Microbial degradation of dispersed oil is dependent upon the physicochemical properties and stability of the emulsified oil droplets, and the availability of nutrients. Oil biodegradation is critical for mitigating the environmental impacts of oil spills. Oil-in-water Pickering Emulsions (PEs) formed using non-amphiphilic nanoparticles (NPs) represent an alternative approach to oil dispersion. Physicochemical properties of PEs formed using silica NPs can be tuned with surface silanol (Si-OH) density, which controls surface hydrophobicity and the sorption of nutrients (e.g. iron, phosphate, nitrate). We report the formation and characterization of oil-in-water PEs stabilized by commercially available nutrient-doped non-porous and mesoporous silica NPs as a function of NP concentration, oil composition, silanol density, nutrient concentration, and the presence of molecular dispersant mixtures such as Corexit 9500. Our results demonstrate the ability control droplet size, stability, and concentration based on silanol density and NP porosity, and confirm NP biocompatibility.

Nutrient-doped silica nanoparticle Pickering emulsions for enhanced oil biodegradation

245th National Meeting (2013)

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