A Comparative Study of Oil Absorbents

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A Research ProposalPresented to the

Science & Research DepartmentIntegrated Developmental School

MSU-Iligan Institute of Technology

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In Partial Fulfillment for the CourseScience Research

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LEYNARD T____ VICOYZACHARY JAMES Cantago GERMANO

March 2012

APPROVAL SHEET

This research paper entitled “A Comparative Study of Oil Absorbents” prepared and submitted by LEYNARD T____ VICOY and ZACHARY JAMES Cantago GERMANO

Adviser

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Panel Member Panel Member

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Technical Consultant (optional)

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Accepted and approved in partial fulfillment of the Course in Science Research I/II.

Chairperson, Science & Research

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Principal, IDS____________

Date

CHAPTER I

INTRODUCTION

A. Background of the Study

Oil as a natural resource is very abundant here on earth. Many oil deposits are

scattered around the globe. Export of oil is done largely through oil tankers from continent to

continent. An unfortunate accident of one of these tankers may cause oil spill which can create

serious environmental problems. A large oil spill can cause heavy damage and will be toxic to

marine life, resources which man use as food, thus having also an effect on human life. Because

of the damage and the resulting toxicity of these oil spills, there is a need to clean the spills.

Various ways are used to clean spills like using dispersants, vacuums and skimmers.

Cleaning and absorption of commercial oil spills costs a lot of money. Sometimes,

unpredictable weather hampers the cleaning of oil spills. This study will test the absorption

potential of various organic waste materials like sawdust, wood chips, hair, and coconut fiber.

These organic materials are inexpensive and readily available in our country thus help reduce the

cost of cleaning oil spills. The researchers want to research if there are any available absorbent

materials here in the Philippines except coconut fiber and hair that absorbs oil effectively so that

the government would not spend too much on commercial absorbents and heavy equipment. The

researchers want to know if the waste materials which can be used in peoples’ daily lives can

also be good oil spill absorbers. If the researchers successfully discover other materials that can

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effectively absorb oil, the researchers will compare which one is better than the other.

B. Statement of the Problem

The absorption ability of woodchips, hair, coconut fiber, and sawdust as oil absorbents

will be investigated. It will then be determined and compared.

Sub- problems

1) How much amount of crude oil will be absorbed by a.) Woodchips? b.) hair? c.) coconut

fiber? and d.) Sawdust?

2) Do woodchips, hair, sawdust, and coconut fiber have properties similar to that of a good

oil absorber in a) pure crude oil only? b) a mixture of crude oil and water?

C. Hypotheses

Alternate Hypotheses Null Hypotheses

1) Woodchips, hair, coconut fiber and sawdust

have a significant difference in their absorption

abilities.

1) Woodchips, hair, coconut fiber and sawdust

do not have a significant difference in their

absorption abilities.

2) Hair has the most ability to absorb crude oil

in sea water than the rest of the materials.

2) Hair has the least ability to absorb crude oil

in seawater than the rest of the materials.

3) Woodchips have the most ability to absorb

crude oil than the rest of the materials.

3) Woodchips have the least ability to absorb

crude oil than the rest of the materials.

4) Sawdust and woodchips have a significant

difference in their absorption ability in a) crude

oil b) mixture of sea water and crude oil.

4) Sawdust and woodchips have almost no

significant difference in their absorption ability

in a) crude oil b) mixture of sea water and

crude oil.

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D. Objective of the Study

This study aims to determine whether woodchips, hair, coconut fiber, and sawdust can

be used as a good oil absorber. Specifically it aims to:

1) Determine the absorption ability of the different materials.

2) Compare the difference in the absorption ability of the materials.

3) Verify if the difference is significant or not using the post-hoc test statistic.

E. Significance of the Study

Commercial oil spill absorbents cost a lot of money and are barely available in our

country. This study is a way to determine whether woodchips, hair, coconut fiber and sawdust

can be used as alternative oil spills absorbents. It would also be beneficial to our society since

these organic products are wastes from parlors and barber shops, wood industry and farms.

