Surface Water Protection against Oil Spills using Polymeric Nanocomposites Sorbents

Surface water pollution is increasing greatly due to many factors, including the oil industry. Some causes of pollution with oil are ship accidents, storage tanks, and oil pipelines. This study aims mainly to control, contain, and eliminate the oil spills spread on surface water as quickly as possible to minimize hazards to people, properties, and natural resources. An effective method to achieve this goal is to apply floating barriers (socks) filled with polymer sorbents. Four polyurethane foams (PUF) and their nanocomposites were developed as sorbents for oil spills. These prepared sorbents are eco-friendly, cost-effective, protect surface water resources, and improve local waste-to-resource recycling. Seven different oils were employed. The properties of the developed nanocomposites and their capability to recover absorbed different types of oil were evaluated and achieved significant results. The adsorption capacities were studied as a function of adsorption time, from 5 to 30 minutes. It was concluded that the uptake rate was rapid within the first 5 minutes for all nanocomposites, and then it increased gradually with increased time. Regression analyses were performed developing equations to relate the adsorption capacity and the time. Finally, a viable model of sorption sock was developed and tested successfully. The developed PU foam nanocomposites respond well to oil product spills on the water surface, which can reduce the time for containment.