Characterization of solidifiers used for oil spill remediation.

The physical characteristics and chemical composition of oil spill solidifiers were studied, and correlation of these properties with product effectiveness enabled determination of characteristics that are desirable in a good solidifier. The analyses revealed that the commercial products were primarily comprised of organic polymers and a few trace elements. A natural sorbent, which was composed entirely of plant based matter, was also evaluated, and it had the highest oil removal capacity, but it did not produce a solid mat-like final product. Generally, solidifiers with a carbonate group, pore size greater than 5 µm, and bulk densities lower than 0.3 g cm(-3) were found to have better efficiency and produced a cohesive rubbery final product that facilitated removal compared to sorbents. The importance of bulk density and pore size in the performance of the solidifier suggest that the primary mechanism of action was likely physical sorption.

A laboratory screening study on the use of solidifiers as a response tool to remove crude oil slicks on seawater.

The effectiveness of five solidifiers to remove Prudhoe Bay crude oil from artificial seawater in the laboratory was determined by UV-Vis and GC/MS. The performance of the solidifiers was determined by UV-Vis as a function of solidifier-to-oil mass ratios (SOR), water volume and surface area, and contact time. An SOR of 1:4 solidified crude oil from 58% to 84%. Under more severe test conditions (SOR 1:16) the material with better performance solidified 28% of the oil initially added to water. The percent mass of free oil remaining on the seawater at the end of the contact time was the same when measured by either UV-Vis or by GC/MS. Analyses performed using GC/MS revealed that oil solidification is not a selective process; n-alkenes and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons reacted at a similar rate for each solidifier. Infrared Spectroscopy was used to investigate the functional groups in the materials as received.