Organic Oil Absorbers

Oil spill.

           It has been a very wide issue here in the Philippines causing a lot of Filipino fishermen to lose their livelihoods.This is why my group decided to conduct a research to solve this problem.In our research, we are trying to test the feasibility and sustainability of eco-friendly products such as Cocos nucifera mesocarp (coconut husk), Hair and Pleurotus ostreatus (oyster mushrooms) in absorbing oil spills in a time span of 6-8 weeks.


               By doing this research, we will be able to provide an organic alternative which will be able to help people like fishermen who are benefiting from the resources of the sea since when oil spill occurs, a lot of fish die , avoid further damage to the ecological life under the sea and the people whose health is suffering from this. A report about health issues amongst the community living beside the sea where oil spilled from ships:

Health issues that continue to plague Gulf Coast communities may be connected to the Gulf oil spill, experts say.

A year after the BP disaster, more people are reporting medical and mental health problems to nonprofits and doctors working in coastal areas.

"We're seeing patients who will come in and say my nose is bleeding all the time, my cough gets worse," said James Diaz, director of the environmental and occupational health sciences program at Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center in New Orleans.

Itchy eyes, water eyes, nosebleeds, wheezing, sneezing, and coughing are all symptoms of exposure to crude oil, Diaz said. "We are seeing a lot of that.

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2011/04/110420-gulf-oil-spill-anniversary-health-mental-science-nation/

           But of course, our research would only be based on the specific materials that we used in conducting the experiment for our research.Outcomes may vary when different materials are used such as a different brand of crude oil or a different source of oyster mushrooms.

-Kezia Agoncillo 

                Oil spill is caused by large ships breaking their hull that contains oil. It then spills out into the sea causing the nearby surrounding area, which consists mostly of marine life to be poisoned and slowly deteriorate of the beauty they have. This is one of the reasons why Philippines to into action when an area had oil spill problem. The livelihood of the people leaving near the sea is affected because their source of living is corrupted by the oil spill.

                We really saw that this was a major problem if this spread into a wide area causing one of the Philippine’s resources of food to be in danger. After the typhoon Yolanda came to our country which tore a warpath that destroyed almost everything through the provinces of Leyte and Samar. The strong winds caused by the storm not only demolished the houses but also the ships that were nearby and was shipwrecked on the shore. This caused for one of the tanks to have a damage that made the oil spill. Many countries will also be burdened by problems if they are a country surrounded by water and are using the sea as one of their resources.

                We chose materials that are cheap and easy to find so that we can clean up the oil spill. Coconut husk, hair and mushroom are the chosen organic materials that are going to be used for this research. As we call it in the Philippine language: “bunot” is one of the top resources that our country has, we can be proud that if this invention or product succeeds it was built nationally and proud to call it made in the Philippines. Human hair which is easy to find because almost everyone is having their hair cut which means that at the salons or parlours there are plenty of disposable hair to be used. Oyster mushrooms which is said to be one of the earth’s decomposers (Miller,2003) can also be one of the factors that can greatly affect the absorption of the oil spill. All in all we want to create something that can be useful yet eco-friendly at the same time

  -Trisha Anne Jaime

http://discovermagazine.com/2013/julyaug/13-mushrooms-clean-up-oil-spills-nuclear-meltdowns-and-human-health#.UptnWdIW1sI

 

This is our research paper:

I. Introduction

A. Defined Research Question

The research is about using oyster mushrooms (Pleurotus ostreatus), human hair and coconut coir pith (Cocos nucifera mesocarp) to clean oils spills in a time span of 6-8 weeks using fish tanks or aquariums.

B. Hypothesis

Null: Materials such as oyster mushrooms (Pleurotus ostreatus), human hair and coconut coir pith are not effective nor feasible in the adsorption or absorption of crude oil.

Alternative: Materials such as oyster mushrooms (Pleurotus ostreatus), human hair and coconut coir pith are effective and feasible in the adsorption or absorption of crude oil.

C. Objectives

The researchers’ aims are

• Provide organic alternatives to synthetic materials used in the clean up of oil spills
• Determine the effectiveness of the organic substances used in the absorption or adsorption of the crude oil
• Determine the feasibility of the organic substances used in the experiment
• Compare the adsorption or absorption properties of the said materials in order to determine the most efficient substance to be used in the clean up of oil spills

D. Significance of the Study

The research

• Can provide feasible, organic alternatives to costly processes done to clean up oil spills
• Can avoid further damage to aquatic resources
• Can benefit those whose livelihood depend on aquatic resources (fishermen, scuba divers etc.) by protecting marine life through the clean up of oil spills
•  Can prevent further damage to the health of persons and marine life affected by the harmful substances found in crude oil

E.Limitations of the Study

This study only focuses on the effectiveness and feasibility of oyster mushrooms (Pleurotus ostreatus), human hair and coconut coir pith (Cocos nucifera mesocarp) in the absorption or adsorption of crude oil. Outcomes may vary when the experiment is conducted with materials from different suppliers, such as a different brand of crude oil, or a different source of oyster mushrooms.

