Imagine a super-sponge made from recycled paper that hates water but loves oil. Instead of just soaking up the mess, this sponge contains tiny living organisms that actually eat the oil and turn it into harmless water and air. It's like a cleaning cloth that digests the dirt it picks up, making it easy to reuse and safe for nature.
Traditional oil spill cleanup methods are often inefficient, expensive, or cause secondary environmental pollution. There is a need for a low-cost, biodegradable solution that removes oil without leaving harmful residues.
A biodegradable aerogel made from recycled paper waste infused with oil-degrading microorganisms. It functions as a reusable sorbent that absorbs oil and converts it into water and CO2.
If you are a harbor authority dealing with fuel leaks in coastal waters — this project developed a lightweight aerogel that absorbs up to 50 g of fuel per gram of material. It allows for swift deployment and minimizes long-term environmental harm by biodegrading the oil.
If you are a recycling plant dealing with low-value paper waste — this project developed a method to turn that waste into a high-value sorbent. This creates a sustainable value chain by converting recycled paper into a product that can be reused up to 5 times.
If you are a cleanup contractor dealing with secondary pollution from traditional chemicals — this project developed a biodegradable material with a density of 20-30 kg/m3. It replaces toxic chemicals with a biological solution that turns oil into CO2 and water.
Based on available project data, the exact price is not listed, but the use of paper waste as the core material is stated to make it a cost-effective solution.
The project is currently moving from TRL 5 to TRL 8, with the EIC grant supporting pilot testing and process optimization to create a market-ready solution.
Based on available project data, specific licensing terms are not provided, but the project is led by an SME (Inobiostar) focusing on value chain development and commercialization pathways.
The project period is from 2024-10-01 to 2026-09-30, aiming to reach TRL 8 within two years.
The material is lightweight (20-30 kg/m3) for swift deployment and has been validated in field tests with harbor authorities and environmental agencies.
The project is led by a single Lithuanian SME, Inobiostar. With a 100% industry ratio and no university or research partners in the consortium, the focus is heavily skewed toward commercialization and market entry rather than basic research.
Contact Inobiostar in Lithuania
Contact us to explore licensing or partnership opportunities with Inobiostar.
