|  | Public Health Safety | Emergency Preparedness

Absorbents Used by Professionals to Clean Up Oil Spills

Oil spills from vessels or land-based facilities can pose serious threats to shorelines, banks and other sensitive habitats. Oil spill responses are required in order to mitigate ecological damage and prevent future threats to human health. Various types of absorbents and adsorbents are used by professionals to clean up oil on shorelines, in water or on land. These can be divided into naturally-occurring and synthetic sorbents.

  1. About Sorbents

    • Sorbents are materials that utilize absorption or adsorption to recover liquids. Materials must be both hydrophobic, or able to repel water, and oleophilic, or able to attract oil. Absorbents are defined as materials able to capture liquid throughout their molecular structure, making the absorbent swell to at least 50 percent more in size. Adsorbents simply become coated in liquids without swelling more than 50 percent.

    Organic Sorbents

    • Naturally-occurring sorbents are carbon-based materials that are able to absorb several times their mass in oil. Examples of this type of sorbent include hay, straw, peat moss, sawdust, feathers, hair and corncobs. These substances are often widely available but do have some drawbacks. Organic sorbents may absorb an amount of water in addition to oil, which can cause the sorbent to sink. Loose particles of organic sorbents may disperse. These issues may be addressed by containing materials in mesh or attaching flotation devices to the sorbent.

    Inorganic Sorbents

    • Naturally-occurring inorganic sorbents, like organic sorbents, are widely available and can absorb several times their weight in oil. Clay, perlite, sand, volcanic ash, glass wool and vermiculite are some natural inorganic sorbents used to clean oil spills. However, these sorbents are not suitable for use on the surface of water bodies.

    Synthetics

    • Synthetics are man-made materials that can absorb more per-weight than naturally-occurring substances. Some plastic-like materials are designed to adsorb oil onto their surfaces while rubber materials and some polymers absorb liquids into their molecular structures and swell.

    Factors Considered

    • Professionals take several factors into account when choosing sorbents for clean-up operations. Thicker oils are better able to adhere to the surface of adsorbents, while absorption occurs faster with light oils. Ease of application must also be considered. Many sorbents may be loose materials that can become dusty and hazardous in windy conditions. The weight of the oil recovered in a structure must also be accounted and planned for to avoid secondary contamination when the sorbent material is being removed.

Emergency Preparedness - Related Articles