Chitosan-Starch Films Modified with Natural Extracts to Remove Heavy Oil from Water

Chitosan films were used to remove heavy oil from connate water, deionized water, and seawater. In this research, chitosan-starch films were modified with natural extracts from cranberry, blueberry, beetroot, pomegranate, oregano, pitaya, and grape. These biodegradable, low-cost, eco-friendly materials show an important oil sorption capacity from different water conditions. It was observed that the sorption capacity has a clear correlation with the extract type, quantity, and water pH. In order to understand the physical and chemical properties of the films, they were analyzed according to their apparent density, water content, solubility, and swelling degree by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy (GC-MS), and the determination of surface area using the Brunauer Emmett Teller (BET) method. The results indicate that chitosan-starch films modified with natural extracts can be successfully applied for environmental issues such as oil spill remedy.