Author Topic: Indian-origin scientist has solution for oil spill (Read 960 times)

Kudrat Kaur · « **on:** June 15, 2010, 08:45:50 PM »

As BP struggles to contain the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, an Indian-origin scientist from Texas University has created a special cotton fabric that can clean up crude oil up to 40 times its weight and help in cleaning efforts.

Seshadri Ramkumar, associate professor of the Texas Tech Institute of Environmental and Human Health, has created a non- oven environment-friendly cotton carbon absorbent wipes, Fibertect."Cotton fibre contains 0.5 per cent wax, which enables it to soak up 40 times its weight," Ramkumar said.

New opportunities for cotton are always good news for producers, especially if it will help them sell low-quality cotton, said Shawn Wade, director of communications for Plains Cotton Growers.

What makes Fibertect different from other cotton absorption technologies, however, is its combination with carbon.

It is a three-layer design consisting of a top and bottom layer of cotton to absorb oil and a middle layer of carbon that absorbs hydrocarbons and harmful carcinogenic vapours released from the oil.

"The natural wax on the cotton helps to hold the oil together. So, wax has affinity towards oil, and then the carbon has affinity towards vapour, it holds the vapour." Because Fibertect is all- atural, unlike synthetic plastic booms previously used to clean oil spills, it is 100 per cent biodegradable and one sheet can be wrung and reused up to five times.

"Corexit EC9500A" , dispersants used by BP till now is itself toxic, is that it simply breaks down the oil into tiny particles which remain in the water and can be harmful to marine life and humans.

The potential benefits of Dr Ramkumar's research stretch far beyond helping preserve the environment from natural and man- ade disasters and raising Texas Tech's reputation in the higher education community nationally and internationally.

but BP has not taken any decision about use of cotton yet..

Thanks sources- Yahoo News.

Author Topic: Indian-origin scientist has solution for oil spill (Read 960 times)

Kudrat Kaur

Indian-origin scientist has solution for oil spill

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