Micro-nano bubble flotation for marine oil spill remediation: Bridging theoretical principles to intelligent field applications.

Due to the complexity of the marine environment, current oil spill response technologies fail to meet the demands for being eco-friendly and comparatively high-performance, thus requiring urgent breakthroughs and innovation. Micro-nano bubbles (MNBs) flotation presents a promising alternative. Their small size (1 nm-100 μm), low rise velocity (2.7 nm/s) and prolonged residence time increase the probability of collision and attachment with fine oil droplets, and improve oil removal efficiency by 10.3% compared with conventional bubble flotation systems. This review analyzes the core physicochemical parameters of the technology, the characteristics of mainstream bubble generation devices, and the interaction mechanism between oil droplets and bubbles, confirming that the synergy between interfacial hydrogen bonds and electrostatic repulsion is the core of bubble stability. However, the technology is confronted with challenges such as inadequate adaptability of theoretical models, complex interference from real marine environments, bottlenecks in engineering applications, and lack of empirical evidence for core mechanisms. This review reveals the theoretical limitations of MNB flotation technology and its application flaws in real marine scenarios, and proposes a potential framework for future MNB-based marine oil spill remediation. To bridge the gap between laboratory research and field deployment, future studies should prioritize developing intelligent MNB systems that dynamically adapt to complex marine conditions, integrate renewable energy sources, and exploit synergies among multiple processes. These advances will enable efficient, green, and sustainable emergency responses to marine oil spills.