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A Stanford team, led by Manu Prakash, has found that an absorbent material can be produced using sisal leaves, and could replace cotton, wood pulp, and chemical absorbents in sanitary napkins.
The team has also reported a way to obtain this material without using any polluting chemicals.
The ancient Aztec and Mayan civilisations were perhaps the first to begin making paper out of sisal leaves.
Since then, the stiff, green sword-like leaves have been used to make twine, cloth, and carpets. The plant itself is also used to make mezcal, a distilled alcoholic beverage.
Agave sisalana, commonly known as the sisal plant, is a species of flowering plant native to southern Mexico.
Its widely cultivated and naturalized in many other countries.
It yields a stiff fiber used in making rope and various other products.
It is a succulent plant with a rosette of sword-shaped leaves that can grow up to 2 meters (6.6 feet) long.
The leaves are typically green or gray-green, with sharp spines along the edges.
Sisal plants thrive in hot, dry climates and well-drained soils.
They are often found in tropical and subtropical regions.
Sisal plants can be propagated by seeds or by suckers, which are small offsets that grow at the base of the plant.
The main use of sisal is for the production of fiber.
Sisal fiber is strong, durable, and weather-resistant, making it ideal for a variety of applications.
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