Development of magnetite zeolite nanocomposite for sustainable crude oil spill remediation

Abstract

Oil spills pose a significant threat to both marine and freshwater ecosystems, affecting biodiversity, public health, and socio-economic stability. Uganda, poised to commence commercial oil production by 2026 through the Tilenga and Kingfisher projects with an estimated output of 6.5 million barrels per day, faces heightened risks of environmental contamination—particularly in ecologically sensitive areas such as the Albertine Graben. Traditional oil spill remediation methods often prove inefficient, recovering only a small fraction of spilled oil, thereby necessitating the development of more effective and sustainable alternatives.

This research investigated the effectiveness of magnetite-zeolite nanocomposites as an environmentally friendly, reusable adsorbent for crude oil spill remediation in Uganda. The nanocomposite was synthesized and characterized using several techniques, alongside adsorption isotherm studies. These analyses provided detailed insights into the material’s surface morphology, structural integrity, chemical composition, and functional group interactions.

Batch adsorption experiments were conducted under varying operational conditions such as contact time, initial oil concentration, and adsorbent dosage (Eskandari et al., 2018) to evaluate the nanocomposite’s performance in terms of adsorption capacity, removal efficiency. The Response Surface Methodology (RSM) was employed to statistically optimize the process parameters using Central Composite Design (CCD) in Design Expert software and graphs drawn with origin pro software.

The results demonstrated that the magnetite-zeolite nanocomposite exhibited high adsorption efficiency, magnetic recoverability, validating its potential for large-scale application in oil spill response strategies with 93% removal efficiency after Optimisation. This research contributes to the advancement of sustainable oil spill remediation technologies and aligns with Sustainable Development Goal 14 by offering an innovative and context-specific solution to Uganda’s oil pollution challenges.