Title: Oil Spill: The Adsorption Potentials of Corn Husk for its Remediation
Authors: Alphonsus C. Alozie, Pascal C. Madu, Saratu S. Audu, Oluwagbenga Anifowose
Volume: 10
Issue: 1
Pages: 28-38
Publication Date: 2026/01/28
Abstract:
Aside its great economic value, not much have been said or done about oil spill impact to the environment. Its exploration has resulted in serious environmental pollution, ranging from air, water and soil. Oil spill through pollution has introduced harmful or poisonous substance into the environment, causing adverse effects on living organisms and ecosystem. It is on record that global oil spill is about 400,000 (metric tonnes) taking place per year through various avenues. This problem of immediate need for effective oil spill remediation necessitated this study on corn husk to be modified as a sorbent for effective oil spill removal.. The important contribution of this research to existing knowledge is that agro-waste possess great adsorbing capabilities and pose no environmental hazard to the environment and can be converted or modified as adsorbent for oil spill clean-up converting waste to wealth. Similarly, it substantiated the fact that corn husk has well documented capacity for oil sorption and the lack of dimensional stability due to associated hydroxyl functionality was corrected by modification. The adsorbent was subjected to sample preparation by washing, sun dried and crushed to a specific size. It was then oven dried at 350 o C and allowed to cool and subjected to FTIR analysis. It was subjected to modification by a reaction with acetic anhydride with sulpuric acid as catalyst. The modified adsorbent was subjected to crude oil recovery efficiency test. Sample characterization results showed moisture content of 1.370%, ash content of 14.260% and hausner ratio of 1.209. IR result indicated absence of spectra bands at 1740 -1745 cm-1and 1020 -1040 cm-1. The result of the oil removal efficiency was subjected to kinetic models. The high correlation value, R2 (0.9809 for the pseudo second order, PSO and 0.9720 for the film diffusion, FD) obtained in the adsorption kinetics justifies the potency of corn husk as a sorbent in oil spill remediation. This work is also an indispensable reference and an essential reading for everyone concerned with oil spill cleanup in mangroves and wetlands, providing strategies for the conversion of agricultural wastes to effective oil spill sorbents.