Resources for investigating biochar/charcoal for oil spill cleanup by SeaChar.org

Research Papers:
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http://www.biochar-international.org/node/1616
Laboratory-scale bioremediation of oil-contaminated soil of Kuwait with soil amendment materials
Abstract - A huge amount of oil-contaminated soil remains unremediated in the Kuwait desert. The contaminated oil has the potentiality to cause pollution of underground water and to effect the health of people in the neighborhood. In this study, laboratory scale bioremediation experiments were carried out.Hyponex (Hyponex, Inc.) and bark manure were added as basic nutrients for microorganisms, and twelve kinds of materials (baked diatomite, microporous glass, coconut charcoal, an oil-decomposing bacterial mixture (Formula X from Oppenheimer, Inc.), and eight kinds of surfactants) were applied to accelerate the biodegradation of oil hydrocarbons.15% to 33% of the contaminated oil was decomposed during 43 weeks’ incubation. Among the materials tested, coconut charcoal enhanced the biodegradation. On the contrary, the addition of an oildecomposing bacterial mixture impeded the biodegradation. The effects of the other materials were very slight.The toxicity of the biodegraded compounds was estimated by the Ames test and the tea pollen tube growth test. Both of the hydrophobic (dichloromethane extracts) and hydrophilic (methanol extracts) fractions showed a very slight toxicity in the Ames test. In the tea pollen tube growth test, the hydrophobic fraction was not toxic and enhanced the growth of pollen tubes.

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http://www.springerlink.com/content/p2×8jr6j662337w7/
M.O. Adebajo1 Contact Information, R.L. Frost1, J.T. Kloprogge1, O. Carmody1 and S. Kokot1
(1) School of Physical &; Chemical Sciences, Queensland University of Technology, 2 George Street, GPO Box 2434, Brisbane, QLD 4001, Australia
Abstract - This paper reviews the synthesis and the absorbing properties of the wide variety of porous sorbent materials that have been studied for application in the removal of organics, particularly in the area of oil spill cleanup. The discussion is especially focused on hydrophobic silica aerogels, zeolites, organoclays and natural sorbents many of which have been demonstrated to exhibit (or show potential to exhibit) excellent oil absorption properties. The areas for further development of some of these materials are identified.
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Youtube videos of biochar and oil experiments:
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Biochar Gulf Solutions
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lRtORCOeFZI
http://www.biorenewal.org/

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The Solution to the Oil Spill off the Gulf Coast
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zr081Aff6GE

update:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7P1SxC83SJs
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Companies and Products:
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DETOX Charcoal cleanup product;
http://www.clearychemical.com/support/label/4853SL.pdf

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MOP- chicken feather absorbant pyrolysed to remove oil with resulting biochar product:

http://www.i-newswire.com/mop-environmental-files-new-soil/27442
MOP is an aggressive oleophyllic and hydrophobic (oil attracting and water repelling) recycled fiber, manufactured using low-head hydropower, from recycled and fully biodegradable components, MOPs properties are such that it can effectively deal with an oil spill the size of the Exxon Valdez in a 24 hour period, but is just as effective at cleaning up the spill off a garage floor.MOP Environmental Solutions, Inc
http://www.mopenvironmental.com/

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Sea Sweep.
http://www.thefreelibrary.com/SEA+SWEEP+OIL+SPILL+CLEAN-UP+MATERIAL+CAN+BE+RECYC\LED-a015761698

for more info contact Agua Das 303/524-4339 (email aguadas@onebox.com)

