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Design Step 4
Design Step 4
Possible Tests:
● Oil sorbents
○ polyurethane foam [coated in silane (silane is a poisonous gas so maybe not)]
■ https://www.popularmechanics.com/science/a25553/sponge-material-abs
orb-90-times-weight-in-oil/
■ Decided not to use
○ Polypropylene
■ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28818816
○ Cotton fiber
○ Peat moss
■ https://www.homedepot.com/p/3-cu-ft-Peat-Moss-3001-CFC003P/205883
917
● Method of bacteria
○ Inject
○ Infuse
○ Soak
○ Only use for disposal of oil
● Skimming or soaking the sponge
Materials Needed:
● Vegetable oil or natural motor oil (suggested by our mentor to simulate crude oil better)
https://www.target.com/p/mobil-super-motor-oil-10w-30-1-quart/-/A-13773484
● Sorbents
● Plastic tub
● Salt water
file:///C:/Users/mahunt/Downloads/activity_Oil%20Spill%20Cleanup.pdf
2) How should we use the sponge to soak up the oil? (skimming or soaking)
a) Controls: amount of water, amount of oil, size of sponge, temperature, time sponge is
in water, temperature, material of sponge (this experiment will be done after we decide
on our material)
b) We chose this variable to test because we are curious to see whether or not a
combination of two spill cleanup methods (skimming and sponges) will produce better or
worse results.
c) Materials
-6 cup of water
-2 cups of motor oil
-tub
-whichever sorbent worked the best in the test above
d) Success - the method that soaks up 1/2 the oil, winner soaks up the most oil
e) Failure - method soaks up less than 1/4 of the oil
3) How should we insert the bacteria into the sponge? (only if we can get bacteria)
a) Controls: Material of sponge, amount of sponge, amount of water, amount of oil,
temperature, size of sponge
b) We chose this variable to test because we want to know which method will increase
the bacteria’s productivity the most.
c) Materials
-6 cup of water
-2 cups of motor oil
-tub
-alcanivorax borkumensis
-syringe
d) Success is if the bacteria eats over half the oil, also the easiest method to replicate
e) Failure would be if the bacteria eats less than a quarter of the oil
We chose to do experiment one and two because we do not have the bacteria yet.
Experimental Setup
Procedure:
1. Fill a tub with 6 cups of water, and wait until it is at room temperature
2. Add 2 cups of oil and let it sit for 1 minute
3. Place the peat moss in the center of the oil and leave it there for 2 minutes
4. Remove the moss and measure how much liquid it has absorbed, and how much of the
liquid was oil and how much was water (do this in a beaker so that they separate)
5. Measure how much water and oil is left in the tub
6. Repeat step 1-5 with polypropylene and cotton fiber instead of peat moss
7. Repeat experiment 3 times
Procedure:
1. Fill a tub with 6 cups of water, and wait until it is at room temperature
2. Add 2 cups of oil and let it sit for 1 minute
3. Hold the sponge with tweezers and glide it across the top of the water from one end of
the tub to the other 5 times so that it is half submerged
4. Measure how much liquid it has absorbed, and how much of the liquid was oil and how
much was water (do this in a beaker so that they separate)
5. Measure how much water and oil is left in the tub
6. Repeat step 1-2 but then drop the sponge into the tub and leave it there for 2 minutes
7. Measure how much liquid it has absorbed, and how much of the liquid was oil and how
much was water (do this in a beaker so that they separate)
8. Measure how much water and oil is left in the tub
9. Repeat 3 times