Instead of throwing these waste products which will add to pollution, these materials can be

made environment friendly and used as cheap oil spill absorbents. If proven effective,

businessmen can benefit from this study especially if their business is related to the sea or oil.

The businessmen benefit from this because small businessmen like the fishermen depend their

living on the sea and if the oil spill could be stop quicker and more effective by using these

newly discovered absorbents, then they would not lose all their business. Oil companies can also

benefit from this study. If the tanker containing lots of oil which is owned by an oil company

had a leakage of oil, the oil can be retrieve back easily. The government benefit from this study,

too because they would not spend too much by buying heavy equipment and commercial

absorbents. Instead, the government will encourage people to use natural oil spill absorbents.

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Families living near the coast lines may also benefit from this study if successful. Although

sources say some these materials are already being used as oil absorbent but still, this has to be

proven yet by the researchers.

F. Scope and Limitations of the Study

This study covers the capability of woodchips, hair, coconut fiber, and sawdust to absorb

oil. Two set ups for each material will be prepared. Each of the materials will be submerged in

Set-up A: Crude oil only and Set-up B: a mixture of crude oil and sea water for 60 minutes in

each set up. Other materials that are both in the crude oil and in the mixture that may affect the

procedure of the experiment will not be covered. Most materials can be gathered in the country,

woodchips and sawdust in lumber mills. Hair is gathered in parlors and barber shops. Coconut

fibers are found in coconut farms. These materials do not cost much and widely available.

G. Definition of Terms

Absorbents general term for the materials used (coconut fiber, hair,

Sawdust and woodchips) specifically organic absorbents.

In the Study the absorption ability of the organic absorbent

Materials are to be compared by the volume of their

absorbed crude oil.

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Absorption Ability the capacity of a material to absorb another substance. This

will be the variable to be studied. This is measured by

subtracting the oil left in the basin from the original volume

of the oil.

Coconut fiber a product which is extracted from the outer shell of the

coconut product. In this study coconut fiber is one of the

products to be tested for its potential as an oil spill

absorber.

Hair thin fibers that grow on most mammals. Hair will also be

used in this study for its potential as an oil spill absorbent.

Crude oil is a naturally-occurring flammable liquid found beneath the

Earth’s surface. This will be the substance to be absorbed

by the organic absorbents in measuring the absorption

ability of the organic absorbents.

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Sawdust is a by-product of cutting lumber; these are fine wood

particles that are created by cutting with saw. In this study

sawdust is one of the products to be tested for its potential

as an oil spill absorber.

Seawater water coming from the oceans, usually salinated. Sea water

will be mixed with crude oil to simulate the absorption

ability of the organic materials in the seas.

Wood chips are medium sized blocks of wood which are made by

cutting or chipping large blocks of wood to smaller ones. In

this study wood chips are one of the products to be tested

for its potential as an oil spill absorber.

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CHAPTER 2

REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE AND RELATED STUDIES

Organic Absorbent materials are usually naturally-occurring and are carbon-based materials.

These materials are able to absorb several time their mass in oil. Organic absorbents may absorb

an amount of water in addition to oil, which can cause the absorbent to sink. Most organic

absorbent materials for oil is said to be Hydrophobic (the ability to repel water) and oleophilic

(the ability 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. (E-How,

1999-2011)

There are certain properties for a material to become a good absorbent. These materials should

be able to undergo the Capillary action. The Capillary action is the process by which liquids flow

into porous materials or thin tubes due to surface tension. (E-how: Facts _Something Absorbent,

1999-2011). Good absorbents must have low density, a fibrous structure and exhibit good

wicking properties (the ability to transfer liquids).(porex, patents, 2004-2011)

Petroleum is a thick flammable and usually dark-colored liquid fuel found deep below the Earth's

surface or occasionally in springs and pools at the surface. It is composed mainly of

combinations of hydrogen and carbon called hydrocarbons, along with organic compounds

containing sulfur, nitrogen, and oxygen in varying amounts.(Encyclopedia Americana , 2004-

2005) It is obvious that absorbent materials are porous and has pores (small holes).But organic

absorbent materials mostly consists of fibrous strands. (Globalspills.com, 2011)

