Abstract:
Low aromatic white spirit (LAWS) is a widely used solvent in industrial and
commercial applications due to its reduced aromatic hydrocarbon content, making it
safer for both health and the environment compared to solvents with higher aromatic
levels. LAWS is particularly crucial in the paint industry, as its low aromaticity ensures
the desired color in paints, preventing issues with pigment performance. It is derived
from the distillation of petroleum crude oil and shares similarities in chemical
composition and physical properties with kerosene, allowing for production from high
aromatic fractions through dearomatization processes. A spirit sample was acquired by
subjecting kerosene vapor (100 mL) to treatment with chitosan extracted from prawn
shell waste (10 grams) at room temperature. The dearomatization process was evaluated
using FT-IR analysis, while the chitosan material underwent characterization through
FT-IR and SEM analyses. Based on the FT-IR results, the intensity of the characteristic
peak associated with CH bonds connected to aromatic rings decreased significantly,
while the intensity of aliphatic CH bonds remained relatively constant. Since directly
measuring peak intensity isn't suitable for quantitative FT-IR analysis, the peak
intensity ratio between aromatic and aliphatic CH bonds was considered. This analysis
revealed a significant removal of aromatic groups in the treated kerosene. Additionally,
the further reduction in the intensity of the characteristic carbon-carbon double bond in
the FT-IR spectrum obtained from treated kerosene also confirmed the successful
dearomatization of kerosene upon treatment with chitosan. The research demonstrates
that chitosan effectively dearomatizes kerosene oil, resulting in the production of
LAWS. This approach is both environmentally friendly and economically efficient.
Keywords – Kerosene oil, Chitosan, and LAWS.
