Investigation of Oil Absorption Capacity of Polypropylene Fibre-Based Sorbents for Oil Spill Remediation in Niger Delta

Oil spill remediation in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria remains one of the most pressing environmental challenges facing South South Nigeria, with conventional mechanical cleanup methods proving inadequate for complete oil recovery. This study investigates the oil absorption capacity of polypropylene fibre-based sorbent materials fabricated from nonwoven structures, evaluating their performance for spill remediation in estuarine and freshwater environments characteristic of the Niger Delta. Polypropylene nonwoven sorbent pads of varying areal density from 150 to 400 gsm were produced and tested for absorption capacity, absorption rate, oil retention after drainage, and buoyancy retention over 48 hours in synthetic seawater and freshwater media. Crude oil from a Niger Delta field and diesel fuel were used as test oils. Sorption performance was also evaluated for sorbents subjected to 5 and 10 compression-squeeze recovery cycles to simulate practical field reuse conditions. Results indicate that 300 gsm polypropylene sorbent pads achieved maximum crude oil absorption of 18.4 g/g under static conditions, with absorption rate constants indicating 90 percent saturation within 3 minutes. Oil retention after gravity drainage averaged 79 percent for crude oil and 72 percent for diesel. Buoyancy was maintained throughout 48-hour immersion tests, confirming operational viability in open water environments. Absorption capacity declined by 23 percent after 10 reuse cycles, still sufficient for multiple deployment applications. The study recommends polypropylene nonwoven sorbents for rapid response oil spill containment in Niger Delta waterways and recommends optimisation of fibre diameter distribution for improved absorption performance. Keywords: polypropylene sorbent, oil spill remediation, Niger Delta, oil absorption, nonwoven