Utilizing eco-friendly shredded waste tires for oil spill cleanup: Adsorption isotherm and kinetic studies

Oil spills present a significant environmental challenge, requiring effective and sustainable remediation strategies. The global generation of waste tires, which can have detrimental environmental effects when burned, necessitates innovative recycling methods. Recycling rubber reduces the demand for new raw materials, conserves natural resources, and lowers greenhouse gas emissions. This study explores using shredded waste tires (including powder, fiber, 0.5–2 mm and 2.5–3.5 mm granules, and Tire-derived fuel) as adsorbents for oil spill cleanup. Shredded tire particles, with their large surface area, porosity, hydrophobicity, and durability, are highly effective in oil adsorption. Optimal oil removal was achieved using a 2 g adsorbent dose, an initial oil concentration of 40 g/L, a 30-minute shaking time, a pH of 7, and a temperature of 25°C. Tire powders demonstrated exceptional efficiency, achieving an oil removal rate of 98.1 %. The adsorbent’s high reusability, maintaining a 70.1 % oil removal percentage after 20 cycles, underscores its cost-effectiveness and environmental benefits. Batch adsorption experiments indicated that the process follows second-order kinetics and fits the Freundlich isotherm model. The maximum adsorption capacity was 15.44 g/g. This study highlights the potential of repurposing waste tires as a sustainable solution for mitigating oil spill contamination, offering dual benefits of waste management and environmental remediation.