The removal of oil from bilgewater is necessary for compliance with national and international maritime regulations; however, the formation of stable oil-in-water emulsions makes oil separation difficult. Therefore, it is necessary to understand the physical and chemical properties of emulsions created in bilgewater. Recent experiments have demonstrated that synthetic bilgewater emulsions can be stabilized in the absence of surfactants or cleaners. Therefore, the objective of this study was to determine if the additives found in fuels and lubricating oils can significantly contribute to bilgewater emulsion stability. Interfacial tension, conductivity, emulsion stability, and LC-MS measurements were conducted to determine transportation of oil additives into the aqueous phase. Results revealed that the additives in a common shipboard lubricant were capable of migrating from the oil phase to the bilgewater. The concentration of these additives in synthetic bilgewater correlated strongly with the stability of simulated bilgewater emulsions.  In addition, characterization of actual bilgewater samples revealed the presence of the unknown additives in all bilgewater samples tested. Overall, this work shows fuel additives can contribute to the stabilization of bilgewater emulsions and further research is needed determine the full impact of these additives.<br/>

Impact of fuel additives on oil-in-water emulsion stability

Macromolecular Chemistry: The Second Century

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ACS Spring 2020 National Meeting & Expo

The official archive and repository for all ACS Meetings & Expositions abstracts and select posters or presentations.