RECOVERY OF WASTE LUBRICATING OIL BY EXTRACTION USING n-BUTANOL AND DEA

Abstract

Waste lubricating oil (WLO) contains highly hazardous components that require proper management from storage to disposal. Toxic compounds in discharged lubricating oil can pose huge environmental and human health risks. This study provided a relevant method for recovering fresh base oil from waste lubricating oil. This regeneration process was carried out by using n-butanol and DEA (flocculant agent) to extract the base oil, and the solvent layer containing the base oil was isolated. The solvent was recovered by vacuum rotary evaporation, and the base oil fraction obtained reached 85.27% compared to the original waste oil. The regenerated oil was transparent, yellow in color, and had a flash point of 238 ºC, indicating high potential for re-blending into commercial lubricants. This study would contribute to a feasible method for recycling waste lubricants, reusing solvents, minimizing environmental impacts, and being reusable after regeneration.