University of Rhode Island researchers examining new oil spill cleanup methods

Scientists at the University of Rhode Island will reportedly receive $560,000 to study new high-tech oil spill cleanup methods as part of a research fund set up by BP following the massive Deepwater Horizon spill in the Gulf of Mexico last year.

According to The Associated Press, the Rhode Island researchers are part of a $10.4 million effort involving a total of 42 scientists at 21 universities. The objective of the funding is to discover new high-tech ways to disperse the oil following spills.

Specifically, the University of Rhode Island portion of the funding will go towards investigating the use of nanoparticles that attach to droplets of oil and transform them into digestible material for naturally occurring bacteria, the news source said.

In addition to researching these new oil spill cleanup methods, however, researchers have noted that the study could apply to the battery technology and medicine fields as well, according to the AP.

New high-tech oil spill cleanup methods could supplement some of the products offered by Impact Absorbents such as the XSORB Oil Select Sock, which safely removes petroleum-based products leaving behind only clean water. 

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