Assessment of the improved performance of magnetite-modified vermiculite in the reduction of BTEX and metals, as well as toxicity in petroleum-produced water

Magnetized vermiculite as a tool for the treatment of produced water generated by oil companies: Effects on aquatic organisms before and after treatment

“…According to Bartilotti et al (2021), VMT‐mag is a promising tool for PW treatment: the magnetized mineral reduces organic compounds by up to 98%; BTEX pollutants by up to 85%; and metals like Ba, Al, Ag, Hg, and Pb by30%, 50%, 63%, 67%, and 88%, respectively (Bartilotti et al, 2021). Nevertheless, here, we still detected toxic effects toward C. riparius , G. tigrina , and D. magna even after the treatment of PW with VMT‐mag, but such effects are clearly less intense, similarity with Bartilotti et al (2021), considering that the authors observed a reduction of LC50 from 5.80 (v/v) to 13.3% (v/v), respectively, for the sample before and after treatment. This is probably because treated PW still contains toxic metals such as Pb and Cu, which VMT‐mag did not remove at the tested conditions, as discussed by Bartilotti et al (2021).…”

“…The same type of sample was a matter for analytical chemistry studies in other publications found in the literature (Ramalho et al, 2010). The analysis of this untreated petroleum‐PW was conducted as described in cited paper (Bartilotti et al, 2021) by TOC for concentration of dissolved organic compounds, headspace gas chromatograph coupled to quadrupole mass spectrometer (Agilient® GC–MS/HS) for specific pollutants, and Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometer (Perkin Elmer® ICP‐MS) for metals. The measurements indicated a value of 13.940 ppm of dissolved organic carbon in the real wastewater.…”

“…The results were also tested by Mass Spectrometry coupled to Gas chromatography indicated the occurrence of Benzene, Toluene, Ethylbenzene e Xylenes. The wastewater also presented 980 ppm of Ba, 631 ppt of Al, 45 ppt of Ag, 316 ppt of Hg, and 235 ppt of Cu monitored by Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry ( Bartilotti et al, 2021).…”

“…Its magnetization, on the other hand, attributes such characteristics so that this real application is convenient (Da Silva et al, 2010). Its modification, therefore, is strategic for changing the zeta potential and, thus, assigning drag power to a range of nonpolar molecules (Bartilotti et al, 2021).…”

“…Most metals detected in PW—barium (Ba), aluminum (Al), silver (Ag), mercury (Hg), copper (Cu), and lead (Pb)—were partially removed. The exception was copper, whose concentration subtly increased from the initial concentration of 48 ± 1.8 ppt in the supernatant after treatment with magnetized vermiculite (Bartilotti et al, 2021).…”