Recent Advances in Biomass-Based Materials for Oil Spill Cleanup

Abstract

Oil spill on sea surfaces, which mainly produced by the oil leakage accident happened on tankers, offshore platforms, drilling rigs and wells, has bring irreversible damage to marine environments and ecosystems. Among various spill oil handling methods, using sorbents to absorb and recover spill oils is a perspective method because they are cost-effective and enable a high recovery and without secondary pollution to the ecosystem. Currently, sorbents based on biomass materials have aroused extensively attention thanks to their features of inexpensive, abundant, biodegradable, and sustainable. Herein, we comprehensively review the state-of-the-art development of biomass-based sorbents for spill oil cleanup in the recent five years. After briefly introducing the background, the basic theory and material characteristics for the separation of oil from water and the adsorption of oils is also presented. Various modification methods for biomass materials are summarized in section three. Section four discusses the recent progress of biomass as oil sorbents for oil spill cleanup, in which the emphasis is placed on the oil sorption capacity and the separation efficiency. Finally, the challenge and future development directions is outlined.

Biomass: A Versatile Resource for Biofuel, Industrial, and Environmental Solution

“…9 Potential applications of biomass for environmental applications [207] 1) Role of biomass in oil spill remediation: Oil spills pose serious environmental threats, threatening the delicate balance of marine ecosystems, disturbing animal habitats, and endangering human health [208]- [210]. In response to these issues, biomass-based sorbent materials became known as very promising solutions, thanks to their availability, renewable nature, and exceptional effectiveness in oil absorption and cleaning operations [211]- [213]. Biomass-based sorbents, which are formed from biomass sources such as peat moss, sawdust, rice husks, rice straw and agricultural leftovers, have intrinsic properties that make them suitable candidates for oil spill recovery [214]- [218].…”

Bio-Based Aerogels for the Removal of Heavy Metal Ions and Oils from Water: Novel Solutions for Environmental Remediation

“…Consequentially, the hydrophobicity needs to be improved by modifying the surface wettability and the solid/liquid adhesion interaction, a process that is governed by van der Waals forces, polarity, or other physical and chemical weak forces. [71].…”

“…To modify cellulose aerogels with low surface energy, convenient methods, such as impregnation and vapor deposition, are used, while common chemical modifiers include silanes such as triethoxysilane, castor oil siloxane, trimethylchlorosilane, methyl trimethoxysilane, PDA, and other types [77]. Corn straw was treated with sodium hydroxide and sodium hypochlorite to obtain corn straw cellulose successfully crosslinked with PVA, which, after freeze-drying and chemical vapor deposition (CVD), generated a superhydrophobic corn-straw-based aerogel [71].…”

Protein-Based Films and Coatings: An Innovative Approach

“…These films can selectively adsorb hydrocarbons, helping to remove oil pollutants from water surfaces. Bio-based materials can be applied to sorbent materials, such as natural fibers or porous substrates, enhancing their oil absorption capacity and efficiency [150,151]. Protein-based materials offer a sustainable and ecofriendly solution for mitigating the environmental impact of oil spills.…”