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An oil spill is an accidental release of petroleum or petroleum products. There are many ways of

an oil spill to occur. Equipment breaking down may cause an oil spill. If an oil spill tanker sticks

on a shallow land, when they start to drive the tanker again it may cause a hole in the tanker

causing it to leak. Natural conduits may cause oil spill too. A hurricane or a tsunami could cause

an oil tanker to flip over, causing to pour oil out. An oil spill can really destroy the wildlife of

that particular area. Birds die from oil spills if their feathers are covered in oil. The birds will to

clean themselves, causing for them to be poisoned. In other ways, oil enters the lungs and liver

causing it to be also poisoned. Oil can also kill an animal by blinding it. The animal will not be

able to see and be aware of predators so they may be eaten. Sometimes, oil spills are the reason

for animals, in or out of the water, to become endangered. Sea Otters are also affected by oil an

Otter gets covered in oil; it builds up in the otter's air bubbles. These air bubbles are located in

the fur which helps them survive underwater, in the cold oceans. If it is filled up with oil, the

otter may die due to hypothermia or very low body temperature. There are really many animals

affected by an oil spill raging from plankton to even whales! (ThinkQuest, 2002) Humans are

also affected by an oil spill, both economically and medically. Fishes, shrimps, squids, are

caught by humans to earn money by selling them. If the animals are poisoned by oil, no one

would buy them and the sellers would not have any sales. No sales, no money. If people would

be exposed to crude oil to long, it may cause serious ailments and death. If a person smells the

oil, the air would go to the brain and if it continues it will cause brain cancer, stroke and other

ailments. (Grolier Encyclopedia, 1995)

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Worldwide oil spill Levels table: Volume of oil and number of oil spills (2007, 2008, and 2009):

(Reference: Hess CSR 2009 Annual Report-Environmental Performance,2009)

There are many ways to prevent the spread of oil in the ocean. Workers can place a boom

around the tanker that is spilling oil. Booms look like floating sausages tied together. They are

barriers used to contain oil spills in the ocean. A boom may be placed somewhere before an oil

spill gets there. They can be placed around an entrance to the ocean, like a stream. They also can

be placed around a habitat with many animals living there. These booms will absorb any oil that

flows around it. The workers can also use skimmers. Skimmers are boats that can remove the oil

off the water. Sorbents are sponges that can collect the oil. An airplane can fly over the ocean,

dropping chemical products like Corexit 9500. The chemicals can disperse the oil in the ocean.

They also can burn freshly spilled oil with fireproof booms to contain the oil. They burning of

the oil is not advised since it adds to air pollution. There are just few ways to clean the oil off the

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beaches coastlines. Workers can use high or low pressure hoses to spray the oil that is on the

beaches. Vacuum trucks may be driven on the beaches to vacuum up the oil. They can also

simply use shovels or road equipment to collect all the oil off the beaches. The method they use

to clean the beaches or oceans depends on many things. They have to look at the weather, the

type and amount of oil spilled, if people live in that area, what types of animals live in that area,

and many more things. In some situations, they may not react to a spill. It may not be helpful or

it would just cause even more damage to that habitat. These absorbent materials are not available

in the country, so we use organic absorbent materials like sawdust, hair, woodchips, and coconut

fiber. (Oil Spills, Think Quest, 2002)

A plane feeding Chemical Oil Dispersants into the ocean. (oilblogcentral.wordpress, May 2010)

Sawdust is one of the most useful by products on the planet. It is pieces of wood chunks which

are made by cutting free with a saw. It has many uses including the ability of absorbing oil. In

Ancient Egypt, the people there honor the dead by a process called mummification and usually

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around the 40th day of mummification, the body which his/her insides were removed, is stuffed

with sawdust and leaves to make it “human-shaped”. Buckets of sawdust were necessary cargo

on old sailing ships, just in case for any passenger or sailor suffering from sea sickness. Sawdust

is also used in keeping small caged pets like hamsters, gerbils, mice and pet rats. Now sawdust is

effective in cleaning an oil spill. Sawdust can be prepared in a way that it absorbs oil and repels

water. It will absorb 3 ½ times its weight in oil and that’s for a day until it is retrieved by the

cleaners. At the same time, it does not stick to anything not even on bird's feathers. The sawdust,

soaked in oil can be used as a fuel furnace. (42 Amazing Facts About Sawdust, BBC, 2007)

