Fibertect Cotton-Soaking (CS), a three-layer, flexible, inert, nonwoven, non-particulate system, proven useful in absorbing and adsorbing chemical warfare agents, may now prove useful in oil-spill cleanups. As of May 29, the product is officially approved by the U.S. EPA, and was recently featured on CNBC’s Power Lunch as one plausible solution to the BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.

The three layers of material consist of a top and bottom fabric with a center layer of fibrous activated carbon, formed into a composite nonwoven fabric. The top and bottom layers provide structural coherence, mechanical strength and abrasion resistance, while the center holds volatile compounds, such as oil. And unlike synthetic materials such as polypropylene, Fibertect is made from raw cotton, environmentally safe and biodegradable. It was developed by Texas Tech University’s Institute of Environmental and Human Health (TIEHH), and manufactured by Hobbs Bonded Fibers for First Line Technology.

SOURCE: Fibertect