REMEDIATION OF CRUDE OIL-POLLUTED SURFACE WATER USING AQUA-GEL BENTONITE, PERIWINKLE SHELL CHITOSAN EXTRACT AND SAWDUST

Crude oil pollution in the oil producing communities has become a nightmare to host communities and indeed a threat to the biosphere. The coagulation and flocculation of crude oil-in-water using aqua-gel Bentonite, Periwinkle shell-Chitosan extract and sawdust in the presence of calcium hydroxide is investigated at room temperature using the jar test apparatus. In the study, Chitosan was extracted from periwinkle shell for use as coagulant in combination with sawdust and Bentonite in the ratio 0.375:1:0.375, also, the second order perikinetic functional parameters as Coag-flocculation constant (K), Collision factor for Brownian Transport (βBR), Collision Efficiency (εp) and Coagulation Period / half-life (τ1/2) were evaluated at varying pH and dosage. Nephlometric standard method was employed in the determination of turbidity in a jar text apparatus. From the kinetic study, the theory of Perikinetics was confirmed and the maximum efficiency of 84.41% correlating to the second order kinetics was recorded at pH of 12 and dosage of 11 g/l with a rate constant of 0.0002 l/g, βBR of 0.0004 and τ1/2 of 21 minutes.