Optimization of Crude Oil Sorption by Particle Size Variation of a Composite Constituent

Abstract

Crude oil spills globally and especially in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria have caused a lot of environmental problems resulting to severe health issues. Exploring ways of increasing the efficiency of clean up processes will result to optimized effects. The optimization of a clean-up process was explored by varying the particle size of a constituent of the absorbing composites. The composites were prepared using wastes- wood saw dust, high density polyethylene and egg shell combined in two different ratios, 1:1:1 and 2:1:1 by mass with different particle sizes of the wood saw dust (0.180mm, 0.300mm & 0.600mm). They were put into an extruding machine, a Jombo Extruder 300, at a temperature of 250°C to bind the components together and the products (in molten form) were collected in receiving molds of the same dimensions; length of 29cm, width of 14cm and thickness of 1.5cm. The prepared composites were immersed in simulated crude oil spill in water over a period of time to determine the amount of crude oil absorbed. Though there was an attenuation in the absorption of the crude oil over a time period, but the biggest particle size of 0.600mm absorbed the highest amount of crude oil in the two different composites ratios, 0.18kg and 0.13kg respectively while the particle size of 0.300mm absorbed the least amount of crude oil, 0.08kg and 0.03kg respectively.