Oil/Brine Interfacial Phenomena and Their Application in Oil Spill Mitigation

Abstract

There is always a need to enhance and introduce methods or technology that can contain and clean up oil spills effectively. We propose a strategic approach and novel solution for oil spill mitigation focusing on the oil-water interface, which is the boundary between the seawater and oil spill phases. Therefore, we have studied the properties of the interface between oil and water to understand how interfacial phenomena occur when certain electrolytes are added to the brine phase and certain surfactants are added to the hydrocarbon phase. This was completed by utilizing an advanced force tensiometry device and traditional wet lab chemistry that are integrated to comprehensively analyze oil-water interface behavior over various brine solutions. A new method for cleaning up oil spills at sea involves creating a highly hydrophilic compound directly within the oil slick, which breaks up the oil and makes it easier to clean up.