Structural Chemistry & Crystallography Communication

Abstract

Crude oil is adsorbed from wastewater on the crosslinked poly (vinyl alcohol) hydrogel (HPVA) and its foam (HPVAF). The macroporous HPVAF was prepared by adding CaCO3 and epichlorohydrin as pore-forming agents and crosslinkers, respectively. The prepared hydrogels were characterized and their ability to adsorb and immobilize of the crude oil was assessed by the gravimetric method at the optimum condition. The HPVAF carrier demonstrated an improvement in the hydrocarbons trapping than these of the HPVA one. Scanning electron microscopy showed the presence of extracellular structures that could play an important role in the immobilization stability of crude oils on polymers. As well, the percentage removal ability of the crude oil by HPVAF was approximate, 82%. The results suggest the potential of using each of the HPVA and HPVAF films as trapping for crud oil to enhance the treatment of oily wastewater at a low cost in an open marine environment