|
Nanotechnology research is producing solutions to many of the environmental problems
faced today as well as anticipating problems before they arise. Current problems include
green house gas emissions being discharged into the atmosphere by
the combustion of fossil fuels to generate power and how to
effectively use natural resources in ways that will not harm the
environment. Nanotechnologies are providing many benefits as well
as preserving the environment and using natural materials that will
minimize the human footprint. Efforts are also under way to develop
new testing and risk assessment methods to deal with the proliferation
of new materials being created and catch harmful substances before
damage can be done.
|
Water Desalination
Producing potable water from seawater or contaminated
water is a promising way to alleviate worldwide water
shortages. To build a water desalination plant has up till now
required the construction of small, yet expensive and time
consuming, pilot facilities to determine the feasibility of
using available water. Researchers at UCLA have created an
all-in-one mobile testing plant that can be used to test almost
any water source. The system is called the mini-mobilemodular
(M3) 'smart' water desalination and filtration
system, and uses reverse osmosis (RO). The 'smart' nature
means that it can autonomously adapt to almost any variation in source water, allowing it
to operate in situations where traditional RO desalination systems would fail almost
immediately. Additionally, the M3 systems can be deployed to various locations and used
to produce fresh water in emergency situations. Though the system is compact enough to
be transported anywhere in the back of a van, it can generate 6,000 gallons of drinking
water per day from the sea or 8,000 to 9,000 gallons per day from brackish groundwater,
which translates to daily drinking water for approximately 6,000 to 12,000 people.
Journal of Membrane Science 289 123?137 (30 November 2006)
Youtube
|
Water Filtration
Filters composed of nanoscale membranes are being developed for water filtration. These
can double the productivity of seawater desalination and wastewater reclamation while
using only half the energy normally required.
Fresh water scarcity is a major global issue and the development of effective sustainable
water production methods is intrinsically tied to economic growth, energy availability,
food production, public health and the environment. Seawater desalination offers an
answer to this problem but its technologies have been
expensive, energy intensive, and pose new environmental
risks. Nanotechnology researchers have developed a
patent-pending nanocomposite membrane technology to
answer the expensive former technologies for water
desalination. This new process demonstrates a dramatic
increase in water permeability, excellent contaminant
removal, and enhanced fouling resistance. These
nanocomposite membranes promise to produce high quality drinking water from the
ocean with significant reductions in energy demand, capital cost, and chemical
consumption. These researchers continue to explore nanotechnology-based approaches
for water treatment, energy production, and environmental protection- three keys to
sustainability.
Journal of Membrane Science 294 1-7 (15 May 2007)
|
|
Nanotoxicology
Do nanomaterials represent a toxic danger to humans and the environment? Safety and
risk assessment of nanomaterials is being investigated to address their potential toxicity
to humans and the environment. Sensitive assays based on the activation of signal
transduction cascade are developed to establish paradigms for evaluating toxic potential
of nanomaterials. A systematic analysis of nanomaterials is in development using highthroughput
methods for the systematic analysis of new materials to gauge toxicity.
Science 311 622-627 (3 February 2006)
The Center for Environmental Implications of Nanotechnology (CEIN) is dedicated to
the exploration of nanomaterials and their impact on life forms and the interactions of
these materials with various biological systems and
ecosystems. By establishing a predictive science of
nanomaterials toxicity, the CEIN will help researchers design
safer and more environmentally benign nanomaterials.
Created in 2008 with funding from the National Science
Foundation and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency,
the CEIN will employ approaches that differ from traditional
toxicity testing, which relies mainly on a complex set of
whole-animal-based testing strategies. To keep abreast of the
rapid pace of nanotechnology-based enterprises, the CEIN will develop a comprehensive
computational risk ranking will allow powerful risk predictions to be made by and for the
academic community, industry, the public and regulating agencies. The California
NanoSystems Institute (CNSI) at UCLA will serve as the major base of operations for the
new center.
NSF Press Release "NSF and EPA Establish Two Centers for Environmental
Implications of Nanotechnology" (17 September 2008)
|
|
Carbon Dioxide Capture
Carbon dioxide has a greater impact on the environment than any other greenhouse gas
due to the sheer amount that is being discharged into the atmosphere by combustion of
fossil fuels to generate power. To combat this growing trend, nanotechnology
researchers have developed a material to selectively capture carbon dioxide. These
zeolithic imidazolate frameworks (ZIFs) work like a super-sized molecular sponge to trap
and store carbon dioxide. The ZIFs are heat resistant, easy to make and can filter CO2
from a complex mixture of gases.
Science 319 893 (15 February 2008).
|
|
