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Synthesis And Efficiency Evaluation of Chitosan-Alginate Hydrogel Polyelectrolyte Complex Filter for Treatment of Oil Spillage


M. Baba Saje
T.O. Uthman
S. Surgun

Abstract

Crude oil spills pose considerable environmental concerns thereby demanding the development of effective, sustainable, and eco-friendly  remediation solutions. In this study, we synthesized and evaluated the efficiency of a biodegradable polymer filter using sodium  alginate and chitosan for the treatment of oil spillage. The sodium alginate-chitosan hydrogel polyelectrolyte complex (SACHPC) filter was  synthesized via dipping method using a layer-by-layer self-assembly technique integrated with cotton wool as the filter medium. The  efficiency of the filter was evaluated based on flow rate of recovered oil and reusability of the filter. Simulated oil spillage of 0.5 M was subjected to filtration using the SACHPC filter. The flow rate was determined based on the time taken for 1 L of oil to pass through  the filter. The SACHPC filter exhibited underwater superoleophobic behaviour with exceptional filtration efficiency (> 98.3%) in acidic,  neutral and alkaline conditions (pH 3, 7 and 11). The flow rate of the filter was 120 mL/min, while the third-use filter exhibited a decrease  flow rate of 50 ml/min. Moreover, the filter achieved an impressive crude oil recovery rate of 85%. X-ray diffraction analysis confirmed  crude oil adsorption in the presence of an amorphous phase while scanning electron microscopy analysis revealed the structural  morphology of the SACPHC filter. Overall, the SACHPC filter maintained high filtration efficiency thereby offering a sustainable strategy  for oily wastewater purification and oil spill clean-up. 


Journal Identifiers


eISSN: 2437-2110
print ISSN: 0189-9546