 

II. Review of Related Literature

Synthetic products such as polypropylene and polyurethane are the most commonly used substances in oil spill clean ups due to their hydrophobic and oleophilic properties (Adebajo, Frost, Kloprogge & Carmody, 2003).  According to ITOPF (2014) they are also highly prized for their capacity and effectiveness in recovering oil, with a ratio by weight of oil to sorbent of 40:1. But a major downfall of these substances is that they are not readily decomposed by the environment and are not naturally occurring. Acquiring the resources to create and use these products will take time, money and effort. These three factors will not do well in environments wherein oil spills occur unexpectedly. One such case is when the hull of a power barge run by NAPOCOR was punctured due to being carried ashore by the winds of Typhoon Yolanda. Because of this, the hull spilled 1.4 million litres of bunker oil on board (Displace first by Typhoon Haiyan, 2013).  As such, we must search for alternative substances-such as oyster mushrooms, human hair and coconut coir pith-materials that are easier to find and easier to decompose, in order to be feasible and sustainable.

Coconut coir pith (Cocos nucifera mesocarp)

“Bunot, not buhok”, says the former Department of Science and Technology Secretary Estrella F. Alabstra, during a conference on the appropriate technological response to short and long term damages (Science based interventions to the MT Solar 1 oil spill, 2008). The conference was a response to the oil spill that affected Guimaras, when the MT Solar 1 sank, and caused 96.6% damage to the 220 km coastline of the said island. To remedy this, the nearby province of Romblon donated coconut husks to aid in the cleaning up of the oil spill, as coconut husks can remove greasy substances because of their “diaper-like properties”. In fact, there is a patented invention made by Tilak Silva, that uses coconut coir pith for oil cleanup. He states there that coir pith, although saturated with oil, can still float on saltwater, making it easy to collect after the cleanup process. It also retains its consistency, and can lessen the odours from the absorbed oil by 90 percent. It too, is highly absorbent, retaining 8-10 pounds of crude oil for every pound of coir pith used (Silva, 2000).  Moreover, since coconuts are commonly found in the Philippines, the availability of the coir pith is not too much of a problem. There is no wonder that this is a highly popular method in the clean up, being highly sustainable and feasible.

Oyster mushroom (Pleurotus Ostreatus)

Paul Stamets is a mycologist, a scientist who studies mushrooms. He and other scientists from Battelle Laboratories managed to reduce the toxicity of diesel contaminated soil from 10,000 parts per million to 200 parts per million in a span of 16 weeks (Hatfield, 2010).  This process of turning toxic substances into biologically safe ones is called mycoremediation. The reason for this is because mushrooms are the Earth’s decomposers. Their being able to decompose lies in the enzymes and acids they excrete to turn minerals and rocks into biologically accessible materials. (Miller, 2013) Mycelia holds the nutrients, water, and the shape of the soil to make it useful. If this can be done through diesel contaminated soil and to rock, what more can it do to salt water? This is one of the questions that will be answered throughout the course of the research.

Human Hair

The use of human hair in cleaning up oil spills is not new to the Philippines. In 2006, prisoners in Manila shaved their heads so that their hair could be used as mats to clean up the oil (How can human hair mop up the oil spill?, 2010). The reason why human hair is a popular choice for a cleanup product , is because it can be found everywhere, most especially in nearby salons. This makes it easier to create hair mats for the adsorption of oil. The term “adsorption” is used here because the hair does not soak up the oil, the hair becomes coated in it. A property of human hair that is useful is that it has less natural oil than other types of fur and hair from different creatures. Thus, it can retain more oil faster than other types of hair can.

III. Methodology

Materials

5 medium sized basins

5 litres of salt water

5 pantyhoses

150 grams oyster mushrooms

100 grams coconut coir pith (crushed coconut husk)

100 grams human hair

1 litre of petrol (crude oil)

5 graduated cylinders

Procedures

1. Fill each of the basins with one litre of salt water.
2. In each of the basins, fill with 250 mL of petrol.
3. Fill one pantyhose with 100 grams oyster mushrooms. Fill another pantyhose with 100 grams coconut coir pith. Fill another one with 100 grams with human hair. Fill one pantyhose with 50 grams of oyster mushrooms and 50 grams of human hair. Do not fill the 5^th pantyhose, as this will be the control group for the experiment.
4. Place the coconut coir pith pantyhose in one basin, the human hair pantyhose in another basin, the oyster mushrooms pantyhose in another basin, the combination of oyster mushrooms and human hair in another basin, and the empty pantyhose in the last basin. Let it sit for 2 hours. Observe and take pictures of the set ups every 30 minutes starting on the first hour.
5. After 2 hours, measure the amount of petrol left by skimming the tops of the water with a spoon, and placing it in a graduated cylinder.

