subject: Cleaning Up a Spill with Absorbents [print this page] Cleaning Up a Spill with Absorbents Cleaning Up a Spill with Absorbents
Necessary for spill cleanup, absorbents prevent damage and contamination from chemicals. According to the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA), all businesses need a spill prevention, control, and countermeasure plan, and absorbents are part of this.
Absorbents are used for all types of spills: flammables, such as gas, solvents, and oil; acids; caustics; oxidizing liquids; water-based contaminants, such as sewage or waste; and petroleum. Absorbents either address a specific type of liquid or absorb all.
Universal absorbents, grey in color, take in all substances. Colored white, oil-only absorbents, however, repel water while taking in oil. Yellow or pink is used for hazmat absorbents, which should only be used for hazardous materials or if a liquid is unknown.
Aside from absorbing specific types of liquids, absorbents come in various forms. The size of the spill often determines the type of absorbent needed. Absorbent mats, which include pads and rolls, are ideal for liquids spilled out over a large surface area. Mats allow you to cut an absorbent in the exact size you need. Absorbent socks, on the other hand, minimize the cleanup area and are used for leaks, drips, and spills. Combining these two qualities, pillows are used for large-volume leaks spread out over a large area.
Not all absorbents are filled with the same materials. For industrial absorbents, pellets, rods, moldings, or blocks with hydrodynamic diameters of 0.15 to 10 mm with high abrasion resistance and high thermal stability fill a sock, pillow, or similar absorbent. The materials used may be oxygen-containing compounds, such as silica gel or zeolites; carbon-based compounds, such as activated carbon and graphite or hydrophobic substances; or polymer-based compounds. On a chemical level, atoms, ions, biomolecules, or molecules of a gas, liquid, or dissolved solid adhere to the material inside the absorbent.
Absorbents are part of cleanup procedures for all types of substances, but regardless of the substance, debris needs to be removed from the area first before the absorbent is added. As soon as the absorbent is saturated, dispose of it with standard chemical procedures and put another in its place until the spill is fully cleaned up. If a sock is used, however, surround the area with the absorbent to prevent the spill from spreading.
