An environmentally friendly approach to treat oil spill: Investigating the biodegradation of petrodiesel in the presence of different biodiesels. (1st January 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Ng, Yan Fei; Ge, Liya; Chan, Wen Kiat; Tan, Swee Ngin; Yong, Jean Wan Hong; Tan, Timothy Thatt Yang
• Is Part Of: Fuel. Volume 139(2015)
• Page Start: 523
• Page End: 528
• Publication Date: 2015-01-01
• Subjects: Oil spills -- Biodiesels -- Petrodiesels -- Synergistic effects -- Cometabolism; Fuel -- Periodicals; Coal -- Periodicals; Coal; Fuel; Periodicals; 662.6
• DOI: 10.1016/j.fuel.2014.08.073
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0016-2361

Abstract

Highlights: Biodiesels were used as an environmental-friendly method for treating oil spills. Biodegradation rate of biodiesel and petrodiesel mixtures was effectively enhanced. Increased biodegradation rate could be due to cometabolism and solvation effects. Abstract: Petroleum oil spills constitute a major source of contamination for the ecosystem and can cause serious human health problems. In this work, therefore, biodiesels were used as cost effective and sustainable means in treating oil spills. A comparative study was conducted on the biodegradation of petrodiesel mixed with Jatropha, palm and soybean biodiesels at different ratios (20%, 50% and 80% by carbon mass). The experimental results showed positive synergistic effects for all cases. The biodegradation of the mixtures was enhanced by as much as 12.8%, 19.4% and 17.5% for the Jatropha, palm and soybean biodiesel blends, respectively (when the blend ratio was Jatropha 50%, palm 80% and soybean 20%). The enhancements could be caused by the effects of cometabolism and solvation. Maximum mixing ratios where the biodegradation enhancement was the highest under the experimental conditions ( Jatropha 50%, palm 80% and soybean 20%) were attributed to the solvation properties of the surfactant-like fatty acid esters of the biodiesels.