Evaluation of Kerosene Absorbing Ability for Peat Moss Using a Column Test

Abstract

Peat is a useful oil absorbent to control marine oil spills and leakage of petroleum-derived hydrocarbons into groundwater. In the present study, the ability of peat as oil absorbent has been assessed by investigating the amount of kerosene retained by the peat packed in cylindrical columns. For comparison, the oil absorbents composed of activated carbon, diatom and polypropylene were also used in the test. It was indicated that the peat is capable of soaking up kerosene to a higher position than other absorbents in an oil absorption process. The peat once saturated with kerosene retained kerosene at a higher position than other absorbents in an oil desorption process. All the absorbents exhibited hysteresis in the retention curves for kerosene, but the extent of hysteresis was the most remarkable for the peat. The densely packed peat soaked up kerosene in greater amount to a higher position than loosely packed one. The sum of kerosene retained by the absorbents in the column and the kerosene retained by the absorbents per unit mass were the greatest for the peat. The remarkable ability to absorb and encapsulate kerosene in the peat would be attributed to fibrous and porous structure and high specific surface area of this material.