During the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, the idea resurfaced of a quilted blanket containing C.I.Agent solidifying polymers for oil retrieval and containment on water. The C.I.Agent Solutions R&D team and Dr Gupta PhD, independent consultant with extensive expertise in fibres, non-wovens and other textiles, turned the idea into reality.

Patent-pending C.I.Agent Agent-Q has C.I.Agent polymer granules embedded between layers of high-strength, lightweight hydrophilic spundbond nonwoven fabric that are quilted together via ultrasonic bonding. One square metre (m2) of fabric holds 350 grams of C.I.Agent, a blend of USDA food-grade polymers that are non-toxic, non-corrosive, non-carcinogenic, and non-hazardous, that encapsulates hydrocarbons into an inert rubber like mass that floats. Water flows freely through one layer of Agent-Q at a rate of 400 gallons per minute per m2 as the oil is captured by the polymer granules.

Initially developed as an oil spill response solution, C.I.Agent Agent-Q is also a filtration media, where an end user can install an Agent-Q filter in a containment system and leave a valve open to allow water to process through and not back up in the containment area. Agent-Q will process oil sheen and if multiple layers of Agent-Q are used, they will create total stoppage of a hydrocarbon substance. Currently C.I.Agent Agent-Q is being used in C.I.Agent Scuppers, C.I.Agent Sheen Boom (image), and C.I.Agent Drip Pad.

With the flow rates that have been achieved with C.I.Agent Agent-Q, the company plans to use it in other existing products for secondary containment, water filtration, stormwater and emergency response markets. Other applications are for original equipment manufacturers to integrate it in products such as pleated filters. (Spill-international, Edited by Topco)