Removal of Heavy Metals from Spent Automobile Engine Oil Using Oil Palm Biomass

This research study examines the efficiency of Oil Palm Biomass in the removal of metal contaminants from spent automotive oils. A sedan with Four-cylinder engine specification was loaded with fresh automobile lubricating oil and allowed to operate for three months. The used automotive oil was drained from the car and sampled for this study. The fresh and the used oils were assessed quantitatively for the Zn and Fe alongside some performance parameters of lubricating oil such as metal content, density, Total Acid Number (TAN) and Total Base Number (TBN). Four different samples of Oil Palm Biomass (Oil Palm Trunk, Mesocarp Fibers, Palm Kernel Shell and Palm Kernel Cake) were collected from a local Palm Kernel Processing Facility. The efficiency of the biomass was assessed by testing for metals and performance parameters of the automotive oil, and the results compared with those of the spent and fresh automotive oils. The results suggest that the oil recovered after treatment with the oil palm biomass, exhibited better lubricating properties, and is recommendable as good base oil for automotive oil formulation.