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Functionalized Cellulose from Citrus Waste as a Sustainable Oil Adsorbent Material
Loredana Maiuolo1, Antonio Jiritano1, Paola Costanzo1
1Department of Chemistry and Chemical Technologies, University of Calabria, Via P. Bucci, Cubo 12C, 87036 Rende, CS, Italy.
Polymers
|January 10, 2026
Summary
Citrus peel cellulose was modified to create a low-cost, eco-friendly sorbent for oil removal from water. This sustainable material shows promising results in capturing diesel from seawater, aiding in environmental cleanup.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Environmental Science
- Polymer Chemistry
Background:
- Oil spills pose significant environmental threats to marine ecosystems and coastal communities.
- Developing cost-effective and sustainable sorbent materials is crucial for effective water purification and oil spill remediation.
- Agri-food waste presents a potential source for novel, eco-friendly materials.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a low-cost, sustainable sorbent for water purification using cellulose derived from citrus peel waste.
- To enhance the hydrophobicity of citrus peel cellulose through grafting with methyl acrylate for improved oil adsorption.
- To optimize the grafting copolymerization process and evaluate the oil adsorption performance of the modified cellulose.
Main Methods:
- Citrus peel cellulose was chemically modified via grafting copolymerization with methyl acrylate.
- The grafting process was optimized for monomer concentration, catalyst amount, reaction time, and temperature.
- Characterization techniques including FTIR, 1H NMR, SEM, and EIS were employed to confirm successful graft copolymerization.
- Oil adsorption capacity was evaluated using a continuous-flow system with diesel in freshwater, artificial seawater, and natural seawater.
Main Results:
- Graft copolymerization of methyl acrylate onto cellulose was successfully achieved, with a maximum grafting percentage of 93%.
- Characterization confirmed the successful modification of cellulose with poly(methyl acrylate).
- The developed sorbent demonstrated significant oil adsorption capacity, retaining 4.01 g of diesel per gram of cellulose in seawater.
Conclusions:
- Citrus peel waste can be transformed into an effective and sustainable sorbent material for oil removal.
- Grafting cellulose with methyl acrylate enhances its hydrophobicity and oil adsorption capabilities.
- This research highlights the potential of utilizing agri-food waste for environmental remediation applications, specifically in oil spill cleanup.
