The Separation of Emulsified Water/Oil Mixtures through Adsorption on Plasma-Treated Polyethylene Powder

This paper addresses the preparation and characterization of efficient adsorbents for tertiary treatment (oil content below 100 ppm) oil/water emulsions. Powdered low-density polyethylene (LDPE) was modified by radio-frequency plasma discharge then used as a medium emulsified diesel mixtures in concentration range from 75 ppm to 200 ppm. Plasma significantly increased wettability LDPE powder, which resulted enhanced sorption capability oil component emulsions comparison untreated powder. Emulsions formed distilled water commercial (DO) with concentrations were model oily polluted water. The prepared using ultrasonication without surfactant. droplet size directly proportional sonication time ranged 135 nm 185 nm. A 20 min found be sufficient prepare stable an average approximately 150 tests realized batch system. effect contact initial studied under standard atmospheric conditions at stirring speed 340 rpm adsorbent particle 500 microns. efficiency plasma-treated powder removal dependent on concentration. It decreased 96.7% 79.5% amount adsorbed increasing time. fastest adsorption observed during first 30 treatment. kinetics oils onto sorbent followed pseudo-second-order kinetic model.