Over the past few decades, the theories for removal of spilled oil have changed, and a new hypothesis has emerged which links oil-mineral aggregates (OMA) to enhanced removal rates of the stranded oil. OMA form when oil droplets and mineral grains in suspension collide and adhere, forming agglomerations of oil and clay-sized mineral matter. OMA remove the oil by enhancing the assessment of nutrients and oxygen to the oil drops, thereby promoting the biodegradation of the oil.; This thesis reports the experimental characterization of OMA formation by focusing on the concept of "critical concentration". The critical concentration is the sediment concentration to form a monolayer of sediment grains around all the oil droplets in suspension. The underlying principle is that above critical concentration, OMA will form but below it, they will not form. Therefore, this thesis addresses two concepts: one, the effect of sediment size on the critical concentration and two, the characterization of oil trapping efficiency by OMA when the sediment concentration is near critical. (Abstract shortened by UMI.)
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