Oil left in the ocean can have detrimental effects on the health of marine life and the overall ecosystem. Currently, there has not been a solidified solution when it comes to effectively cleaning up oil in the ocean. We chose to test the efficacy of a sorbent, tire powder that has oleophilic properties, in cleaning up oil. Multiple trials were run with different amounts of tire powder to determine if the tire powder was absorbing oil. Based on the results we saw an increasing linear relationship between oil absorption and the amount of tire powder used. We also observed a certain amount of water being absorbed by the bag holding the tire powder.

Full Poster: Oil Spill Cleanup