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Recent developments in the application of lignocellulosic materials for oil spill removal are discussed in this review article. The types of lignocellulosic substrate material and their different chemical and physical modification strategies and basic preparation techniques are presented. The morphological features and the related separation mechanisms of the materials are summarized. The material types were classified into 3D-materials such as hydrophobic and oleophobic sponges and aerogels, or 2D-materials such as membranes, fabrics, films, and meshes. It was found that, particularly for 3D-materials, there is a clear correlation between the material properties, mainly porosity and density, and their absorption performance. Furthermore, it was shown that nanocellulosic precursors are not exclusively suitable to achieve competitive porosity and therefore absorption performance, but also bulk cellulose materials. This finding could lead to developments in cost- and energy-efficient production processes of future lignocellulosic oil spillage removal materials.

A total of 864 brown-egg laying pullets was used to study the effects of the main cereal of the diet (500 g maize or wheat/kg) and particle size of the cereal (hammer milled to pass through a 6-, 8-, and 10-mm screen) on growth performance and digestive traits from 1 to 120 d of age. Each of the six treatments was replicated six times (24 pullets per replicate). Type of cereal did not affect pullet performance at any age.From1 to 45 d of age, body weight (BW) gain was increased (P<0.001) and feed conversion ratio was improved (P<0.05) as the particle size of the cereal was reduced, but no effects were observed after this age. At 45 d of age, pullets fed maize tended (P<0.10) to have a heavier relative weight (RW, g/kg BW) of the total digestive tract and proventriculi and a higher relative length (RL, cm/kg BW) of the small intestines (SI) than pullets fed wheat. Also at this age, the RW of the digestive tract increased (P<0.05) with increases in the particle size of the cereal. At 120 d of age, dietary treatment did not affect the RW of any of the organs studied or gizzard pH but the RL of the SI was higher (P<0.05) for pullets fed wheat than for pullets fed maize. Also, the RL of the SI was reduced (P<0.05) as the particle size of the cereal increased. We conclude that 500 g wheat/kg can be included in pullet feeds from 1 to 120 d of age, and that particle size of the cereal affects pullet performance during the first 45 d of life but not thereafter. Therefore, it is recommended to grind the cereal used in this period with a screen size of no more than 8mm.