Development of kenaf shive bio–mop via surface deposit technique for water remediation from crude oil spill contamination

Abstract

Since after the discovery of bio-mop merits over the synthetic sorbents due to their secondary effect, the development of bio-based oil sorbents cast the attention of many researchers from all diaspora. This research aimed at fabricating a facile, cost effective and ultralight crude oil sorbents by modifying kenaf shive via sol-gel surface deposit method without adding any crosslinker. The studies, however, investigated and optimized crude oil sorbent sorption capacity in oil/seawater system using Response Surface Methodology (RSM) and response square equations were subsequently generated. Five-level Central Composite Design (CCD) experimental matrix was used to analyze the effect of particle sizes (125–1000 ​μm), stirring time (5–30min) and methyltrimethoxysilane (MTMS) concentration (5–20%v/v) as individual and combined variables process in the sorbent development. A total of twenty (20) experimental runs were carried out as generated by the CCD including four (4) center points. Under corresponding optimal conditions of 560.00 ​ ​μm, 17.50min and 20%v/v, a sorption capability of 15.02 ​g/g was feasible. The obtained models had correlation coefficients (R2 and R2adj) of 0.9984 and 0.9886 respectively. Further instrumental analysis such as; Brunaure-Emmett-Teller (BET), DT-TGA, XRD were carried out on the optimized sorbent and, FTIR was performed on both raw (unmodified) and the optimized kenaf shive sorbent. This finding proves a feasible approach for crude oil spill containment and water remediation. Keywords: Bio-mop, Ultralight, Surface deposit method, Response Surface Methodology (RSM), Methylmethoxysilane (MTMS)