Scooping out oil spills made easy by IISER (Indian Institute of Science, Education and Research)

[Rhiannon12866]

No solvent is required for spraying the gelator and hence it is environment friendly

More efficient and quick absorption of crude oil from the sea following marine spill has now become possible thanks to scientists from the Indian Institute of Science, Education and Research (IISER) in Thiruvananthapuram who have developed a hydrophobic sorbent that can suck up oil and congeal it. A hydrophobic material automatically becomes oil-loving and takes up oil when it comes in contact with it. The results were published in the journal Angewandte Chemie.

Hydrophobic sorbent

A two-member research team led by Prof. Kana M. Sureshan from the School of Chemistry at IISER developed the hydrophobic sorbent by using a cheap raw material (mannitol) and cellulose pulp as a matrix. Mannitol was converted into a hydrophobic gelator through a one-step process and a solution was made using this compound. Cellulose balls the size of marbles were then dipped in the solution and dried.

“The gelator gets adsorbed on the cellulose fibre through hydrogen bonding. This process of adsorption of gelator on the cellulose fibre matrix changes the cellulose matrix from being very hydrophilic (water-loving) to hydrophobic (water repelling),” says Prof. Sureshan. A hydrophobic material naturally becomes oleilophilic (oil-loving).

Unlike other alternatives, the sorbent can be easily applied over oil-water mixture ,and no solvent is needed for spraying the gelator thus making it environmental benign.The gelator adsorbed on the surface of cellulose fibre is able to absorb oil when it comes in contact with it.


More: http://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/science/scooping-out-oil-spills-made-easy-by-iiser-thiruvananthapuram/article19385272.ece

[OnDoutside]

1. Sounds interesting, though doesn't mention affect on wildlife.

[Rhiannon12866]

2. I agree, there isn't much background but it doesn't sound like it's been used in an actual spill yet

But it does sound promising - even if it's just been tried in the lab.

[OnDoutside]

3. It certainly does seem positive.