How to Remove Oil From Water Using Human Hair
We all know that hair gets oily and needs to be washed. What few of us know, however, is that hair's great attraction to oil can be used to clean up industrial oil spills. The experiment in this article was done by an Alabama hairdresser in his backyard one day. He was so impressed with the results that he immediately began campaigning for the use of hair in cleaning up oil spill disasters. Check the resources section for more information about hair and oil spills.
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Things You'll Need
- Water
- Quart of motor oil
- Pair of nylon tights
- A bag of human hair (available from any barber shop or hair salon)
- Large tub or basin of water
- Optional: glass aquarium
Instructions
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1
Cut one leg off the pair of nylon tights.
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2
Stuff this cut-off leg with human hair, then tie it shut.
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3
Fill a large container with water. If you are doing this demonstration in front of an audience, a glass aquarium is recommended so that everyone can see what is happening in the water.
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4
Pour the quart of oil into the water. (For health and safety reasons, use fresh oil, not used oil.)
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5
Submerge the hair-filled stocking in the water. Allow it to remain in the water for several minutes. Make sure it gets to all parts of the tank.
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6
Remove the stocking from the water. Observe that most of the oil is gone.
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7
Remove any residual oil by sprinkling some loose pieces of hair on the surface of the water.
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1
Tips & Warnings
Motor oil is a toxic substance. Use only with adult supervision.
Dispose of the oil properly at the end of the experiment.
