The Environmental Biotechnology Lab

Oil and petroleum spills are severe environmental hazards that disrupt ecological balance by contaminating water and soil. To mitigate their impact, various remediation technologies have been developed. In this study, we introduce a novel strategy that combines in situ adsorption and biodegradation in aqueous environments using Nutrient-Supplemented Carbonized Aerogels (NSCA). These aerogels are enhanced with bioavailable nitrogen and phosphorus—nutrients typically scarce in marine environments and essential for effective biodegradation. Biodegradation experiments in nutrient-free, oil-contaminated artificial sea water showed significantly improved oil breakdown when using NSCA compared to un-supplemented carbonized aerogels (CA). We investigated the effects of pyrolysis temperature and nutrient concentration on NSCA performance. Prioritizing low energy costs, sufficiently preforming NSCA was found to be produced in pyrolysis temperature as low as 360 °C with optimal performance at pyrolysis temperature of 450 °C, yielding aerogels with high hydrophobicity (139°), and high hydrocarbon adsorption capacity (78 g crude oil/g NSCA). Additionally, elevated nutrients concentrations in NSCA were found to directly enhance rate and extent of biodegradation. These findings demonstrate the potential of NSCA as an energy-efficient and highly effective material for oil spill remediation.