A Comparative Study Of Oil Absorbents

The study was to test the absorption ability of materials like a.) coconut fibre b.) hair c.) sawdust and d.) woodchips.

The study also included the comparison of the materials of which was better than the other.

What was the study all about?

Testing the absorption ability of woodchips, hair, coconut fiber, and sawdust as oil

absorbents.

Main Problem

1. How much amount of crude oil will be absorbed by:

Coconut fiber Hair Sawdust Woodchips

In set-up A(in pure crude oil only)And set-up B(in a mixture of crude oil and

seawater)

Sub-problem 1

Is there a significant difference in the absorption ability of coconut fiber, sawdust, woodchips and hair after submerging these materials in a.)Crude oil only? b.)a mixture of crude oil and seawater?

Sub-problem 2

This study covers the feasibility of a.) coconut fiber b.) hair c.) sawdust and d.)woodchips absorb oil.

Two set ups for each material would be prepared. a.) submerge on pure crude oil only b.) submerge in a mixture of crude oil and seawater. For 60 minutes in each set-up

Hair was gathered from parlors and barbershops, sawdust and woodchips from lumber mills and coconut fiber from coconut farms in Punta Silum, Manticao Lanao del Norte.

Scope of the Study

1. The placing of the materials in thin cloth bags weighing 7 grams each.

2. Measuring the materials and the bags for a total of 27 grams. 20 grams for the materials

What were the procedures done?

Submerging the bags in 1Liter crude oil for set-up A and a mixture of 500 mL crude oil and 500 mL seawater for set-up B

What were the procedures done?

Removing the bags and measuring the absorbed oil.

What were the procedures done?

Results of the Experiment

Hair Woodchips Sawdust Coconut Fiber

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

Trial 1Trial 2Trial 3

Trial 1 Trial 2 Trial 3

Hair 228 250 250

Woodchips 232 300 189

Sawdust 91 80 89

Coconut Fiber 150 190 172

Amount of Absorbed Crude Oil In Set-up A

Hair Woodchips Sawdust Coconut Fiber

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

Trial 1Trial 2Trial 3

Trial 1 Trial 2 Trial 3

Hair 182 200 163

Woodchips 188 100 186

Sawdust 77 80 78

Coconut Fiber 124 250 250

Amount of Absorbed Crude Oil In set-up B

Materials(Set-up A)

(In mL per 1 gram of the material)

(Set-up B)(In mL per 1 gram of the

material)

Difference(Set up A-B)(In mL per 1

gram of material)

Hair 12.14 8.85 3.29

Woodchips 12.02 9.47 2.55

Sawdust 4.34 3.92 0.42

Coconut Fiber 8.54 10.40 -1.86

Mean Absorption Ability of Each Material in Each Set-up

Standard α (alpha, level of significance) : 0.05 Null Hypothesis: All of the means are equal. (Ho

= μ1=μ2=μ3) Alternate Hypothesis: At least one mean is

different from the others. If the null hypothesis was rejected, post hoc

analysis test must be conducted:

ANOVA Test

Are the results significant?

ANOVA Table

Source SS df MS F p-value

Treatment 48,786.25 3 16,262.083 17.44 .0007Error 7,458.67 8 932.333

Total 56,244.92 11      

P-values for Pairwise T-testsSawdust Coconut Fiber Woodchips Hair

86.7 170.7 240.3 242.7 Sawdust 86.7        

Coconut Fiber 170.7 .0098      

Woodchips 240.3 .0003 .0234    Hair 242.7 .0002 .0203 .9277  

ANOVA (Analysis Of Variance) TestFor Set-Up A

Post Hoc analysis

For set-up A, There is A SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCE between Sawdust and Coconut Fiber. Since their P-value(.0098) is less than alpha (.05)

There is A SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCE between Sawdust and Woodchips. Since their P-value(.0003) is less than alpa (.05)

There is A SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCE between Sawdust and Hair Since their P-value(.0002) is less than alpa (.05)

Significance of the result for Set-up A (in pure crude oil)

There is A SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCE between Coconut Fiber and Woodchips. Since their P-value(.0234) is less than alpa (.05)

There is A SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCE between Coconut Fiber and Hair. Since their P-value(.0203) is less than alpa (.05)

Significance of the result (for Set-up A)

There is NO SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCE between the comparison of Woodchips and Hair. Since their P-value(.9277) is greater than alpha (.05)

Thus for set-up A the means of the total volume of absorbed crude oil of Hair and Woodchips are different from the other means.

Significance of the result (for Set-up A)

ANOVATable

Source SS df MS F p-value

Treatment 30,248.33 3 10,082.778 7.27 .0113

Error 11,093.33 8 1,386.667

Total 41,341.67 11      

P-values for Pairwise T-tests

Sawdust Hair Woodchips Coconut Fiber

78.3 177.0 189.3 208.0

Sawdust 78.3        

Hair 177.0 .0118      

Woodchips 189.3 .0065 .6956    

Coconut Fiber 208.0 .0027 .3378 .5563  

ANOVA (Analysis Of Variance) TestFor Set-Up B

Post Hoc analysis

For Set-up B, there is A SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCE between Sawdust and Hair. Since their P-value(.0118) is less than alpha (.05)

There is A SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCE between Sawdust and Woodchips. Since their P-value(.0065) is less than alpa (.05)

There is A SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCE between Sawdust and Coconut Fiber Since their P-value(.0027) is less than alpa (.05)

Significance of the result for Set-up B (in a mixture of Crude oil and Sea Water)

There is NO SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCE between the comparison of Hair and Woodchips. Since their P-value(.6956) is greater than alpha (.05)

There is NO SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCE between the comparison of Hair and Coconut Fiber. Since their P-value(.3378) is greater than alpha (.05)

There is NO SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCE between the comparison of Woodchips and Coconut Fiber. Since their P-value(.5563) is greater than alpha (.05)

Significance of the result for Set-up B (in a mixture of Crude oil and Sea Water)

Thus for Set-up B all of the means except sawdust has no Significant Difference. So the mean of Sawdust is different from the others.

Significance of the result for Set-up B (in a mixture of Crude oil and Sea Water)

1. Sawdust has the least ability to absorb oil.2. Woodchips is also a good absorber aside from

hair since the mean amounts of their absorbed oil is almost similar.

3. Hair has the best mean absorption ability among the materials if it is submerged in pure crude oil only.

4. Coconut fiber has the best mean absorption ability among the materials if it is submerged in a mixture of crude oil and seawater.

5. Sawdust does not have the necessary properties to become a good oil absorber.

Conclusions

Use another type of materials, maybe other waste materials or something that is seen in our everyday life.

Find other ways to dispose of the oil other than using materials with oil-absorbing effects.

Set up a more realistic environment

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