Hemp By-Products as Biodegradable Absorbents for Oil and Water Applications**

自1998年加拿大卫生部颁发许可证以来，工业大麻一直在加拿大种植。在加拿大，工业大麻被用作纤维、油和食品的商业来源。在种子被移除后，在没有纤维生产设施的情况下，大麻植物（茎）的可再生供应通常作为废物留在田间。本研究的目的将确定是否可以实现对原材料和改性形式的大麻副产品的油，水和油/水混合物的吸收能力的改进。将检查两种油的粘度（轻油和重油）。这项由NSERC Engage Grant资助的研究将调查使用废弃的大麻秸秆作为吸附剂材料用于不同行业。研究的大麻副产品材料将是松散的纤维、面粉/粉尘、碎屑和颗粒。将评估大麻的化学成分，如纤维素、半纤维素和木质素，以确定如何以具有成本效益的方式对副产品进行改性（化学和物理），以提高其吸收能力。通过采用优化技术，将确定最佳配方，从而可以就其吸收能力提出建议。这项研究项目有望从其他废物中获得有用的产品。

Industrial hemp has been grown in Canada since its licensing by Health Canada in 1998. Industrial hemp in Canada is used as a commercial source of fibre, oil, and food products. After the seeds are removed, the renewable supply of hemp plants (stalks) are generally left in the field as waste in cases where fibre production facilities are not present. The objective of this study will determine if improvements can be achieved on the absorption capacity of raw and modified forms of hemp by-products for oil, water and oil/water mixtures. Two oil viscosities (light and heavy) will be examined. The research supported by this NSERC Engage Grant will investigate the use of a waste hemp stalks as sorbent materials for use in different industries. The hemp-by product materials investigated will be loose fibers, flour/dust, crumble and pellets. The hemp will be evaluated for its chemical composition such as cellulose, hemicellulose and lignin to determine how the by-products can be modified (chemically and physically) in a cost effective way to increase their absorption capacities. By employing an optimization technique, the best formulation will be identified which will allow recommendations to be made related to their absorption capacity. This research project is expected to deliver a useful product from an otherwise waste material.