Specialists from the St. Petersburg State University of Industrial Technologies and Design (SPbSUPTD) have developed the first universal ecological sorbent in Russia for eliminating oil and petroleum product spills. The first batch of sorbent has already been sent to volunteers in Anapa.
The main advantage of the development is the environmental friendliness and cost-effectiveness of production. The sorbent is made from waste from the pulp and paper industry, making it cheap and environmentally safe. Its characteristics surpass imported analogues used in the Russian oil industry. Among the advantages of the product are high absorption speed, the ability to retain oil, ease of use and disposal.
The sorbent is made in the form of granules containing cellulose and calcium carbonate, which makes it completely safe for the environment. It is suitable for eliminating oil pollution from both solid surfaces, including cracks, and from soil. On soil, the new sorbent reduces the level of pollution by 60–70% in just a few days, and complete purification occurs after 2–3 months, after which the area becomes suitable for planting plants.
The uniqueness of the development also lies in its versatility: the sorbent effectively absorbs oil, fuel oil, gasoline, diesel fuel, oil and kerosene. For cleaning fuel oil from the sea surface, it is proposed to use a simple fine-mesh net to collect the sorbent impregnated with petroleum products. Moreover, the used sorbent can be used as fuel, which further increases its value.
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