Development of Biodegradable Surfactants for Oil Spill Remediation

Abstract Oil spills in ocean habitats present very serious risks to sea ecosystems, prompt and efficient remediation approaches are needed. Regular chemical surfactants use in oil spill cleanup can pose risk and difficulties because of their toxicity to the environment and ocean habitats, leading to long-lasting ecological damage. This study presents the development of a biodegradable surfactant, termed BioClean-Surf, which is developed using principles of green and eco-friendly chemistry from natural sources like coconut oil, soybean oil, and amino acids. The aim is to develop an effective and environmentally friendly surfactant that can emulsify and disperse oil to reduce its long-lasting effects on marine environments. Laboratory experiments were conducted to assess the performance of BioClean-Surf in real-world conditions. The surfactant was synthesized through esterification and saponification processes, with its chemical structure and purity confirmed using advanced techniques like nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, mass spectrometry (MS), and Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. Experiments evaluated the surfactant's ability to emulsify and disperse oil in water across three different surfactant-to-oil (S:O) ratios (1:5, 1:10, 1:50). The biodegradability of BioClean-Surf was tested using the OECD 301 standard, and toxicity was assessed through bioassays on aquatic organisms. Measurements of oil droplet size reduction, water turbidity, and bacterial cell count were continuously monitored over 60 days to observe the surfactant's efficacy. The results demonstrated that BioClean-Surf effectively emulsifies and disperses oil, significantly reducing residual oil in water samples and achieving optimal performance at an S:O ratio of 1:10. Biodegradability tests confirmed that BioClean-Surf breaks down rapidly in natural conditions, minimizing its long-term ecological footprint. Toxicity evaluations indicated that the surfactant is non-toxic to marine life, ensuring safe application in natural water bodies. These findings confirm that BioClean-Surf offers a highly effective and environmentally sustainable solution for oil spill remediation, aligning with global efforts to promote green technologies and reduce marine pollution.