Biodegradable Oil Spill Cleanup

UAB Research Foundation
posted on 10/26/2011

Marine oil spills have many devastating environmental consequences. Currently oil spills can be controlled by chemical dispersion, combustion and adsorption. Researchers at The University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) have developed a technique using poly(lactic acid), titanium dioxide, water and sunlight to absorb and degrade oil spilled into the water. The novel use of biodegradable and biocompatible poly(lactic acid) could dramatically improve the cleanup of maritime oil spills without adversely affecting the environment.

Suggested Uses

Oil spill cleanup - nanotechnology

Advantages

This new method is potentially effective for quick cleanup of various contaminants including oil spills.
The converted polymer will absorb oil and biodegrade leaving no more required cleanup steps.
UAB’s researcher is modifying the technology so that sunlight is not needed and the polymer will work in all sea depths.

Innovation Details

Detailed Description

The current method for cleaning up large oil spills includes use of biological agents to break down the oil, dispersement of the oil, sequestering the oil, or solidifying the oil using a polymer. Existing technologies have negative environmental impact and a limited capacity to remove oil. UAB’s new invention uses a chemical compound to make the oil particles porous and then absorb and degrade the oil. A hybrid system of titania-containing poly(lactic acid) microparticles can effectively absorb and degrade impurities from water. With further research and development the hybrid biodegrable systems can be a novel approach for the cleanup of oil spills and other types of contamination in sea and fresh water.

File Number: U2011-0057

Web site: http://www.uab.edu/uabrf

Other Information:

MANAGING LICENSING ASSOCIATE

CHARLES GOODRICH, J.D.

goodrich@uab.edu (205) 996-7168

IP PROTECTION

U.S. Provisional Patent Application was filed June 18, 2011.

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Eugenia Kharlampieva, Ph.D., Department of Chemistry, UAB.

IP Protection

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