AIR: First stage commercialization of Oil Anti-Deposition Dispersant technology for spilled oil

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Program Director's Recommendation Proposal #1127846 This project seeks to develop a class of bio-derived, biodegradable, oil dispersants which resist wetting and spreading on solid substrates such as plants and animals. The intellectual merit of this project is that more safe and effective dispersants are needed to help mitigate the impacts of oil spill disasters such as the Deepwater Horizon incident. The PIs have effectively used funds from the NSF RAPID program to identify a class of dispersants that are macromolecular aggregates of natural cellulose polymers and soy bean lecithin. A clear case is made that these compounds do not allow oil to foul bird feathers, and it is presumed that since they are natural in origin, they would be a safer alternative to the current petrochemically derived dispersants. The PIs have a strong record of expertise in this area, and are uniquely suited to this work. They clearly outline a detailed list of scientific and business-related questions that must be answered to push this product to the marketplace. The broader impact of discovering more effective and non-toxic oil dispersants is clear. The PIs have a strong record of incorporating others into their work, such as the local junior college students and instructors, some of whom are included as inventors of the disclosed technologies. There is a plan for student and workforce training that will span both the academic laboratory and associated industrial partner operations.