HEFEI, July 1 (Xinhua) -- Chinese scientists in east China's Anhui Province have developed a kind of nanosponge that can effectively absorb diesel and remove it from contaminated water and soil.

A research team from the Hefei Institutes of Physical Science of the Chinese Academy of Sciences developed the new type of hydrophobic nanosponge with amino silicon oil and silane coupling agent, which can effectively absorb diesel in water and soil under various conditions.

The sponge provided a promising and low-cost approach for diesel control and removal, showing great potential in environmental and agricultural fields.

Diesel leak poses a great threat to the environment due to its contamination to water and soil. It decreases oxygen concentration in water, affecting the growth of aquatic organisms, which also lowers soil permeability and causes harmful effects on the growth of plants.