the adulteration of fuel oil and effectively recover the oil spill. This intelligent oil spill recovery material may stimulate more related research in the future.

Facile fabrication of flame-resistant, photothermal, and electrothermal polyurethane sponge: A promising sorbent for all-weather recovery of viscous crude oil spills from seawater

Herein, polyurethane (PU) sponges were modified by multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs), hexagonal boron nitride@Fe3O4 (BNF), nano graphite (nG), and acrylic resin (AR) to prepare two photothermal and electrothermal converters as efficient crude oil sorbents. The PU/MWCNT/BNF/AR and PU/nG/BNF/AR composites were able to convert electric current and sunlight to heat energy. The generated heat energy increased crude oil mobility followed by increasing crude oil penetration into the sorbent. The results showed that three parameters of the composites, including their porosity, electrical conductivity, and thermal conductivity, affected the crude oil absorption capacity. Therefore, the PU/MWCNT/BNF/AR had better oil absorption capacity (83.5 g g−1) than PU/nG/BNF/AR in both heating methods due to its remarkable characteristics such as high porosity (96.13 %), high thermal conductivity (0.98 W m−1 K−1), and good electrical conductivity (1.33 × 10−1 S/m). In a continuous crude oil absorption process using a vacuum pump and applying a voltage of 4 V, the PU/MWCNT/BNF/AR could absorb crude oil 72,170 times its own weight, which was the best amount among previously reported results. Moreover, the PU/MWCNT/BNF/AR was a superhydrophobic sponge with a water contact angle (WCA) of 165° and had a UL94-V0 flammability rate as a high flame-resistant composite. These all-weather energy converters can be promising sorbents for heavy crude oil/water separation.

Rapid fabrication of superhydrophobic magnetic melt-blown fiber felt for oil spill recovery and efficient oil–water separation

In response to the defects of low oil adsorption capacity and poor oil–water selectivity of polypropylene fiber felt as an oil spill emergency material, which necessitates systematic improvement to cope with frequent oil spills. Herein, a superhydrophobic magnetic fiber felt is fabricated by a facile melt-blown technique and a rapid modification process to solve its defects while imparting its functionality. UV-induced rapid polymerization of dopamine on melt-blown fibers and a dip coating of hydrophobic candelilla wax to modify mussel-inspired oil-adsorbent felts. The resultant felt features remote controllability as well as thermal and mechanical stability, exhibiting high resistance to corrosive solutions. The adsorption efficiency of the modified felt is significantly enhanced with a capacity of 10–20.48 g/g, and notably, it can be recycled 15 times via manual adsorption–desorption, which greatly contributes to the usefulness of the adsorbent. In addition, the separation efficiency of the felt applied as a membrane exceeds 95.7 % for various oil–water mixtures by gravity alone and a permeate flux of up to 28,662 L·m−2·h−1. A pump-assisted experiment connected to a felt can collect oil at a flux of 20,845 L·m−2·h−1, aiming at the continuous recovery of oil spills from seawater. The significant advancement in oil-adsorbent felt provides engineers with a more realistic strategy to handle oil spills and challenging separations.

Effect of oil properties on spilled oil recovery using a mechanism coupling surface vortices and cyclone separation

Oil spills can cause severe harm and environmental pollution. Among the various treatment methods available, those that utilize hydrodynamic properties are more environmentally friendly and efficient. In this study, a free-surface vortex method was used to recover crude oil, and the flow process of crude oil with a high viscosity and density in a vortex was studied by conducting scale–scale laboratory experiments. The motion of the oil phase in the same-scale flow field was simulated using a commercial simulation software (ANSYS Fluent), and the tangential velocity distribution in the cylindrical coordinate system was used to reflect the motion of the oil phase. The experimental and simulation results demonstrate that a vortex can be used for oil recovery. The flow and recovery efficiency of crude oil were simulated and compared with the flow properties of a white oil with a low viscosity and density. Crude oil existed more in the form of large droplets in the flow, and the oil core was denser after forming a vortex. The experimental results revealed that the flow performance of crude oil was worse than that of white oil. The recovery efficiency of crude oil after passing through the vortex was lower than that of white oil. In addition, the recovery system was connected to a cyclone separation device. The feasibility of cyclone separation in offshore oil–water separation was verified by comparing the separation efficiency of the crude and white oils. The separation efficiency of crude oil was related to the split ratio. Within a certain range, the separation efficiency increases linearly with the split ratio. Combined with the principle model and numerical simulation results, the vortex motion was described in a three-dimensional space. The generalization of the application range of the recovery and separation method was summarized.

