Scots help Cuba to make carbon
Wednesday 18 January 2012
Scots help Cuba to make carbon
SCOTTISH scientists are tackling a major ecological problem in Cuba by turning a dangerous shrub into a valuable economic resource.
Research led by Professor Peter Hall, of the University of Strathclyde's Faculty of Engineering, has found that marabu, a hard wood shrub which is sterilising more than 1.5 million hectares of land in Cuba, can be used to produce the highly valuable activated carbon that produces batteries.
The carbon can also be used to purify water and gas, and as a medical tool to treat poisoning and overdoses.
The substance is worth more than £1200 per tonne and is produced by burning the wood shrub and collecting the charcoal.
More:
http://www.heraldscotland.com/news/home-news/scots-help-cuba-to-make-carbon.16509757
