Selection Criteria and Laboratory Evaluation of Oil Spill Sorbents

📖 The Scoop

Twenty-one oil spill sorbents were laboratory tested via immersion in three different petroleum products aged for one and seven days. The synthetic sorbents generally exhibited higher initial and maximum capacities with the foam synthetics having the highest capacities. Potential reuse was also much greater for the synthetics than for the other sorbents. During a 48-hour immersion test, the particulates and fibres exhibited the least change, the foams some structural weakening, and fibrous mats the most apparent alteration. Several synthetic sorbents reacted with the diesel oil, changing from discrete particles to a homogeneous immiscible layer at the oil/water interface. A statistical analysis shows that there is no significant difference between initial and maximum capacities for most sorbents. There is, however, a significant decrease in sorption capacity with the reduction of the oil layer thickness from 2.5 mm (diesel) and 5 mm (crude) to 0.1 mm for both oils, as well as a concurrent increase in water pickup.

Genre: No Category (fancy, right?)