Synthesis and application of adsorbent pads for removal of oil pollutants from water

Oil is a crucial foundation for energy, significantly influencing both industrial production and daily human activities. However, oil pollution inflicts considerable harm on the environment. To protect the environment, it is essential to implement effective cleaning strategies to remove oil from aquatic systems. Among the various remediation techniques, the adsorption process has emerged as one of the most efficient approaches for removing oil contaminants from water sources. This research used animal hair, modified palm fibers, and polyurethane particles as adsorbent pads to remediate water contaminated with oil. The characterization of the synthesized adsorbent and the assessment of the impact of modifications at each stage were conducted utilizing various analytical techniques, including Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) surface area analysis. The key factors influencing absorption, such as pH, temperature, contact time, and oil concentration, have been assessed. The analysis revealed that the optimal conditions for absorbing 50 g of oil are a temperature of 40 °C, a pH level of 7, and a contact duration of 10 min. The results of isotherm studies indicated that the adsorbent has the best fit with the Langmuir model. In this research, the maximum absorption capacity was 3333 mg/g based on Langmuir adsorption model. Furthermore, the absorbent follows the pseudo-second-order kinetic model with rate constant of 0.06 g/(mg.min) and presents the chemisorption process. The developed adsorbent demonstrated significant potential as an effective and economical solution for oil contamination remediation.