Work

Influence of Starch Cross-Linking on the Performance of Cellulose Aerogels for Oil Spills Sorption

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: Oil spills represent a significant environmental threat due to the toxicity of hydrocarbons, particularly in aquatic environments where oil rapidly spreads across the surface. Sustainable sorbents are needed for an efficient and eco-friendly response to oil spills. Cellulose aerogels produced from recycled paper and cardboard exhibit promising properties such as buoyancy, light weight, biocompatibility, and recyclability. Mechanical stability and reusability can be enhanced using cross-linkers such as starch. This study evaluated the impact of starch on cellulose aerogel morphology, sorption capacity for various petroleum products (crude oil, marine diesel, and lubricating oil), and reusability using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and elemental mapping. Aerogels containing 0.5 and 1 wt% starch showed higher porosity, sorption capacity, and reusability. Starch did not affect hydrophobization or significantly alter nitrogen and carbon levels, indicating limited influence on surface chemistry and adsorption performance.

Source: Gels

DOI: 10.3390/gels11060386

Authors: Rafael Picazo Espinosa, Jochen Uebe, Marija Katarzyte, Tatjana Paulauskiene

Institution: Klaipėda University

Language: English

Topic: Oil Spill Detection and Mitigation

Subfield: Pollution

Field: Environmental Science

Domain: Physical Sciences

SDG: Responsible consumption and production

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $2,534