Avaliação dos processos de sorção de óleos em mantas não tecidas de PP

Abstract

Nonwoven polypropylene sorbents (PP) are used for oil spill recovery due to their hydrophobic and oleophilic properties. The aim of this work was evaluate a nonwoven polypropylene sorbent with regard to its physicochemical features, oil sorption capacity, kinetics of sorption and desorption of oil, reusability, buoyancy, physical resistance in tough conditions and toxicity. The physicochemical study of the sorbent included the determination of its thickness, density, thermal (thermal gravimetric analysis and differential scanning calorimetry) and chemical properties (Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy) and fibers morphology (scanning electron microscopy). The sorption analysis were divided in tests performed in homogeneous (containing only oil) and in heterogeneous (cointaining oil and water) medium. In homogeneous medium were performed studies over de oil sorption capacity according to the testing methods ASTM 726-12 (short and long test) and CT BIO n.º 95, and the kinetics of sorption and desorption of oil. The oils utilized in the tests following the ASTM method and in the kinetic studies were diesel, weathered crude petroleum and lubricant oil SAE 85W-140. The studies related to the CT BIO method used only diesel and lubricant oil as sorbates. In heterogeneous medium were realized kinetics tests and the study of adsorption isotherms using diesel and weathered crude petroleum. The measure of the sorbent thickness revealed that the real thickness is 29,2% lower than the nominal value stated by the manufacturer. In addition, it was noted that the sorbent did not exhibit uniformity with regard to its thickness and density, depending on the region that the samples were collected. The fibers showed a variable diameter and a rough visual aspect. The thermal properties and functional groups present in the sorbent indicated similar characteristics of a pure isotatic PP. The oil sorption tests performed in homogeneous medium, according to the ASTM method of long duration, resulted in a maximum diesel, petroleum and lubricant sorption of 5.3; 12.3; and 18.7 g.g-¹. The variation of the results obtained using the ASTM method of short and long duration did not show significant statistical differences. The results indicate growing values of sorption when the viscosity is increased. The kinetics studies in homogeneous medium showed a fast process of sorption and desorption of diesel and petroleum, differently of the behavior observed for lubricant oil, which is more viscous. In heterogeneous medium and different concentrations, it was obtained that the values of the diesel sorption capacity in the equilibrium were similar, unlike the values obtained when using petroleum. Among the kinetic models used for the determination of the sorption kinetics in heterogeneous medium, the pseudo-second order model was the one that fitted the best to the experimental data. In the study of the adsorption isotherms, Langmuir represented successfully the diesel adsorption process, whereas both Langmuir as Freundlich and Temkin showed good coef icients of determination when the petroleum was used as the sorbate. The sorbent reached satisfactory results in the buoyancy tests and did not confer toxicity to the environment. Finally, it was noticed that the sorbent material can be reused plenty times, besides de high loss of its oil sorption capacity after the first cycle of reuse.