Hydrocarbon Adsorbents: A Potential Polishing Step to Treat Shipboard Oily-WaterWaste

摘要

This report examines the potential of hydrocarbon adsorbents to polish oily-waterwaste (OWW) containing detergents, to meet the 15 mg/l MARPOL discharge limit Test OWWs were prepared containing a variety of detergents and tested with a hydrocarbon adsorbent. Results showed that strongly emulsifying detergents affected effluent quality, although some oil reduction in the effluent was experienced. Other less strongly emulsifying detergents, particularly fast breaking detergents, had little effect on oil and grease concentrations in the effluent. Flow rates and adsorbent housing design also affected effluent quality when strongly emulsifying detergents were present. Consequently, hydrocarbon adsorbents could be used to reduce oil concentrations to the lower MARPOL discharge limit of 15 mg/l, provided some restrictions are also placed on shipboard detergent use, and adsorbent housings are constructed to minimise internal turbulence.