Oil Spill Cleanup

Have you ever wonder how an oil spill in the middle of the ocean is cleaned up? My PBL project is about oil spill cleanups and it simulates an oil spill in the ocean. Cleaning up oil spills is no easy task, there are many things might be affected; such as ecosystems. The inmense ocean complicates cleanups even more, since its currents are uncontrolable. Despite the complications scientists came up with a very unique material called:"Extra absorbent polymer" this material absorbs the oil found floating in the water. The method used to clean up oil spills is by putting a generous amount of extra absorbent polymer in the water, the polymer floats on the water's surface while absorving the oil, after a few minutes of reposing on the water's surface the absorbent polymer is removed and as it is removed, the oil is removed. My project simulates this same process that is used to clean up real life oil spills.

Materials:

Extra absorbent Polymer

600mL Beaker

400mL of water

100mL of vegetable oil

Plastic spoon

Procedure:

First I filled a 600mL beaker with 400mL water, and added a 100mL of vegetable oil, the oil forms a layer that floats on the water. To cleanup the oil I added enviro-bond dust; a type of polymer that is extra absorbent and that is used in real life oil spills, it takes about five minutes for the polymer to fully absorb the oil in the water. After five minutes, the polymer can be removed from the water with a plastic spoon, most of the oil in the water was absorbed.

Scientific Principle:

When an oil spill occurs it must be cleaned up quickly before it causes bigger damage to the environment. When cleaning an oil spill materials such as polymer are used. Polymer is added to a layer of oil, it bonds to oil creating an sponge-like material that can be removed from the water very easily.

Safety Regulations:

Wear safety googles and gloves.