Cleaning up an oil spill is a highly complex process that involves separating oil from ocean water. One of the leading materials used for this purpose is aerogel. Rather than a dense block, aerogel is typically made into a lightweight, three-dimensional material filled with empty spaces that allow it to absorb contaminants. JNS reports that researchers from Ben-Gurion University have improved this technology by developing an aerogel made from cellulose.
That distinction matters because an oil adsorbent deployed at sea faces an obvious challenge: It is surrounded by vastly more water than petroleum. A useful material must therefore do more than simply soak up liquids indiscriminately. The carbonized aerogel is designed so that water largely stays outside while petroleum spreads through and clings to its porous structure.
In laboratory tests, that structure proved highly effective. Under the best-performing preparation conditions reported in the 2026 study, one gram of the nutrient-supplemented aerogel adsorbed about 78 grams of crude oil, roughly 80 times its own mass.
The number is striking, but it is not, by itself, the main scientific advance. Carbon-based cellulose aerogels capable of taking up large quantities of oil existed before this work.
The main innovation lies in what the researchers added to the sponge—and in the microorganisms they hoped would find it.
The aerogel also serves as a nursery for oil-eating bacteria that are already present in the ocean but can become overwhelmed by large oil spills. Oil provides the bacteria with plenty of carbon but lacks other nutrients they need to thrive. The Ben-Gurion University researchers designed their cellulose-based aerogel to provide those nutrients while also absorbing large amounts of oil, creating an environment where the bacteria can more effectively break down the contamination.
According to the researchers, the aerogel still needs to be tested beyond the laboratory, but they are confident it will perform well in real-world conditions. Prof. Ariel Kushmaro says the aerogel could be deployed along coastlines or released into the open ocean—wherever oil spills occur. He estimates that it could take between two and three weeks for the oil to break down, adding that waves, currents, and changing temperatures are not expected to interfere with the process.