Used Cooking Oil-Derived Fluorinated Porous Polysulfide Materials for Oil Spill Remediation: A Waste-to-Wealth by Sustainable Initiative

Spills of crude oil and hydrocarbon fuel pose a constant risk to aquatic ecosystems. Low-cost sustainable sorbents are required to reduce the environmental impact of this pollution. This work uses a fluorinated porous polysulfide polymer, prepared via reaction of sulfur powder (S), used cooking oils (UCOs) such as used mustard oil (UCO-M), used soybean oil (UCO-S), and used rice bran oil (UCO-R), a fluorine containing monomer, 2,2,3,3,4,4,5,5-octafluoropentyl acrylate (OFPA), and table salt (NaCl). The synthesized fluorinated porous polysulfide exhibited an affinity for liquid hydrocarbons like crude oil and diesel fuel; and can quickly isolate oil from water since both sulfur and cooking oils are hydrophobic. Thus, the isolated oil may be recovered through straightforward mechanical compression, and the polymer can be used again to clean up oil spills. Because sulfur is a petroleum byproduct, the prepared polysulfide is unique in that it is made from recycled trash, contributing to the world’s current focus on waste-to-wealth and circular economy.