A Review on Natural Fiber Based Oil Absorbents

One of the primary environmental issues that poses a significant threat to human health and ecosystems is oil and organic solvent contamination, which is caused by oil spills and leaks of organic solvents. Numerous oil sorbents have been identified that have good hydrophobicity and oil-absorption capabilities. However, the challenging preparation method, high application cost, and non-biodegradability significantly hinder their practical use. Using widely accessible natural fibres, particularly agricultural waste, for biosorption is an emerging way of treating water. In oil spill cleanup, natural sorbents are favoured as they can be surface modified into hydrophobic and oleophilic. Due to aging, morphological changes, structural fragility, and biodegradation, biological superwetting materials uneven wettability restricts their applicability in demanding applications, including dye adsorption and oil-water separation.