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Published online 30 May 2008 | Nature | doi:10.1038/news.2008.865
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Nanosponges could soak up oil spills
Sheets of tangled nanowires can be used to draw oil from water.
Researchers have created a sheet of entwined nanowires that sop up oil but leave water behind.
The sponge, which resembles paper, can absorb 20 times its weight in oil, a feature that may make the technology useful in cleaning up spills and separating contaminants from water.
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No offense but, before we start using such materials in day to day life, should not we also look for some ways to dispose of it harmlessly after use?
Disposal, as pointed out by Krushna Mavani, should not be a problem. Oil is an extremely valuable commodity, speculated to run out within the next 100-200 yrs. If it can be retrieved from the nanosponges, then this is the way to go.