(590e) Surfactant-Oil Interactions on Surfaces

Oil spills can cause detrimental effects on ecosystems as a significant amount of released oil is adhered to surfaces and can remain there for long time. The interactions between oil components and surfaces (inorganic and organic) may be greatly affected by surface active compounds (natural or synthetic). Our work addresses the fundamentals of oil-solid interactions by studying the adsorption/desorption behavior of oil (fresh or weathered) on surfaces as affected by the presence of surfactants. In this study, we utilize Quartz Crystal Microbalance with Dissipation (QCM-D) and Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) to investigate the adsorption and desorption of anionic and nonionic synthetic surfactants, of biosurfactants, as well as of model oil components on gold and silica surfaces, as representative metal and mineral surfaces, respectively. QCM-D can monitor of the dynamics of adsorption and desorption in real-time with high sensitivity. The adsorption behaviors of the surfactants below and above critical micelle concentration (cmc) are compared. The results are discussed in the context of interactions between oil components with mineral surfaces. A fundamental understanding of such interactions is critical for both oil spill remediation and oil extraction.