Nanoparticles for the amelioration of oil toxicity and stimulation of bacterial oil degradation
AssigneeUniversity of South Carolina
InventorsJamie Lead, Alan Decho
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Methods are provided for using a combination of nanomaterials and oil-degrading bacteria to detoxify a multiphasic liquid (e.g., an oil-water mixture) and to ameliorate the toxicity of oil to local organisms, e.g., meiobenthos, in or near the area of the multiphasic liquid. The methods can be utilized for oil recovery and environmental clean-up and detoxification after spills and discharges. Through synergistic combination of the nanomaterials with oil degrading bacteria, methods can ameliorate environmental damage due to the presence of oil in an area through increased activation of the bacteria as well as through removal of the oil.
Claims25
A method for detoxifying a multiphasic liquid, the method comprising:
- removing a sample of a multiphasic liquid comprising oil and water from a source of the multiphasic liquid;
- adding a plurality of nanomaterials to the sample of the multiphasic liquid such that the nanomaterials are at a concentration of from 2.5 ppm to 100 ppm in the sample, each of the plurality of nanomaterials comprising a magnetic core and a polymeric shell, the polymeric shell including a polyvinylpyrrolidone-based polymeric material that completely covers the core of each of the nanomaterials and forms an external surface on each of the nanomaterials, each of the plurality of nanomaterials having an average size of from 1 to 100 nm as determined by atomic force microscopy and dynamic light scattering;
- adding a cell suspension comprising an oil degrading bacteria to the sample together with the adding of the plurality of nanomaterials;
- and
- maintaining a mixture comprising the sample of the multiphasic liquid, the plurality of nanomaterials, and the oil degrading bacteria for a period of time of four days or less, during which oil of the multiphasic liquid sample is adsorbed by the nanomaterials and is degraded by the oil degrading bacteria;
- wherein within 24 hours following addition of the plurality of the nanomaterials and the oil degrading bacteria to the sample of the multiphasic liquid, all of the oil of the sample is adsorbed by the nanomaterials and degraded by the bacteria.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.