Spilled‐Oil Sorbents Prepared by Recycling of Eutrophicated Aquatic Plants

Abstract

Recycling of four eutrophicated aquatic plants including Eichhornia crassipes, Herba Lysimachiae, Alternanthera philoxeroides, and Potamogeton crispus as spilled-oil sorbents was investigated. The rough and hydrophobic structures of aquatic plants were observed by scanning electron microscopy and contact angle measurements. The four plants exhibited superior oil sorption capacities, especially the stalk of Eichhornia crassipes. Such high oil sorption was ascribed to their high capillarity and hydrophobic surface. The aquatic plants absorbed oil to reach adsorption saturation within one minute. The oil sorption capacity was significantly affected by particle size, but was hardly influenced by temperature. The results demonstrated that the aquatic plants could be applied as low-cost and environment-friendly spilled-oil sorbents.