Human hair is very efficient oil absorbent. It gathers oil from the scalp, the face and

places where oil is produced. The hair “clings” into each strand’s tiny scales of hair instead of

soaking up as what absorbents do. Each hair strand has a large surface area, on which the oil

coats itself to. Hair was used in the Guimaras oil spill in the Philippines in the year 2006. Every-

one volunteered to cut their hair for the absorbing of oil, even the prisoners donated their hair.

Way back in 1989 in Madison, Alabama a hair dresser with a name Philip McCrory popularized

the hair-as-an-oil-absorbent concept. He experimented with human hairs as an oil sponge to soak

up a mock oil spill he created in his son's plastic pool. The water was clean within minutes. Now,

he approached NASA and told them about this discovery. NASA scientist experimented and dis-

covered hair is really a good oil spill absorbent. This was applied in the cleaning of the Exxon

Valdez oil spill and estimated 1.4 million pounds of hair soaked up 11 million gallons of oil. (Hu-

man Hair: A Highly Absorbent Material to Clean Off Oil Spill , 2006)

Coconut fibers are natural fiber taken from coconut husk then cleaned and compressed into

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bales mostly used as raw material. Coconut fiber a high lining content and thus a low cellulose

content, as a result of which it is resilient, strong and highly durable. The remarkable lightness of

the fibers is due to the cavities arising from the dried out sieve cells. Coconut fiber belongs to the

class of compounds known as flammable solids. It easily catches fire upon ignition, so keep

external sources of potential ignition, such as sparks, matches and lit cigarettes, away from

coconut fiber at all times.(Wikipedia, 2011)

Synthesis:

This study basically aims to discover the potential of hair, coconut fiber, woodchips, and sawdust

to be good oil absorbents. The materials used in this study are highly available in the Philippines,

because of its tropical climate, crops like corn and trees like coconuts are found in most areas.

Hair is not a problem, because barber shops give them for free. Woodchips and sawdust can be

gathered from lumber mills in the city. These materials are not expensive and some of them are

waste byproducts of industrial activity and are being thrown away because it has no use

anymore. In the study, these materials are submerge in two set ups, 1.)Set-up A with pure crude

oil and 2.) Set-up B with a mixture of crude oil and seawater, for 60 minutes each in three trials.

After submerging the materials, the oil absorbed will be extracted and placed into plastic cups

and the volume of the absorbed oil will be measured by graduated cylinders. All of these will be

repeated for the 3 trials.

A Related study was conducted by Charisse J. Regencia and Elmera Jennica Omisol using hair

and coconut fiber only. The study had 3 set-ups 1.) Hair and coconut fiber submerged in Crude

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oil only. 2.) Hair and coconut fiber in Seawater only. 3.) Hair and coconut fiber in a mixture of

Crude oil and Seawater. Each of the Materials were submerge for only 45 minutes.

(wala pami results ma’am wa namo na copy)

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CHAPTER III

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

A. Research Design

To achieve the objective of this study, an experiment is to be made to compare the absorption

ability of hair, coconut fiber, saw dust and woodchip. Two set-ups will be prepared. Set-up A contained

pure crude oil and Set-up B is a combination of seawater and crude oil. Three trials were done for each

set-up. The collected data from these trials were recorded and used to know the mean and student t

distribution. Statistical tools will be used to get the absorption ability of the materials as well as to

determine which is the most effective in absorbing oil among the absorbents.

B. Materials and Equipments

Materials Equipments

Coconut fiber 5 graduated cylinder

Hair 5 funnels

Woodchips 2 strainers

Sawdust 1 triple beam balance

1 stirring rod

10L crude oil 3 beaker

5L seawater 30 plastic cups

10 basins

Meshed net

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C. Experimental Set-up

Two set-ups to correspond for three trials will be used to compare the absorption ability of the

different absorbents namely: coconut fiber, woodchips, hair and sawdust. Set-up A with pure crude oil

only, Set-up B mixture of seawater and crude oil. All absorbents will be exposed to all the treatments.

