Application of Modified Coir Fiber as Eco-friendly Oil Sorbent

Application of Modified Coir Fiber as Eco-friendly Oil Sorbent

Lignocellulosic fibers are attractive materials due to its abundance nature, sustainability and biodegradability. They are economical and have low processing energy requirements. Modification of these fibers to make them hydrophobic may allow them to be used as sorbent in oil spill. Oil spills can damage the flora and fauna of the sea and have a great impact on economy and environment. In this study, coir fibers have been acetylated to impart hydrophobicity and increase the oil sorption capacity. The product so formed was characterized by FT-IR, TG, SEM and its degree of acetylation was also evaluated. The extent of acetylation was measured by weight percent gain. Studies indicate that a simple squeezing operation was sufficient to remove most of the oil sorbed by the fibers so that the sorbents can be recycled several times for oil spill clean-up. The results suggest that a total or partial substitution of commercial non biodegradable synthetic oil sorbents by natural sorbent materials like modified coir fibers could be beneficial in the oil spill clean-up operation for improving the efficiency of oil sorption.