Development of a new peat-based oil sorbent using peat pyrolysis

The growing use and transport of crude oil and oil products has led to increasing numbers of oil spillages of various scales. Oil sorbents have been extensively used for remediation of the consequences of such accidents. The aim of this study is to investigate the possible use of peat and its thermal treatment products for oil sorption. Peat as an oil sorbent has poor buoyancy characteristics, relatively low oil sorption capacity and low hydrophobicity. However, thermal treatment (low-temperature pyrolysis and synthesis of peat-based activated coal) helps to significantly improve its sorptive characteristics. Peat is a potential material for oil sorption because it has such advantages as low cost, biodegradability and relatively high parameters of specific surface area and porosity. The processes and structural changes taking place during low-temperature pyrolysis have been studied by means of IR spectroscopy, thermogravimetry and scanning electron microscopy.