Author(s)

C. Tsiodra, K. Chatzizacharia, S. Papadaki, A. Bakolas, D. Economides, D. Sidiras, D. Hatziavramidis

Abstract

Wheat straw, a lignocellulosic matter, with content up to 20% lignin on dry basis has been found to be an efficient adsorbent of hydrocarbons in water. In the present study the hydrocarbon absorptive capability of wheat straw that was previously treated with acid is investigated in oil spills which were created in the laboratory by dispersing diesel and crude oil in water. A 3-level Box–Behnken design of experiments has been executed in order to determine the parameters affecting the behavior of the acid-hydrolyzed wheat straw as an adsorbent, with design factors the maleic acid (MC4H4O4) concentration, and hydrolysis parameters temperature and reaction time. The absorbency of wheat straw is appraised by a combination of analytical methods such as Mercury Porosimetry (MP), Thermogravinetric Analysis (TGA), Total Organic Carbon (TOC) and Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM).

Keywords

wheat straw, oils spills, TGA, SEM, TOC, porosimetry