Cleaning Up the Gulf
Eric Hoek is an associate professor at the UCLA School of Engineering and Applied Sciences.
In 2009 Professor Hoek started a research project at UCLA to evaluate technology designed by Ocean Therapy Solutions to see if it could treat oil-contaminated waters.
Professor Hoek and his team developed strategies to enhance the technology’s performance, and it successfully removed 99.99% of oil-in-water emulsions.
The team also developed oil-tolerant membranes that can reduce the oil concentration in waters while maintaining productivity, stability, and energy efficiency.
As a result of the Deepwater Horizon drilling rig explosion and oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico that occurred in April 2010, there is an immediate need for rapid oil-water separation technology.
Professor Hoek has made several trips to the Gulf region and has been working to deploy prototype systems to assist in the containment and clean-up efforts.
Filed under: Chemical, Ocean, Trailblazers