Table 1 Composition of the Two Set-ups

Substance Set-Up A Set-Up B

Crude oil (mL) 1000 500

Seawater (mL) 0 500

D. Experimental Procedure

Preparation of Materials

Coconut fibers are collected from coconut farms and markets in the country. Hair is found in

barber shops and salons. Sawdust and woodchips from lumber mills. Ten basins and thirty plastic

cups are to be used as containers for the absorbed oil. Five graduated cylinders will be used to

measure the volume of the remaining oil in the container.

Preparation of Substances

- Five liters of crude oil will be set aside for set-up A, and 2.5L of crude oil and seawater for

set-up B.

Preparation of the Absorbent Materials

- Each absorbent material will be placed in a container with equal volumes. Coconut fiber, hair, sawdust

and woodchip. The containers will be wrapped in plastic nets and ready for the experimentation.

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Testing the Absorbents

Submerge the bags in each set-up A for 1 hour, after 1 hour remove the bags and let the liquid drain

for 10 seconds. Transfer the absorbent materials to plastic cups .Measure the amount of oil left in the

basins of each material in each set-up using graduated cylinders, then subtract it from the original volume

of crude oil in the set-up. Collect the data, repeat the process for 3 trials each in both set-ups and list the

data in the tables below. Write the conclusion for the problem of the study. Set aside the materials for

future use.

E. Procedures/Instrument in Data Gathering

Tools in gathering data: table

Table 1: Amount of Oil Extracted by Each Material in Set-up A with pure crude oil

Materials 1st Trial(mL) 2nd Trial(mL) 3rd Trial(mL) Average

Coconut Fibre Result1 Result6 Result11 Average1

Corn Husk Result2 Result7 Result12 Average2

Hair Result3 Result8 Result13 Average3

Sawdust Result4 Result9 Result14 Average4

Woodchips Result5 Result10 Result15 Average5

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Table 2: Amount of Oil Extracted by Each Material in Set-up B with a mixture or crude oil

and seawater

Materials 1st Trial(mL) 2nd Trial(mL) 3rd Trial(mL) Average

Coconut Fibre Result16 Result21 Result26 Average6

Corn Husk Result17 Result22 Result27 Average7

Hair Result18 Result23 Result28 Average8

Sawdust Result19 Result24 Result29 Average9

Woodchips Result20 Result25 Result30 Average10

F. Statistical Tools for Data Analysis *

The data that will be gathered will be analyzed and interpreted to get the overall amount

of substance absorbed per treatment for each type of absorbent material. The weighted mean will

be employed to find the amount of substance absorbed. ANOVA will be used in order to know

if there is a significant difference among absorbent materials.

Mean

The average of the numbers. The mean of each substance will be compared in the

Analysis of Variance.

Where

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∑X = the sum of all the obtained data

N = the total number of data samples

ANOVA (Analysis of Variance)

Source of

Variation

Sum of

Squares

Degrees of

Freedom

Mean Squares Test Statistic

Absorbents SSA k-1 MSA MSA

F=

Error SSE N-k MSE MSE

Total SSA + SSE (k-1) + (N-k)

And

SSA

MSA =

k-1

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SSE

MSE =

N-k

MSA

F =

MSE

Post Hoc Analysis

Tukey’s Significant Difference or HSD test will be used for the determination of the significant difference

between the materials after the analysis of variance. It is designed to test all pair wise comparisons among

the means.

Where

M = is the means of the different materials

MSW = is the Mean Square Within or Mean Square Error

n = the number of materials used

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Prototype for the case of the absorbent materials

Flow Chart of Procedures:

Preparation of Materials

Preparation and production of absorbents in their containers

Coconut Fiber Hair Sawdust Woodchips

Testing the Absorbents

Listing and Analysis of Data

Interpretation of gathered data