Agent-X

Agent-X is made of two layers of a geotextile fabric with Oil Solidifying Polymers embedded between the layers. This hybrid creates a filtration fabric that encapsulates hydrocarbons and forces them to unsaturated areas of the geotextile fabric. Agent-X is hydrophobic, which allows water to pass through it, and is oleophilic to solidify hydrocarbons upon contact.

Agent-X is a new generation of smart geotextile fabric using embedded oil containment solutions and technology.

Innovative Geotextile Fabric

Agent-X is made of two layers of a geotextile fabric with Oil Solidifying Polymers embedded between the layers. This hybrid creates a filtration fabric that encapsulates hydrocarbons and forces them to unsaturated areas of the geotextile fabric. Agent-X is hydrophobic, which allows water to pass through it, and is oleophilic to solidify hydrocarbons upon contact. Laboratory tests have shown great efficiency in removing small suspended oil droplets found in mechanical emulsions making it a stellar performer for oil sheen removal and for final polishing of effluent waters. Agent-X can be used for both land and water oil containment and hydrocarbon filtration.  

Applications

• Can be used as a component of a total secondary containment system
• Excellent for use under equipment, change out storage areas, and for under mobile transformers to catch drips and drops
• Used as the back outside wall of Barrier Boom oil filtration panels and our secondary containment system

Benefits

• Quick and cost-effective solution for protecting hard surfaces and ground
• Characteristics of being able to wick and load drips and drops gives it its long-lasting capabilities
• Rated for 200 years of reliable secondary containment
• Extremely resistant to ultraviolet degradation (70%) and to biological and chemical environments normally found in soils
• Light-weight and easy to handle
• Geotextile fabric can be cut and trimmed in the field to secondary containment specifications
• Available in 54 inch by 50 foot rolls and by the square yard

Specifications

• Agent-X is embedded with 350-450 grams of oil solidifying polymers or 12 ounces per square meter
• The Agent-X geotextile fabric material has a flow rate greater than 10 gallons per minute per square foot
• Load capacity is 10 ounces per square foot of hydrocarbon / oil containment
• Agent-X is able to remove 90% or greater of a 30,000 PPM hydrocarbon sheen contamination per 10 liters of water per square foot

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Oil Soak Pad Rolls for Secondary Containment

There are a wide range of industries that are subject to secondary containment requirements, but the specific applications or secondary containment needs for a particular worksite may vary. Many of the secondary containment options from Basic Concepts feature innovative solutions that absorb and trap oil or hydrocarbons in compliance with regulations from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Secondary containment units that incorporate dewatering or filtration features are manufactured using geotextiles and oil solidifying polymers that trap oil and hydrocarbons but allow water to filter through. Understanding how these components work will enable users to identify the secondary containment option or filtration system that is best suited to a specific application.   The geotextiles—like Agent-X—or oil solidifiers that are featured in many dewatering or filtration systems from Basic Concepts are ideal for a wide range of secondary containment applications such as washdown of equipment, capturing leaks from mobile units, and temporary storage of hazardous materials. To help you find the containment solution that is right for you, here is a guide to help understand the design features of the innovative Agent-X geotextile that is incorporated into secondary containment units used for dewatering and filtration.

Features of the Agent-X Fabric

Agent-X is an innovative geotextile fabric from Basic Concepts that is used for water oil containment and hydrocarbon filtration. Agent-X fabric features two layers of geotextile fabric with oil-solidifying polymers embedded between the layers. Agent-X is a hydrophobic textile that allows water to pass through, but Agent-X is also oleophilic which means that hydrocarbons will solidify on contact. Laboratory tests have shown Agent-X to be greatly efficient in removing small, suspended oil droplets from mechanical emulsions. The oil-trapping features of the Agent-X geotextile can be combined with existing secondary containment systems, or it can be used separately as an oil-drip pad in garages, change-out stations, or under equipment. Agent-X is also used as the back wall of the Barrier Boom secondary oil containment system. The oil-trapping quality of the Agent-X fabric enables the Barrier Boom containment system to allow water from rainfall or snowmelt to freely pass through but retains oil and hydrocarbons. Implementing a Barrier Boom containment system that features Agent-X fabric obviates the need for expensive concrete walls and can also enable facilities to meet EPA SPCC 40 CFR 112.7 regulations regarding oil containment. Part of the reason Agent-X is able to provide such reliable oil and hydrocarbon filtration is that each square meter of Agent-X is embedded with 350-450 grams of oil-solidifying polymers that can prevent contaminants from passing through. Agent-X has a flow rate of 10 gallons per square foot of fabric and a load capacity of 10 ounces per square foot of hydrocarbon/oil containment. The combinations of these features enable the Agent-X fabric to remove 90% or greater of a 30,000 PPM hydrocarbon sheen contamination per 10 liters of water per square foot. Agent-X fabric is lightweight and easy to handle but is also extremely resistant to ultraviolet degradation. The Agent-X geotextile is rated for an astonishing 200 years of reliable secondary containment and is a cost-effective solution for protecting a range of surfaces from leaks and spills. The Agent-X fabric is available in 54-inch by 50-foot rolls and by the square yard. Additionally, Agent-X can be easily trimmed and cut in the field for rapid deployment in mobile contexts.

How to Properly Dispose of Geotextile Fabrics

Oil absorbent pads or other fabrics that are used to trap non-hazardous materials like oil or hydrocarbons can typically be disposed of in a landfill. However, the EPA regulations for oil absorbent pads vary from state to state so it is best to check with your local guidelines before making a determination. Some states have a maximum retention threshold for oil absorbent pads, which means pads cannot be thrown away if they have absorbed more than an amount specified in the State’s regulations. One advantage of using the Agent-X fabric is that it can be cut down to any size when being used for stand-alone oil retention.

Find a Secondary Containment Solution

For more than 25 years, Basic Concepts has provided secondary containment solutions to military installations and industrial sites all over the world. Spill containment solutions like the Agent-X geotextile will enable users to protect facilities and personnel from leaks and spills and comply with local and federal environmental regulations. The Agent-X fabric can be used as a component of a total secondary containment system or it can be deployed as a stand-alone solution to oil leaks and spills in a variety of applications.