Do you recall the “BP Deepwater Horizon”? It was a devastating oil spill that occurred in the Gulf of Mexico and was the largest marine oil spill in the history of the petroleum industry. Thousands of birds, mammals, fish, and sea turtles were soaked with leaked oil, many studies leading to grim outcomes for many of the species. What would we do if we saw an oil spill on one of our pristine coastlines?

A solution to this wicked problem has been recently invented by Dr Justin Chalker. Justin has developed a sponge-like material that soaks up crude oil and diesel spills using an absorbent rubber made from waste cooking oil and sulphur, itself a byproduct of the petroleum industry.

Furthermore, it can capture the largest sources of mercury emissions produced here in Australia, and across the globe.

Come and listen to Justin discuss his interest in taking waste and making it into new and useful polymers, where he will present the three applications using this polymer to benefit the environment and human well-being (including unpublished work):

• oil spill remediation
• mercury remediation and
• sustainable subsistence gold mining.

—

• 5.30pm | Pre-lecture refreshments
• 6.00pm | Lecture

—

Through its education and research programs, Flinders encourages new ways of thinking, and supports experimentation and daring, with the mission to contribute on an international scale through ‘changing lives and changing the world’. So we invite you to share and collaborate with us on our BRAVE journey. We will impart our knowledge and new discoveries, elevate discussion and inspire debate; all with the view to facilitate the betterment of our society.