6. Average the ratios for each sorbent and record them in a new data table.

WEEK 1	Hair (mL)	Mushroom (mL)	Coconut Husk (mL)	Hair & Mushroom (mL)
1 hour
1 hour & 30 mins.
2 hours

WEEK 2	Hair (mL)	Mushroom (mL)	Coconut Husk (mL)	Hair & Mushroom (mL)
1 hour
1 hour & 30 mins.
2 hours

WEEK 3	Hair (mL)	Mushroom (mL)	Coconut Husk (mL)	Hair & Mushroom (mL)
1 hour
1 hour & 30 mins.
2 hours

WEEK 4	Hair	Mushroom	Coconut Husk	Hair & Mushroom
1 hour
1 hour & 30 mins.
2 hours

IV. Social Impact Analysis

Intended: - That the time to produce the completed product may take a long time finishing.

                   + The researchers’ materials to be used are organic, easily found, and are plentiful.

Unintended: - The product will not work or it will be a slow process of absorbing the oil spill.

                        +That the community will benefit for the success of the finished product.

V. Financial Analysis

Item	Size/Measurement	Amount of items needed	Price in pesos (per item)	Cost
Basin	Medium	5	300	1500
Salt water	Litres	5	0	0
Pantyhoses	Pieces	5	65	325
Oyster mushrooms	Grams (100)	5	70	350
Coconut coir pith	Grams (100)	1	100	100
Human hair	Grams (100)	1	0	0
Petrol	Litres (1)	1	60	60
Total Cost : Php 2335

VI. Work Plan

	MONTH	WORK
	June – July	Initial research is done and collecting the materials needed for the experiment.
	August - September	Arranging the correct set-up needed for the experiment and having a test run
	October	Correcting the mistakes from the test run and recording the first test run
	November – December
	January	Conducting the experiment and recording the data needed for the research
	February
	March	Finishing the research and recording if it was a success or if it still needed improvement

VII. Data Analysis

The Mean of the data will be measured

VIII. References

Adebajo, M.O.; Frost, R.; Kloprogge, J.T.; Carmody, Onuma, Kokot, Serge. Porous Materials for Oil Spill Cleanup: A Review of Synthesis and absorbing Properties. Journal of Porous Materials, 10(3) pp. 159-170. (2003). Retrieved March,3, 2014, from http://eprints.qut.edu.au/1594/1/Manuscript_revised.pdf

ITOPF. Use of Sorbent Materials in Oil Spill Response. Retrieved March, 3, 2014, from http://www.itopf.com/information-services/publications/documents/TIP8UseofSorbentMaterialsinOilSpillResponse.pdf

Displaced first by Typhoon Haiyan. Retrieved December, 1, 2013, from www.irinnews.org/report/99231/displaced-first-by-typhoon-haiyan-now-an-oil-spill

Science based interventions to the MT Solar 1 oil spill. (July 18, 2008). Retrieved December, 1, 2013, from .dost.gov.ph/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=622

Silva, T. V. (February 28, 2000). Method of oil cleanup using coconut coir pith. Retrieved December, 1, 2013, from www.google.com.ph/patents?hl=en&lr=&vid=USPAT6391120&id=_lEKAAAAEBAJ&oi=fnd&dq=oil+spill+coconut&printsec=abstract#v=onepage&q=oil%20spill%20coconut&f=false

Hatfield, L. Could Oyster Mushrooms Help Clean the Gulf?. (June 2, 2010). Retrieved December, 1, 2013, from www.huffingtonpost.com/leslie-hatfield/could-oyster-mushrooms-he_b_598421.html

Miller, K. (May 31, 2013). How Mushrooms can Save the World. Retrieved December, 1, 2013, from http://discovermagazine.com/2013/julyaug/13-mushrooms-clean-up-oil-spills-nuclear-meltdowns-and-human-health#.UptnWdIW1sI

How can human hair mop up the oil spill?.(May 11, 2010). Retrieved December, 1, 2013, from http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/magazine/8674539.stm

Biello, D. (August 18, 2010). Meet the Microbes Eating the Gulf Oil Spill. Retrieved December, 1, 2013, from www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=gulf-oil-eating-microbes-slide-show

Ball, A. (May 11, 2010). Could bacteria clean up the Gulf of Mexico oil Spill? Retrieved December, 1, 2013, from www.abc.net.au/science/articles/2010/05/11/2896416.htm

Oil Eating Microbes are BP’s Oil Spill Solution. Retrieved December, 1, 2013, from http://www.algae-book.com/oil-eating-microbes-are-bps-oil-spill-solution.html