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SOLNET BEADS
What are these beads for?
a) For a revolutionary new coffee filter.
b) For guaranteed success next time you play marbles.
c) For cleaning contaminated soil.
Answer: For cleaning contaminated soil.
Cleaning from the ground up!
There are more than 3,500 sites contaminated with hydrocarbons*
across Quebec. These hydrocarbons are mostly waste from
industry, oil refineries, spills in ports and heating
oil residue. And it's getting more and more costly to
clean up the mess.
*Hydrocarbons are molecules consisting of carbon and
hydrogen.
Irresistible to oil
These polymer beads, the brainchild of a Quebec company,
offer an efficient and, most important, inexpensive solution
for removing hydrocarbons from soil. It's a very simple
technique:
1) Mix the contaminated soil with hot water (30°C).
2) Add the beads. Stir. The oil residues will be
attracted by the beads.
3) Collect the beads. Spin them in a centrifuge
and wash them. This separates the hydrocarbons from the
beads, so that they can be used over again.
4) Separate the soil from the water. The water
can be returned to the cycle.
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| Picture: Michel
Brunelle |
A way to beat high gas prices?
These beads have a distinct advantage: the separated hydrocarbons
can be reused as a source of energy. And that's
not all. Sol Net beads beads could even help in extracting
petroleum products hidden in tar sands...
Thanks!
The polymer beads and the hydrocarbon extraction device
are on loan from Sol Net beads.
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