Eventually, they hope the technology can be applied to manufacture materials in large scale to accommodate massive oil spills in the ocean. (sciencedaily.com)
New - onset intolerances and multisystem symptoms have shown up in sheep dippers in rural areas of Europe (sheep dip is an organophosphate pesticide), homeowners in Germany exposed to a toxic wood preservative, individuals breathing fumes from massive oil spills, radiology workers in New Zealand who inhaled chemicals while developing films, and individuals living or working in newly remodeled buildings. (discovermagazine.com)
In hopes of limiting the disastrous environmental effects of massive oil spills, materials scientists from Drexel University and Deakin University, in Australia, have teamed up to manufacture and test a new material, called a boron nitride nanosheet, that can absorb up to 33 times its weight in oils and organic solvents — a trait that could make it an important technology for quickly mitigating these costly accidents. (sciencedaily.com)