In Brazil, eco-filters made from human hair have begun to be used to protect the ocean and coastal strip from pollution.
Sea-news.az reports that ecologists are making floating barriers (booms) from voluntarily donated hair to protect coasts from oil spills and hydrocarbon waste.
Initial tests of the innovative technology were conducted in Guanabara Bay in Rio de Janeiro, which has long been exposed to the impact of shipping and industrial waste.
According to chemical specialist Caroline Carvalho, these barriers made from human hair retain their effectiveness in sea water for up to 4 months. They rapidly adsorb and absorb oils, petroleum products, and harmful chemicals leaking from ships.
In support of the project, dozens of beauty salons and barbershops hand over cut hair for the production of eco-filters instead of throwing it away as waste. Researchers note that animal wool can also be used to provide the same filtration mechanism. The method of using human hair against oil spills has already been successfully tested and applied in countries such as the USA and Chile.
