Natasha Maloney
Salvinia Sorbent floating unit
The Salvinia Sorbent Floating Unit is one unit in a network of floating filtration devices. It is a research facility located in the ocean to monitor and improve the environment and quality of the air and the water. The facility researches the natural environment to innovate sustainable solutions and provides care for aquatic life during disasters. The system focuses on the Salvinia plant, a invasive pest plant, and its ability to absorb large amounts of carbon from the air and filter poisonous chemicals from the water. The Salvinia functions as its own atmosphere by creating a filtration layer between the air and water. A particular phenomena is the Salvinia’s effect, a the ability for the plant to remove oil from the waters surface with no harm to the plant. The Salvinia can be used as a sorbent to clean up oil spills making this project available to be a transitional device and solution in place of fossil fuels. The idea is to solve a problem (climate change) with a problem (invasive pest plant) by aligning the systems to create positive outcomes in the world.