Jayalakshmi Textiles in Aruppukkottai may have the technology to absorb oil

Listen to this article

Oil spill from refineries in North Chennai, India has turned cyclonic floods into a toxic mixture. Michaung tropical cyclone in Bay of Bengal has battered the northern coast of Tamil Nadu and southern Andhra Pradesh bringing life to standstill since the weekend. As Chennai, the capital city of Tamil Nadu is inundated with floods, areas like Ennore are witnessing thick oil contaminated polluted waters creating panic.

A collaboration between Texas Tech University and Aruppukkottai, India-based Jayalakshmi Textiles (https://today.ttu.edu/posts/2021/10/Stories/indo-us-collaborative-cotton-based-product-can-absorb-oil-spills-quickly-sustainably) has resulted in the translation of the oil absorbent technology from laboratory to market space. The product has been successful in field trials in Oil and Natural Gas Corporation’s sites in Godavari and Cauvery delta regions. Cotton-based oil absorbent technology when scaled up will be cost effective. Such products have long shelf life and can serve as a countermeasure to oil pollution. The technology developed at Texas Tech University is field ready and support for scaling up by Jayalakshmi Textiles will result in the mass availability of a proven oil absorbent product.

Environmentally friendly technology developed at the Nonwovens and Advanced Materials Laboratory, Texas Tech University has shown in laboratory studies that one gram of cotton-based absorbent can absorb 30 to 50 grams of oil. The results with crude oil were disclosed, which attracted global attention (https://acrobat.adobe.com/link/track?uri=urn%3Aaaid%3Ascds%3AUS%3A3f992360-fa1e-40f7-8e44-f62c09ed0f17).

Given the recent oil spill in Chennai amidst heavy floods, warrants public sector oil refineries to engage with industry and research laboratories to develop sustainable oil and toxic chemical sorbents. It is a wakeup call for those involved in crude oil and disaster preparedness sectors.

Note: The article has been edited for readability and the views are of the author.

Latest

TVS Motor racing ahead in E3W – Automobile

The TVS King EV Max is equipped with a...

Hard options before RBI – Banking

Rhetoric has given way to reality. Preventing a slowdown...

Precision, Prevention & Progress – Apollo Digital – Smart CRL

Apollo Hospitals marked a significant milestone  with the inauguration...

From noodles to networks

One thing, however, is clear. He is passionate about...

Newsletter

Don't miss

TVS Motor racing ahead in E3W – Automobile

The TVS King EV Max is equipped with a...

Hard options before RBI – Banking

Rhetoric has given way to reality. Preventing a slowdown...

Precision, Prevention & Progress – Apollo Digital – Smart CRL

Apollo Hospitals marked a significant milestone  with the inauguration...

From noodles to networks

One thing, however, is clear. He is passionate about...

Between hype and hard truths – Startups

The startup mahakumbh provided a platform for networking, pitching...
Dr Seshadri Ramkumar
Dr Seshadri Ramkumar
Dr. Seshadri Ramkumar holds PhD, CText, FTI (UK), FTA [Honorary] (India), TAPPI Fellow (USA). He is a Professor at the Nonwovens & Advanced Materials Laboratory, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX, USA. E-mail: s.ramkumar@ttu.edu Website: https://www.entx.ttu.edu/dr.-s.s.-ramkumar.html

TVS Motor racing ahead in E3W – Automobile

The TVS King EV Max is equipped with a host of advanced and user-friendly features, including a range of 179 kilometres on a single...

Hard options before RBI – Banking

Rhetoric has given way to reality. Preventing a slowdown in the economy has taken precedence over inflation control. Policy makers are using a base...

Precision, Prevention & Progress – Apollo Digital – Smart CRL

Apollo Hospitals marked a significant milestone  with the inauguration of its cutting-edge Digi-Smart Central Reference Laboratory (CRL) in Chennai — a 45,000 square-foot fully...