Mission Statement:
Our goal is to analyse the adsorption properties of cattail fibers. In doing so we will expand the knowledge base for the creation of a viable cattail-based product to clean up oil from open water.
How?
In order to do so, we will begin by testing the adsorption properties of broad and narrow leaf cattail fibers along with two other natural sorbents, rice hulls and cotton fibers. Once we obtain a base level absoption capacity for each, we will test how different environmental conditions affect the adsorption capacity of each natural sorbent. We will analyse the data from each sorbent to determine the viablity of cattail fibers in oil spill cleanup.
Project Scope:
Who is affected?
Wildlife (birds, fish)
Coastal communities
Fishing companies
Stakeholders:
Oil companies
Wildlife organizations
Chesapeake Bay Foundation
We hope to create a viable product out of cattail fibers to help clean up oil spills in a non detrimental manner. We will split our research into two phases. The phase one will focus on the adsorption properties of natural sorbents and comprise of several steps: varification of method, saturation curve, oil-water selectivity, and data comparison. These stages will focuse on cotton fibers, rice hulls and two types of cattail fibers as the natural sorbents, and will include growing two types of cattail: Typha latifolia and Typha angustifolia. Phase two will focus on an environmental factors assessment, testing each natural sorbent from phase one to understand how environmental factors change the adsorbtion capabilities recorded in phase one. The specific environmental factors tested are oil weathering, water temperature, and wave motion. The findings should reveal the strengths and weaknesses of the cattail fiber, which can be used in future studies to mechanically engineer a cattail-based product that maximizes the strengths of the fiber and minimizes the weaknesses, thus creating the most effective natural sorbent.
