[Preparation and performance investigation of Trichoderma viride-modified corn stalk as sorbent materials for oil...

This work aims at preparing oil spill sorbent (TCS, Trichoderma viride-modified corn stalk) through solid-state fermentation of corn stalk by Trichoderma viride. Single-factor experiments, including the effect of modification time, solid-liquid ratio of modification and modification temperature, and adsorption experiments simulating oil spill condition, were carried out. The results indicated that the maximum oil adsorption of TCS, 13.84 g x g(-1), could be obtained under the conditions of 6 days of modification, with a solid-liquid ratio of 1:4 and a modification temperature of 25 degrees C. This oil absorption was 110.33% of that of the raw material (RCS, Raw Corn Stalk). Comparing RCS and TCS by means of Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FT-IR) and X-ray Diffraction (XRD), the results separately showed that TCS had rougher surface, lower cellulose content and higher instability, which explains the increase of oil absorption. Also, the component analysis indicated that bio-modification could reduce the contents of celluloses and hemicelluloses from corn stalk. Besides, sorption kinetics and oil retention performance test showed that, TCS, which could reach adsorption equilibrium after 1 h of 80 r x min(-1) oscillating, had fast oil adsorption rate, and it also had good oil retention performance, which could keep 74. 87% of the initial adsorption rate when trickling 10 min after reaching adsorption equilibrium.