Plant extracts as an effective solution to mitigate marine pollution

Abstract

Pollution in the marine environment has become a serious problem and the removal of pollutants from the sea has become a topic of great interest to researchers. In this regard, this paper attempts to examine the potential of plant extracts to act as anti-polluting agents of marine environment without degrading its flora and fauna.The present paper focuses on the use of the MSL formula and investigates its efficiency as a natural herder for the reduction of organic matter (including hydrocarbons) in marine waters.Tests for toxicity, Total Petroleum Hydrocarbon (TPH) removal, degradation and dispersant efficiency, as well as microbiological tests, were performed using the MSL product as the plant extract based formula (made up of 89 percent plant extract solution, 3 percent hydrogen peroxide and 8 per cent of Isopropyl alcohol).