Sorbent
A sorbent is an insoluble material that either absorbs or adsorbs liquidsScript error: No such module "Footnotes".Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". or gases.Script error: No such module "Footnotes".Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". They are frequently used to remove pollutants and in the cleanup of chemical accidentsScript error: No such module "Footnotes".Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". and oil spills.Script error: No such module "Footnotes".Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". Besides their uses in industry, sorbents are used in commercial products such as diapers[1] and odor absorbents,[2] and are researched for applications in environmental air analysis, particularly in the analysis of volatile organic compounds.Script error: No such module "Footnotes".Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". The name sorbent is derived from sorption,[3] which is itself a derivation from adsorption and absorption.[4]
Mechanism of action
Sorbents collect specific liquids or gases depending on the composition of the material being used in the sorbent. Some of the most common sorbents used to clean oil spills are made from materials that are both oleophilic and hydrophobic, have high surface area through structural designs that include pores and capillaries, and draw in liquid through capillary action.Script error: No such module "Footnotes".Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". Sorbents may be used to collect undesirable ions and act like a reusable ion-exchange resin, composed of charged layers of material that can be heated or otherwise treated to remove pollutants.[5] In this and similar cases, pollutant particles are attracted to the sorbent through electrostatic forces.Script error: No such module "Footnotes".Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". Some sorbents chemically bind to particles through chemical adsorption, or chemisorption; this process is often more difficult to reverse.[6]
Examples
Sorbents come in various forms and materials, including:
- Activated carbon, the most widely used sorbent, which has been known and manufactured since the 19th century,Script error: No such module "Footnotes".Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
- Molecular sieves, commonly made from zeolite,Script error: No such module "Footnotes".Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
- Sponges, which can absorb many times their own weight in liquid,[7]
- Polypropylene fiber mats, which can be employed to absorb oil,[8]
- Cellulose fiber products used for oil or chemical sorption,Script error: No such module "Footnotes".Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
- The granular gel material in diapers, capable of absorbing multiple times its original weight in urine,[1]
- Incontinence pads, which may also incorporate nonwoven fabric as a sorbent,[9] and
- Desiccants, which attract water, thereby drying (desiccating) surrounding materials.[10]
References
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