A New Environmentally Friendly Oil Spill Cleanup Method Discovered

Nature lovers rejoice -- a new technology called Nanofur is being developed for efficient oil spill cleanup based on the unique properties of specific types of water ferns called Salvinia.

Scientists from the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) and University of Bonn are using Salvinia's hairy microstructure as inspiration for the Nanofur material. They are mimicking Salvinia's ability to quickly absorb large quantities of oil without also absorbing water.

Oil spills ravage ecosystems and coastlines, along with the economies that depend on them. To date no efficient oil spill clean up method had been developed that didn't also have some negative environmental impact of its own.

The previous choice between oil combustion or natural material absorption was a poor one. Oil combustion utilized chemicals that were pollutants, while absorption through sawdust or plant fibers also absorbed large quantities of water rendering it largely ineffective.

"We already knew that the leaves of these plants repel water, but for the first time now, we have studied their capacity to absorb oil," project lead from KIT's Institute of Microstructure Technology Claudia Zeiger said in a release.

"Oil-absorbing capacity is determined by the shape of the hair ends."

Salvinia's strong reproduction has made it widely available. Originally in tropical and subtropical areas, it can now also be found in parts of Europe.

The research team studied four different species of Salvinia's microstructures and their capacity to absorb oil. Eggbeater shaped hairs on Salvinia molesta proved most effective in absorbing oil.

It only takes water ferns 30 seconds to absorb the maximum amount of oil that they possibly can. This allows an oil spill cleanup crew to quickly remove the material being used, replace it, and remove again for a fast cleanup process.

The Nanofur material being developed at KIT is modeled on water ferns, but made of plastic. Nanofur has the same as Salvinia to absorb oil quickly while repelling water, making it the first environmentally friendly oil spill cleanup solution.