Recycled wool-based nonwoven material can be used for
the sorption of different types of oil (diesel fuel, crude,
base, vegetable and motor oil) particularly due to high
sorption capacity in water and oil without water. Retention
of the studied oils on sorbent was satisfactory except for
the motor oil. The sorbent shows good buoyancy in static
and dynamic conditions and did not sink even after 24 h in
aquatic medium. SEM images revealed no fiber fibrillation
that could have occurred during the production of the
material, although some fiber damage was observed.
ESEM images suggested that oil sorption on recycled wool
is likely to be governed by adsorption.
Good oil sorption properties, excellent reusability and
biodegradability make recycled wool-based nonwoven
material a viable alternative to commercially available synthetic
sorbents.
Acknowledgements
We gratefully acknowledge the support from European
Community FP6 Programme through financing the EMCO
project INCO CT 2004-509188 and Ministry of Science
and Environmental Protection of the Republic of Serbia
for project TD-7017B. This research reflects only the
authors’ views and the European Community is not liable
for any use that maybe made on the information contained
therein.