Abstract

TORNERO JIMENEZ, Rafael Juan  and  YAPU MACHICADO, Waldo. Descontaminación de superficies impregnadas con aceite lubricante automotriz usado (ALAU), mediante procesos de adsorción, persorción y desorción con Ulexita. Rev. Bol. Quim [online]. 2022, vol.39, n.2, pp.8-17. ISSN 0250-5460.  https://doi.org/10.34098/2078-3949.39.2.1.

The continuous and massive use of automotive lubricating oil (ALO) in Bolivia, and its disposal or used automotive lubricating oil (UALO) represents an environmental pollution problem of high priority in terms of its elimination. Due to the lack of environmental regulations in this regard, the situation has been aggravated, for example when these liquids come into contact with solid surfaces (soil or materials) due to accidental spills, generating their irreversible contamination. In this research work we present an alternative for the decontamination of surfaces contaminated by UALO, proposing a study of physicochemical and environmental processes of adsorption, persorption and desorption. Ulexite (NaCaB5O6(OH)6(H₂O)5) was applied to the spill in a mass ratio of 5:1 (g/g) with respect to the contaminant. The mixture is a solid containing UALO molecules dispersed and adsorbed on the ulexite surface. The adsorption of UALO on ulexite can be reversed using potable water at 80°C. This allows the ulexite to rehydrate and the UALO can be separated from the ulexite, and it can be applied again. The recovery performance of ulexite is proportional to the exposure time. On the other hand, desorption will occur at 30 minutes minimum and complete after 2 hours maximum for total desorption. The definitive elimination of the contaminant (UALO), after its separation thanks to mutual insolubility with water or phase separation, is achieved according to international elimination standards, that is, by combustion to give carbon dioxide and water, both of which are biodegradable environmental components. This procedure was not carried out in the present investigation. Alternatively, UALO could be submitted to a regeneration process or recycling procedures.

Keywords : Adsorption; Desorption; Persorption; Ulexite; Aceite Lubricante Automotriz Usado.

        · abstract in Spanish     · text in Spanish     · Spanish ( pdf )