WellGro Tech, Chennai, India, has launched biodegradable nonwoven composite oil absorbent mats to help remediate oil spill accident s and other marine pollution. The non-synthetic, oil absorbent mats are devoid of plastics and can be reused multiple times. The company has tested the product in two leading research and testing laboratories in India.
Results show that as per ASTM standard, when tested using motor oil, the mat could absorb oil 13 times its weight and the cumulative absorption will be much higher, as the mats can be reused. According to the company, the same mat can be used at a minimum 20 times.
Tests undertaken using ASTM and AATCC standards show that the mat and the oil soaked mat degrade and show strength loss, an indicator of degradation.
Venkatakrishnan Ramanujan, president of WellGro Tech says the effort to develop environmentally friendly oil absorbent mats has been successful with positive third party tests carried out by two accredited laboratories. The company is focused on export markets, where the awareness of using biodegradable oil absorbent technologies is high.
