Removal of Oil from Industrial Wastewater Using Natural Clay Adsorption System: A Case Study from the North Oil Company, Iraq

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Abstract
Oily wastewater generated from petroleum operations poses significant environmental challenges due to the presence of hydrocarbons. This study investigates the removal of oil using natural clay in a fixed-bed adsorption column under continuous flow conditions. Wastewater collected from the North Oil Company (Iraq) was treated at different operating parameters, including influent concentration, flow rate, bed height, particle size, pH, and temperature. Breakthrough analysis showed that increasing influent concentration and flow rate accelerated column saturation, whereas increasing bed height and reducing particle size enhanced adsorption performance and delayed breakthrough. Equilibrium data were well described by Langmuir and Freundlich isotherm models, with a maximum adsorption capacity of 0.362 kg kg −1 . Adsorption performance was optimal under moderately acidic conditions and decreased with increasing temperature, indicating an exothermic process. These results demonstrate that natural clay is an effective and low-cost adsorbent for oily wastewater treatment and provide practical insights for the design and optimization of fixed-bed adsorption systems.

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