title: Magnetic cleansing of weathered/tarry oiled feathers--the role of pre-conditioners.
abstract: Iron powder has previously been demonstrated to be effective in the removal, via magnetic harvesting, of a wide variety of oil contaminants from feathers and plumage. This study investigates the efficacy of magnetic cleansing for the removal from feathers of tarry contamination that has been allowed to weather. Clusters of feathers from Mallard duck (Anas platyrhnchos) and Little Penguin (Eudyptula minor) were completely immersed in a tarry contaminant and allowed to weather from one to fourteen days. The contaminant was removed using a magnetic cleansing protocol and the removal efficacy assessed gravimetrically. For one, seven and fourteen days of weathering, a final removal (after fourteen treatments) of more than 99% and 97% was achieved for duck feathers and penguin feathers, respectively. Repeating the experiments (for a seven-day weathering period) for both duck and penguin feathers, with the judicious application of a pre-conditioner (olive oil), further improved removal efficacy. A convenient method to screen for improved pre-conditioning agents is suggested.
authors.affiliation: Institute for Sustainability and Innovation, Victoria University, P.O. Box 14428, Melbourne City MC, Victoria 8001, Australia.
authors.forename: Hien V
authors.initials: HV
authors.lastname: Dao
authors.forename: Lawrence N
authors.initials: LN
authors.lastname: Ngeh
authors.forename: Stephen W
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Bigger
authors.forename: John D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Orbell
authors.forename: Margaret
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Healy
authors.forename: Rosalind
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Jessop
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Dann
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003902:Detergents / Q000592:standards*; D004372:Ducks; D005241:Feathers; D008280:Magnetics; D000069463:Olive Oil; D010578:Petroleum; D010938:Plant Oils; D046429:Spheniscidae; D013997:Time Factors; D014877:Water Pollution, Chemical
chemical_list: D003902:Detergents; D000069463:Olive Oil; D010578:Petroleum; D010938:Plant Oils