Moscow [Russia], November 29: Russian scientists at St. Petersburg State University (SPbU) have developed a lightweight, reusable polymer film capable of absorbing oil from water surfaces.
Chemists from the SPbU's Advanced Engineering School said the new material can remain afloat on real water surfaces even during rough waves, withstand wind exposure, and be reused multiple times, the university said in a news release on Friday.
The polymer film, which offers a new tool for mitigating environmental damage caused by oil spills, was presented during a recent science lunch, the SPbU said.
According to the Russian Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, around 10,000 oil spills occur annually in the country, many caused by accidents, ship collisions, wastewater discharge or intentional dumping, which can be fatal for fish, birds and other animals.
The polymer film is designed to absorb light and medium petroleum products from aqueous media. It resembles a white, non-woven synthetic sheet made of ultrafine fibers less than one micron thick, forming a sponge-like structure, the university said.
It said that the film, produced from petroleum-derived materials, acts as a buoyant sorbent that darkens as it absorbs oil, eventually turning totally black once the process is complete.
The material was tested on crude oil and various petroleum fractions, with its sorption capacity being up to 40 grams of motor oil per gram of material, and about 20 grams of crude oil per gram of material, said Anastasia Nosova, a leading specialist in the smart eco-technologies sector at the SPbU's Advanced Engineering School.
Researchers highlighted the low cost of the polymer film and its ability to be reused, which, after absorbing oil, can be quickly wrung out, washed and redeployed, said the SPbU.
After five cleaning cycles, the polymer film's sorption capacity decreases by 15 to 20 percent, according to the university.
Source: Xinhua News Agency
