Application of Biodegradable Materials in Oil-Spill Cleanup: Recent Advances and Future Perspectives

During the transportation of oil, various oil-spill incidents are reported. The utilization of oil sorbents for the treatment of oil spills is a promising approach among the all-existing solutions. Nonbiodegradability and non-renewability are the two major issues in the case of synthetic oil sorbents. In this review, the use of biodegradable polymers for oil-spill cleanup is highlighted. In each section, the biodegradable materials and modifiers used, the method applied for a modification, the contact angle after modification, sorption capacities, and the reusability of developed biodegradable sorbents are extensively discussed. Mechanisms of biodegradation of biopolymers are also discussed. The manuscript also incorporates the recent developments in the fabrications of advanced sorbents with sustainable approaches along with challenges associated with current sorbents and future prospects.