Formulation of a Biodegradable Detergent for Cleaning Oily Residues Generated during Industrial Processes

Abstract

The use of toxic petroleum-based heavy oils is common in industrial processes. The cleaning of machines, equipment, and other surface covered in these oils is achieved with expensive products that are often also toxic and harmful to both the health of workers and the environment. The present paper proposes the development of a sustainable biodetergent made from plant-based materials. Tests were performed to determine the properties of the biodetergent in terms of its surfactant and emulsifying capacities, stability, toxicity, and the removal of heavy oil from glass plates and metallic surfaces. The formulation was composed of a natural solvent (cottonseed oil), a plantbased surfactant agent (saponin), and two natural stabilizers (carboxymethylcellulose and glycerine). The formulation was stable, nontoxic, and highly efficient, removing 100% of the heavy oil from glass and metallic surfaces. This solution developed in this study could be used in diverse industries with the need to clean machines and parts encrusted with oil and grease as well as the cleaning of floors covered with petroleum-based residues. A preliminary analysis of the economic feasibility of using the detergent was carried out at a Brazilian power plant. Besides the reduction in environmental impact due to the use of a nontoxic, biodegradable product as well as the reduction in health risks to workers associated with toxic cleaning products, this new product can have a considerable impact on the market as an environmentally friendly solution.

Application of Green Surfactants in the Remediation of Soils Contaminated by Hydrocarbons

“…The three green surfactants emulsified satisfactorily the oils studied when compared to the synthetic surfactant (Tween 80). Rocha e Silva et al [39] formulated a non-toxic biodetergent capable of removing oily residues generated during industrial processes, which proved to be stable and able to remove up to 100% of heavy oils from metal surfaces. The formulation composed of cottonseed oil as a natural solvent, saponin as a vegetable surfactant, and carboxymethylcellulose and glycerin as non-toxic stabilizing agents was very promising from an economic point of view, considering the costs of the formula components.…”

“…from renewable substrates in submerged fermentation. Rocha e Silva et al [39] developed a high-efficiency biodetergent formulation, capable of cleaning residual oils generated in industrial processes, with toxicity rates as low as that of the studied biosurfactant (88.9 ± 0.21% for B. oleracea seeds and 92.70 ± 0.14% for S. lycopersicum seeds). It is also important to mention that secondary root leaf growth was observed under all conditions tested (92.6 ± 0.6 mm for B. oleracea seeds 71.8 ± 0.5 mm for S. lycopersicum seeds).…”

Physicochemical Upgrading of a Biodetergent for Application in the Industrial Energy Sector

“…An oil dispersant made up of a binary blend of lauroylcholine and a biosurfactant from Starmerella bombicola displayed satisfactory crude oil-emulsifying activity in the pH range from 2 to 10 at salt concentrations up to 20% (w/v) [12]. A completely natural, ecofriendly biodetergent, whose formulation consisted of cotton oil, saponin and two stabilizers, was shown to be stable, non-toxic and very effective, being able to completely remove heavy oil from glassy or metallic surfaces [15]. Helmy et al [16] successfully applied a rhamnolipid biosurfactant in the formulation of a washing biodetergent, whose stain removal efficiency was close to that of a standard detergent, thus showing potential as a promising substitute for synthetic surfactants.…”

“…Recently, the authors of this work developed a biodetergent that was produced with natural and non-toxic materials, formulated with a bacterial biosurfactant isolated from Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC 10145, with a petroderivative cleaning efficiency equal or superior to other products available on the market [15,19]. To scale up the production of the biodetergent, initially produced on a bench scale, it is essential to study the parameters of the production process, which implies considering several factors and variables that influence the final quality of the product, such as efficiency and stability under different storage conditions.…”

Formulation of Environmentally Safe Graffiti Remover Containing Esterified Plant Oils and Sugar Surfactant

“…Therefore, for the development of eco-friendly graffiti removers, some topics, including the reduction/elimination of high toxicity reagents, decreasing the emission of gasses and vapors, and the reduction of energy consumption have recently gained significant importance [ 25 , 26 ]. The development of and the applications for novel and alternative solvents are of great importance in protecting cultural heritage stones, cleaning buildings, or the conservation of old icons or paints [ 15 , 27 ]. Much effort is needed to develop low-cost, effective technologies for the production of alternative solvents that could replace the typically applied toxic organic solvents.…”