Process for recovering oil from water with a polymeric adsorbent, and regeneration thereof.

摘要

The regeneration of polymeric adsorbent having oil adsorbed thereon is achieved by contacting the adsorbent with specified non-ionic surfactant at a pH of 9 to 13. This regeneration process is used in a process for recovering oil from water contaminated with said oil. The oil-contaminated water is passed through a bed of polymeric adsorbent which is capable of preferentially adsorbing the oil, and substantially oil-free water passes from said column. The regeneration of adsorbent is achieved by eluting the adsorbed oil with an aqueous solution of non-ionic surfactant at a pH of 9 to 13 said surfactant having the general formula RNH(CH2CH2O)nH wherein R is an alkyl group of from 10 to 24 carbon atoms, and n is from 1 to 25. The pH of the oil-containing eluate is adjusted to 2 to 6 thereby creating a two phase liquid of oil and acidified surfactant solution from which the oil is removed and the pH of the acidified surfactant is readjusted to 9 to 13 for reuse.