Innovative Remediation of Oily Water Utilizing Environmentally Friendly Fish-Scale Biosorbents

Abstract

Oil-contaminated water poses a significant environmental threat, originating from various industrial processes. It is a hazard to ecosystems and various life forms. Scientists aim to create an inexpensive, straightforward, and environmentally friendly substance capable of effectively removing oil. The main target of this research is to test the feasibility of fish scale as oil biosorbent in oily water body. The experimental setup, utilizing both batch experiments and a packed column, comprehensively assesses the effectiveness of fish scales (FS) as sorbents. Potentiometric parameters, such as a 1000 mg adsorbent dose, 500 mg/L oil concentrations, and 60 minutes contact time at pH 7 with a 0.15 mm particle size, effectively evaluate oil extraction efficiency, achieving up to 95% removal, showcasing the remarkable capabilities of FS as a biosorbent. A higher efficiency of 97% was attained when the oil was mixed with seawater in the packed column. The excellent fit of experimental data with the pseudo-second order kinetic model suggests a chemisorption process. Additionally, the strong agreement with Freundlich isotherms in equilibrium isotherm results further supports the efficacy of FS as sorbents. The scalability of the method, as evidenced by the packed column results, is promising, indicating practical implementation potential in real-world scenarios. Overall, the study underscores the viability of using FS as an environmentally friendly and economical solution for oil removal from contaminated water and oil spills. Moreover, the potential for adaptation to other systems with different biosorbents or pollutants suggests broader applicability and future research opportunities in environmental remediation.