Multistimuli-Responsive Hydroplaning Superhydrophobic Microrobots with Programmable Motion and Multifunctional Applications.

Superhydrophobic microrobots that can swim efficiently and rapidly on water under the action of external stimuli have attracted significant research attention for various applications. However, most studies on superhydrophobic microrobots have focused on single-stimulus driving modes, which limit the motion and functional applications of microrobots in complex aquatic environments. Therefore, multistimuli-responsive superhydrophobic microrobots that are capable of drifting rapidly on water through light, magnetic, and chemical control were developed in this study. The stability and environmental adaptability of the microrobots were systematically investigated. The microrobots achieved programmable trajectory motion on water, particularly complex motions such as circular, spiral, and helical movements under the coupled influence of chemical and magnetic fields. Importantly, the motion and control of multimicrorobots can be realized by combining control methods. Under the action of light and magnetic field, multimicrorobots could realize cooperative movement and completed the transportation of cargo. Additionally, broad multifunctional applications of the microrobots were explored in terms of oil spill recovery and solution mix. This study provides a method for the preparation and development of superhydrophobic microrobots with multistimuli-responsive characteristics.

Electrospinning fabrication of magnetic nanoparticles-embedded polycaprolactone (PCL) sorbent with enhanced sorption capacity and recovery speed for spilled oil removal

The use of oil-soaked sorbents in the recovery and cleaning of oil spills presents challenges due to disposal. Recently, magnetic nanoparticle (MNP) based collection has been gaining interest as a new technique to lower the amount of labor required to treat oil spills. In this study, we devised a new method for the preparation of a magnetic nanoparticle (MNP) embedded polycaprolactone (PCL) sorbent with oleophilic and environmentally friendly features, capable of bring easily collected under a magnetic field. Compared with conventional polypropylene sorbents, the MNP embedded PCL sorbent (MNP/PCL) displayed excellent Arabian light (AL) crude oil sorption capacity (45.7gg-1) and decreased the absorption time of the oil-soaked sorbent due to its electrospun structure and efficient distribution of hydrophobic MNPs. Furthermore, the MNP/PCL based sorbent became fully pyrolyzed under certain temperatures and conditions. The MNP embedded PCL-based sorbent demonstrated broad applicability and utility in large scale oil spill projects.

Nanoarchitectonics with Positionally Isomeric Coumarin Carbamates: Structure-Gelation Study, F- Recognition, Dye Removal and Excellent Oil-Spill Recovery.

Coumarin carbamates with cholesteryl group 1 and 2 have been designed, synthesized and characterized. The isomeric compounds show different gelation behaviors in organic solvents such as toluene and CH3 CN. Rheological studies reveal the different viscoelastic properties of the gels. Gels of the isomers differ in morphology. While an intertwined fibre-like structure is noted for the toluene gel of 1, rod like fibres are observed for toluene gel of 2. The positional alteration of carbamate group around coumarin changes the polarity of the isomers and hence influences the packing of molecules to establish different 3D networks for gel formation as explained by DFT study. Gels of the isomers show multiple applications with different attributes. Toluene gel of 1 is found to be F- -responsive and undergoes gel-to-sol phase transition due to the disruption of intermolecular hydrogen bonding through deprotonation. Under the condition, toluene gel of 2 is anion stable. Compound 1 also shows measurable interaction with F- over other anions in CH3 CN as interpreted by UV-vis and emission spectral changes. Based on phase-selective gelation (PSG) property, both 1 and 2 is deployed to remove cationic dye from water. Further, only gelator 2 is useful for oil spill recovery, whereas isomer 1 is not suitable in this regard.

Floating treatment wetlands for the bioremediation of oil spills: A review.

Conventional oil spill recovery may cause significant damage to shoreline habitats during the removal of oiled material and from human and equipment interaction. In addition, these methods are costly and can leave a significant amount of residual oil in the environment. Biological remediation strategies may be a less invasive option for recovering oil from sensitive regions, with potential to increase recovery. Floating treatment wetlands are a growing area of interest for biodegradation of oil facilitated by plant-bacterial partnerships. Plants are able to stimulate microbial colonization in the rhizosphere, creating greater opportunity for contaminant interaction and degradation. A literature review analysis revealed thirteen articles researching this topic, and found that floating treatment wetlands have high potential to degrade oil contaminants. In some instances, plants and inoculated bacteria exhibited the highest degradation potential, however, plants alone had higher degradation potential than bacteria alone. Research is needed to explore how floating treatment wetlands perform in field-based trials and under variable environmental conditions.