Bio-Based Sorbents for Marine Oil Spill Response: Advances in Modification, Circularity, and Waste Valorization

Célia Karina Maia Cardoso (), Ícaro Thiago Andrade Moreira (), Antônio Fernando de Souza Queiroz, Olívia Maria Cordeiro de Oliveira and Ana Katerine de Carvalho Lima Lobato
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Célia Karina Maia Cardoso: Postgraduate Program in Chemical Engineering, Polytechnic School, Federal University of Bahia (UFBA), Street Professor Aristídes Novis, 02, Federação, Salvador 40210-630, BA, Brazil
Ícaro Thiago Andrade Moreira: Geosciences Institute, Federal University of Bahia (UFBA), R. Barão de Jeremoabo, s/n, Ondina, Salvador 40170-290, BA, Brazil
Antônio Fernando de Souza Queiroz: Geosciences Institute, Federal University of Bahia (UFBA), R. Barão de Jeremoabo, s/n, Ondina, Salvador 40170-290, BA, Brazil
Olívia Maria Cordeiro de Oliveira: Geosciences Institute, Federal University of Bahia (UFBA), R. Barão de Jeremoabo, s/n, Ondina, Salvador 40170-290, BA, Brazil
Ana Katerine de Carvalho Lima Lobato: Postgraduate Program in Chemical Engineering, Polytechnic School, Federal University of Bahia (UFBA), Street Professor Aristídes Novis, 02, Federação, Salvador 40210-630, BA, Brazil

Resources, 2025, vol. 14, issue 9, 1-45

Abstract: Marine oil spills remain a recurring environmental concern, particularly in coastal and estuarine areas. Among the available strategies for managing spilled oil, sorbents derived from natural fibers have attracted considerable interest as viable alternatives to synthetic materials due to their biodegradability, low cost, and alignment with circular economy principles. This review synthesizes recent advances by connecting technical and environmental aspects with operational applications. It emphasizes structural and surface modifications of lignocellulosic fibers to enhance petroleum sorption capacity, selectivity, buoyancy, and reusability. Physical, chemical, and biological approaches are discussed, focusing on how these modifications influence sorption dynamics under realistic conditions. The review also highlights the incorporation of agricultural and industrial residues as raw materials, along with regeneration and reuse strategies that support waste valorization. However, significant gaps remain, such as the lack of studies with weathered crude oils, the limitation of larger-scale testing, and the need for standardized methods and evaluation of the final fate of exhausted biosorbents. Through the integration of technical, environmental, and operational criteria, this review provides a critical foundation for developing more efficient and circular marine oil spill response technologies.

Keywords: oil spill cleanup; sorption efficiency; biosorption; aerogel sorbents; biomass waste reuse; oil-water separation; petroleum weathering; saline waters; sustainable oil spill remediation (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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