title: Modified biopolymers as sorbents for the removal of naphthenic acids from oil sands process affected water (OSPW).
abstract: Oil sands operations consume large volumes of water in bitumen extraction process and produce tailings that express pore water to the surface of tailings ponds known as oil sands process-affected water (OSPW). The OSPW is toxic and cannot be released into the environment without treatment. In addition to metals, dissolved solids, dissolved gases, hydrocarbons and polyaromatic compounds etc., OSPW also contains a complex mixture of dissolved organic acids, referred to as naphthenic acids (NAs). The NAs are highly toxic and react with metals to develop highly corrosive functionalities which cause corrosion in the oil sands processing and refining processes. We have chemically modified keratin biopolymer using polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxanes (POSS) nanocages and goethite dopant to unfold keratinous structure for improving functionality. The untreated neat keratin and two modified sorbents were characterized to investigate structural, morphological, dimensional and thermal properties. These sorbents were then tested for the removal of NAs from OSPW. The NAs were selectively extracted and quantified before and after sorption process. The biosorption capacity (Q), rejection percentage (R%) and isotherm models were studied to investigate NAs removal efficiency of POSS modified keratin biopolymer (PMKB) and goethite modified keratin biopolymer (GMKB) from aliquots of OSPW.
authors.affiliation: Department of Agricultural, Food and Nutritional Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada.
authors.forename: Muhammad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Arshad
authors.affiliation: Department of Agricultural, Food and Nutritional Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada.
authors.forename: Mark A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Khosa
authors.affiliation: Department of Renewable Resources, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada.
authors.forename: Tariq
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Siddique
authors.affiliation: Department of Agricultural, Food and Nutritional Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada. Electronic address: ullah2@ualberta.ca.
authors.forename: Aman
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ullah
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D018533:Biomass; D001704:Biopolymers / Q000737:chemistry*; D002264:Carboxylic Acids / Q000737:chemistry*; D002645:Chickens; D003432:Cross-Linking Reagents / Q000737:chemistry; D005241:Feathers / Q000737:chemistry; D006838:Hydrocarbons / Q000737:chemistry*; D007633:Keratins / Q000737:chemistry; D008670:Metals; D061329:Oil and Gas Fields; D017646:Organosilicon Compounds / Q000737:chemistry; D017550:Spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared; D013818:Thermogravimetry; D014867:Water / Q000737:chemistry; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis*; D014961:X-Ray Diffraction
chemical_list: C512088:1,3-bis(1,1,3,3,5,5-hexaethoxy-1,3,5-trisilacyclohexyl)propane; D001704:Biopolymers; D002264:Carboxylic Acids; D003432:Cross-Linking Reagents; D006838:Hydrocarbons; D008670:Metals; D017646:Organosilicon Compounds; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D014867:Water; D007633:Keratins; C006647:asphalt; C046170:naphthenic acid
keywords: Biopolymer; Biosorption; Keratin; Naphthenic acids; Oil sands process affected water