Researchers find environmental use for low-grade cotton
16/05/2013
Research from the US-based Institute of Environmental and Human Health shows one pound of low-micronaire cotton can absorb more than 30 pounds of dense crude oil. The natural waxiness of raw, unprocessed fibre keeps water out, making it an efficient and effective material for addressing ocean-based oil spills.
Dr Seshadri Ramkumar, lead author of the study, said: "About 10% of the cotton grown in West Texas is low micronaire [one of the lowest-quality types of cotton]. It doesn't take a dye well, so it has little value as a textile fibre. However, because it is less mature, more of it can be packed into a given area."
Ron Kendall, director at the institute, said: "One of the things we realized from Deepwater Horizon [oil spill] is we didn't have the best tools for cleanup, and the technology wasn't right for the booms. This discovery that low-micronaire cotton can absorb as much crude oil as it does is a breakthrough discovery. It gives us an excellent tool for cleanup of shorelines, animals and ecologically sensitive areas as well as a new technology for booms that can stop oil sheen moving into wetlands."
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