Swelling Obsorb Glass Slurps Gasoline From Water [Science]

http://cache.gawker.com/assets/image...2ba14346c0.jpgBreaking news in the world of sponge technologies: Obsorb is a new nano glass matrix sponge that, when dipped into water, swells to suck the pollutants right out.
Intended to purify our groundwater from dangerous pollutants like gasoline (note: it doesn't appear that Obsorb can handle crude oil, but I could be mistaken), Obsorb is a hydrophobic material comprised of active glass—in other words, its glass actually bonds with bad chemicals, but it won't take any water along with the pollutants.
Once full of up to 8x its weight in gunk, Obsorb floats to the water's surface where it can be skimmed, ringed out (by other chemicals, we believe) and dropped back in the water hundreds of times.
And, if you listen very closely, you can almost hear the Stayfree exec who dropped the ball on the "Obsorb" trademark sobbing into his tie as he gives his letter of resignation one last pass. [Image (not actual Obsorb) and Obsorb via CleanTechnica via Inhabitat]


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