Introduction:
It is estimated that around 706 million gallons(2.6 Billion liters) of oil is polluted into the ocean each year(4). Majority of the oil pollution oil comes from ashore from waste disposal, land drainage and improper disposal of used motor oil(4). In recent times it has been discovered that a possible solution for oil pollution is the “Oleo Sponge”(as seen in figure 1(11)), an oleophilic and hydrophobic sponge that collects oil and rejects water housing up to ninety times its own weight than to be squeezed out and reused like a dish sponge(3). Could this be the answer to addressing oil spills and benefit marine environments?
Relevant Chemistry:
The sponge is a simple foam of polyurethane with silane molecules that attract the oil into the sponge rejecting water and releases oil when squeezed(14). This process is possible due to the silane being non-polar and oil being non-polar as well, allowing for the sponge to accept the oil and water rejected as it's a polar molecule. Non-polar oil molecules cannot intermolecular bond with polar water because of a weak electrostatic attraction due to the absence of dipoles, in addition to the water not being able to hydrogen bond with oils dispersion forces, resulting in oil being neutral with the water separated from each other as it is seen in figure 2(13). …show more content…
Application of Oleo Sponge can clean up polluted waters and offer new areas for fisheries as cleaner waters will attract fish. As seen in figure 3(3,5) it illustrates the waters where the oil has spread vs to the areas that fisheries are restricted from accessing, cleaning these waters broadens the opportunities in the business and society of fishing. Shores that were previously polluted like the Gulf of Mexico can be cleaned and transformed into recreational use, for example, a resort of sort, and profit may go forward into cleaning the ocean
It is estimated that around 706 million gallons(2.6 Billion liters) of oil is polluted into the ocean each year(4). Majority of the oil pollution oil comes from ashore from waste disposal, land drainage and improper disposal of used motor oil(4). In recent times it has been discovered that a possible solution for oil pollution is the “Oleo Sponge”(as seen in figure 1(11)), an oleophilic and hydrophobic sponge that collects oil and rejects water housing up to ninety times its own weight than to be squeezed out and reused like a dish sponge(3). Could this be the answer to addressing oil spills and benefit marine environments?
Relevant Chemistry:
The sponge is a simple foam of polyurethane with silane molecules that attract the oil into the sponge rejecting water and releases oil when squeezed(14). This process is possible due to the silane being non-polar and oil being non-polar as well, allowing for the sponge to accept the oil and water rejected as it's a polar molecule. Non-polar oil molecules cannot intermolecular bond with polar water because of a weak electrostatic attraction due to the absence of dipoles, in addition to the water not being able to hydrogen bond with oils dispersion forces, resulting in oil being neutral with the water separated from each other as it is seen in figure 2(13). …show more content…
Application of Oleo Sponge can clean up polluted waters and offer new areas for fisheries as cleaner waters will attract fish. As seen in figure 3(3,5) it illustrates the waters where the oil has spread vs to the areas that fisheries are restricted from accessing, cleaning these waters broadens the opportunities in the business and society of fishing. Shores that were previously polluted like the Gulf of Mexico can be cleaned and transformed into recreational use, for example, a resort of sort, and profit may go forward into cleaning the ocean