Chinese scientists have developed a hydrophobic nanosponge that can efficiently remove diesel fuel from contaminated water and soil. 

Diesel fuel leakages may lead to serious water and soil pollution. It contains aromatic hydrocarbons that are difficult to be degraded, affecting the growth of aquatic organisms and crops. Diesel fuel contamination remediation has aroused increasing concern in the environmental field. 

Currently, used diesel fuel adsorbents are hard to prepare and difficult to be applied on a large scale. There is a need to develop high efficient diesel fuel adsorbents that are simple to use. 

Researchers from the Hefei Institutes of Physical Science under the Chinese Academy of Sciences fabricated an environmentally-friendly adsorbent for diesel fuel. The modified hydrophobic nanosponge could effectively control diesel fuel migration and then remove it from water and soil. 

It could decrease the negative effects of diesel fuel on the growth of plants, earthworms, and fish. It may also help realize the recycling of diesel fuel. 

The nanosponge offers a promising approach to remediate diesel fuel contamination. It is easy to prepare, cheap and environmentally friendly, offering a great potential application in environmental and agricultural fields. 

The research was published in the journal Science of the Total Environment.