Tuesday, August 16, 2011

From Waste to a Golf Ball

Every year, hundreds of thousands of golf balls made of synthetic materials were scattered at sea. The ball was not spill from the freighter golf balls, but to the fans of this sport are vacationing on a cruise ship. They usually carry hundreds of balls and hit as much toward the sea from the ship. In addition to polluting the environment, golf balls that can poison marine life around him. But now the hobby of hitting golf balls into the sea no longer be a problem. Therefore, it has provided a golf ball is very environmentally friendly. Yes, that little white ball is now some made from lobster shells. Is David Neivandt, professor of chemical engineering and biology at the University of Maine at Orono, USA, and his students, Alex Caddell from Winterport, Maine, who developed the ball. They work closely with The Lobster Institute. The ball that can decompose naturally it was intended to be used on cruise ships. Golf fans who were vacationing on cruise ships usually hit hundreds of thousands of golf balls into the sea every year. This ocean-friendly golf ball can help reduce waste and sewage golf ball shell lobsters at once. Carin Poeschel Orr, an expert on marine biological resources in the university, sparked the idea to Bob Bayer of the Lobster Institute. Bayer handed it to Neivandt, renowned as an expert to solve problems in innovative ways on campus. Although the biodegradable golf balls are not new, the work of the University of Maine golf ball is the first product made from lobster shell powder is smoothed and tied with biodegradable coatings that naturally anyway, thus creating a more value from waste materials. "We use the waste from lobster canning industry that has not been exploited and end up in landfills," said Neivandt. "We turn them into products with added value that can hopefully be well received by the market." Despite having more value, the recycled goods are not necessarily sold at higher prices. Biodegradable golf balls available on the market today with prices less than U.S. $ 1 per ball, or about USD 8,000. Yan raw material used to make a leather ball from the lobster is very cheap, only U.S. $ 19 cents per ball. Caddell, who is also a golfer, said the performance of ball-like ball filled with ordinary surface a small indentation. The ball can also be beaten, using either driver or iron rod. "Exceptional flying ability," says Cadell. "That ball was not flying as far as regular golf balls, but the distance is equivalent to other biogradable golf ball." University of Maine has filed a patent application on the skin of the lobster mixture, which can also be utilized for various products, such as potted plants that decompose when planted in the ground, piling surveys, and other applications. For Caddell, Biology Engineering students, the opportunity to do research is very useful. "I did not expect this research will produce something that is very applicable," he said.*** [TJANDRA DEWI | UMAINE | LIVESCIENCE | KORAN TEMPO 3616]

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