DENVER, Aug. 26 /PRNewswire/ — A new oil spill clean-up material now can be returned to its manufacturer for recycling into a soil builder to complete the environmental loop, Denver-based Sea Sweep Inc. announced today.
Using the age-old process of composting, Sea Sweep now is being converted by a Montana company into a useful by-product.
Considered an innovation in environmental technology, Sea Sweep is used to absorb spills of oil, diesel fuel, gasoline and other hydrocarbon liquids on water or land. It is produced from wood chips or very coarse sawdust heated in a patented process that leaves it thirsty for oil and waterproof.
Under the new composting process, Sea Sweep will recover the used product from its customers and then arrange for it to be composted. The composting process has been tested and proven effective by Petrocomp Inc. of Baker, Mont.
Petrocomp adds manure, fertilizer, trace minerals and water to start the composting process. Microbes, ever present in the environment, attack the oil as the compost heats to 130 degrees Fahrenheit, producing harmless hydrocarbons and the soluble nitrates that result in an excellent soil builder.
The company has been using wood chips and sawdust as bulking agents when it discovered Sea Sweep which, when combined with oil, becomes its own bulking agent.
Petrocomp will serve as Sea Sweep’s initial compost site. Because the Sea Sweep absorbent is sold worldwide, additional composting sites are being identified.
Currently, Petrocomp is distributing Sea Sweep in the oilfields and recovering it after its use to compost it into a useful product. As a result, the company is one of Sea Sweep Inc.’s largest customers.
Sea Sweep Inc. also announced today registration this week of its second public offering by private placement. William Mobeck, Sea Sweep president, said funds realized from the offering will be used for expansion and marketing of its product.
Sea Sweep is the only natural absorbent product on the market that is biodegradable, non-leaching and will not harm birds, wildlife, marine life or shoreline environments.
Because it can be used to absorb many types of hydrocarbons, it can be used by airports, restaurants, commercial garages, construction companies, fire departments, marinas, hazmat teams, on-shore and off- shore oil wells, railroads, refineries, ship owners, tanker terminals and trucking companies.
The product absorbs four to five times its weight of oil. Even when soaked with oil, it will float on water indefinitely and can be recovered for recycling.
Sea Sweep has been listed on the U.S. Coast Guard national response resources inventory. Its use has been approved by maritime and river authorities throughout the world including Greece, England, Malta and Chile.
In 1993, Sea Sweep was recognized by R&D Magazine as one of the top 100 inventions of the year. At the Clean Seas ‘93 International Conference in Malta, it was the only commercial product to receive a Gold Medal “for preservation of a Clean Marine Environment.”
Founders of Sea Sweep Inc., Mobeck, a former Denver oilman, and Thomas Reed, a Colorado School of Mines professor, were inspired by the Exxon Valdez oil spill to create a better product for treating oil spills. Sea Sweep is the result of four years of research financed in part by EPA grants.
-0- 8/26/94

/CONTACT: Bill Kostka of William Kostka & Associates, 303-623-8421/

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http://inekosorb.com.ua/uk/products/ekolan.shtml
Medication ECOLAN (TY Y 24.6-30572733-005-2004) is based on sorbent (TY. Y 24.1-30572733-003-2003) and related to the class of biodegradative sorbents that could localize oil polluted areas and destruct adsorbed petrochemicals with the help of biological method. Medication has unexampled performance in cleaning polluted areas, could work with a wide range of temperatures (-5…+50c) and doesn’t require gathering and liquidating dangerous waste products from polluted area (according to a decision of sanitary- epidemiological commission of experts dated 30.07.2004 N_05.03.02-04/30953).

HIGH PERFORMANCE OR MEDICATION ECOLAN IS PROVED BY INDUSTRIAL TESTING:

* Tests held at Odessa RDF have acknowledged demolition of localized areas of oil up to 99.4%
* Tests at “Dneprotyre” have shown the decrease of petrochemicals’ concentration in water polluted by black oil in 333 times;
* On 29th of September 2003 medication was used for treatment of oil polluted areas in the result of accident at oil- pipe line “DRUZHBA” on 232 km. Oil spillage on water surface in storage foundation pit was localized as well as the remains of oil spots on the water surface in the river Latoritsa. After having applied medication there haven’t been found any traces of oil or oil firma at water surface. So ECOLAN has destructed oil and oil products and has shown its high performance.
* ECOLAN was successfully used for cleaning the setting basins in cleanout installations in Kyiv (the river Desna); over 6000 kg of water polluted by petrochemicals of different fraction were accumulated in settling basins (contamination’s concentration equals 10g/l). Using 8 kg of sorbent the cleaning process lasted less then 1 hour. Cleaning water test has shown the absence of petrochemicals in settling basins;
* At co- education of Ministry of Emergency situations of Ukraine and “Raf-and-Reddy” 2004 USA medication ECOLAN was used for cleaning the emergency spillage of petrochemicals and was declared as highly performed and ecological mean of destructing oil and oil products’ spillage.

Biochar solutions to cleanup deserve consideration! ...  Monte