Indian-origin scientist's creation is 'perfect product for cleaning up oil spill'

WASHINGTON: A non-woven cotton carbon absorbent wipe created by an Indian-origin American scientist has successfully picked up oily paste in preliminary tests.

Seshadri Ramkumar, associate professor of non-woven technologies, at Texas Tech University, came with Fibertect, which he claimed could help clean up the Gulf oil spill.

In a preliminary test of Fibertect on the soiled beaches of Grand Isle, La., it not only successfully cleaned up the rust-coloured crude oil, but also adsorbed toxic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon vapours reportedly sickening oil spill clean-up crew members.

Ramkumar said: "It definitely has proven itself a perfect product for cleaning up the oil spill.

"This preliminary test in Louisiana has shown that our wipe material is unique from others in that it easily absorbs liquids, and it has vapour-holding capacity. This will help workers clean beaches and stay safe at the same time."

According to Ramkumar, raw cotton-carbon Fibertect can absorb oil up to 15 times its weight.