Sound against pollution

1995/08/01 Elhuyar Zientzia Iturria: Elhuyar aldizkaria

• Ingurumena

Soil contamination at gas stations can have a simpler solution than expected. This is what the group of Dutch researchers who are using sound waves to clean up fuel waste believes.

It is known that cleaning soils contaminated by fuel waste is currently very expensive. Without being able to anticipate this cost, the gas stations are incinerated and moved elsewhere, leaving behind a soil that is considered unrecoverable. Although bacteria that remove residue are sometimes used, this technique does not contribute to the complete elimination of contamination.

Dutch scientists have successfully used a new sound technique that has allowed the laboratory distribution of waste components. This is the first step, since its distribution facilitates and reduces its cleaning. However, the process has been carried out entirely and successfully only in the laboratory, so it remains an important role in preventing the problem of contaminated soils.