Student researchers, led by Environmental and Ocean Sciences professor Michel Boudrias, at the University of San Diego are testing out a new product in order to remove pollutants from water in ports and marinas.
The researchers have teamed up with San Diego company, Earthwise Sorbents, to use their sustainably made booms to continually clean up the ocean’s water.
The booms not only absorb oil and diesel, but their two-year study found that they also collect large quantities of micro-plastics, heavy metals, and even invasive species.
During their study, the booms were placed in Mission Bay and in the San Diego Bay allowing them to get a microscopic look into what exactly is in San Diego’s local waters.
The researchers tell NBC 7 that this is a big breakthrough as the booms are fairly inexpensive, easy to transport and place in the water, and are made of recycled foam and fabric materials.
The booms last around three to four months, and the researchers are currently investigating what the best way to dispose them or recycle them safely is. They even mentioned that they hope to create biofuel from the waste in order to create a circular economy with the products, which would mean even less waste.
Nikki Cardino, USD undergraduate student, working on the project explained that the booms have “the potential to make an impact on these bays and marinas. Not only recreationally, because that is what people care about personally, but also for the for the ecosystems in these marinas. People often forget that organisms live in these ecosystems where we put our boats.”
After their partnership with the San Diego Port, the group is looking to expand the placement of these booms to more ports throughout the West Coast, and eventually all over the nation.
Gunner Kolon USD graduate student working on the project expressed his hopes that the booms will help inspire younger generations to get involved in helping the environment:
“Hopefully products like this are only developing more and more, and more young people my age are able to get involved, feel like they are serving a purpose, and like they do matter in helping the environment.”
As for how the booms could help with the years long Tijuana River sewage crisis?
Professor Boudrias says that the booms could potentially be placed along storm drains in order to collect some of the pollutants in the area, and that talks are already in place with organizations involved in cleaning the Tijuana River pollution.
