Researchers at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev have developed a cellulose-based aerogel that they say can absorb about 100 times its own weight in crude oil, fuel and other hydrocarbons while also helping bacteria break down the captured pollutants.
The technology, developed at the university’s Environmental Biotechnology Laboratory, is designed to address oil and fuel spills in marine and other aquatic environments through a two-stage process combining physical adsorption with biological degradation.
A video demonstrating the aerogel’s adsorption of fuel/oil. The aerogel repels water and absorbs fuel, oil, and crude oil at a ratio of 1:100. The adsorption process takes only a few seconds, removing the pollution from the marine environment.
(Video: Ben-Gurion University of the Negev)
Oil and fuel spills can contaminate water and soil and damage marine ecosystems. Conventional cleanup methods often focus on containing or removing the pollutants. The researchers say their approach could both capture hydrocarbons immediately and support their gradual biological breakdown.
The porous aerogel is made from cellulose fibers enriched with nitrogen and phosphorus, nutrients that support bacteria capable of degrading oil. Laboratory experiments found that the material could adsorb roughly 100 times its own mass in crude oil, fuel and other hydrocarbons.
The research team was led by Prof. Ariel Kushmaro and headed by Dr. Danit Lisa Karsagi Biron of Ben-Gurion University’s Faculty of Engineering. The aerogel was produced through a process involving nutrient enrichment, freeze-drying and pyrolysis, or heating material at high temperatures with little or no oxygen.
The resulting porous material provides a surface for oil-degrading bacteria to attach to, bringing the microorganisms into close contact with both the trapped hydrocarbons and the nutrients they need. The researchers say this creates conditions that encourage microbial degradation of the pollutants.
Gallery
An image from the research paper illustrating the process of oil adsorption by the aerogel
(Photo: Dr. Danit Lisa Karsagi Biron, Environmental Biotechnology Laboratory, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev)
The process could eventually result in the biodegradation of the cellulose-based aerogel itself, according to the researchers. If the approach proves effective outside laboratory conditions, that could reduce the need to retrieve and dispose of contaminated absorbent material after an oil spill.
“These findings demonstrate the potential of the method we developed as a versatile and sustainable platform for treating oil spills in aquatic and marine environments,” Kushmaro said.
“By combining physical adsorption with biodegradation, the technology offers a promising and innovative alternative to conventional approaches, addressing both immediate containment and long-term environmental recovery,” he added.
A diagram illustrating the treatment process for crude oil and fuel pollution in marine environments
(Illustration: Prof. Ariel Kushmaro)
The research team also included Dr. Hanna Barak, Dr. Barak Halpern, Dr. Esti Kramarski-Winter, Lee Sheli, Noa Azri, Prof. Shmuel Hayoun and the late Prof. Alex Sivan, all of Ben-Gurion University.
The research was supported by the Abraham and Stella Goldstein-Goren Foundation, the John A. Ungar Chair for Biotechnology and Israel’s Ministry of Regional Cooperation.
The university said the technology is undergoing the patent process through BGN Technologies, Ben-Gurion University’s technology commercialization company.