Home > News > Discovery could limit nanotechnology's environmental impact
November 23rd, 2009
Discovery could limit nanotechnology's environmental impact
Abstract:
Coating silica nanoparticles in a detergent-like chemical known as a surfactant makes them clump together so they can easily be removed during primary wastewater treatment, scientists have found.
Scientists from the Centre for Ecology & Hydrology (CEH), ISIS Neutron Source, King's College London and Oxford University simulated the environment in a primary sewage treatment facility, in which waste is initially held for a few hours in large tanks to allow solid matter to settle out.
They found that coating the nanoparticles in surfactant before introducing them into the sewage meant that the nanoparticles interacted with components of the sewage to form a solid sludge. This sludge can be separated from the wastewater and disposed of. By contrast, uncoated nanoparticles stayed dispersed in the wastewater and were likely to continue through the effluent stream.
Source:
planetearth.nerc.ac.uk
Bookmark:
News and information
Aspen Aerogels Announces $22.5 Million Private Placement May 18th, 2013
NanoInk, Inc. Assets To Be Sold May 18th, 2013
Beautiful "flowers" self-assemble in a beaker: Elaborate nanostructures blossom from a chemical reaction perfected at Harvard May 17th, 2013
Scientists capture first direct proof of Hofstadter butterfly effect May 17th, 2013
Preparing for Nano
Durnham University's DEEPEN project comes to a close September 26th, 2012
Technical Seminar at ANFoS 2012 August 22nd, 2012
Nanotechnology shows we can innovate without economic growth April 12th, 2012
Thailand to host NanoThailand 2012 December 18th, 2011
Govt.-Legislation/Regulation/Funding/Policy
Beautiful "flowers" self-assemble in a beaker: Elaborate nanostructures blossom from a chemical reaction perfected at Harvard May 17th, 2013
Artificial Forest for Solar Water-Splitting: Berkeley Lab Researchers Report First Fully Integrated Artificial Photosynthesis Nanosystem May 17th, 2013
Moth-Inspired Nanostructures Take the Color Out of Thin Films May 17th, 2013
NIA Public Briefing: Nanotechnology and the Council of Europe May 17th, 2013
Discoveries
Beautiful "flowers" self-assemble in a beaker: Elaborate nanostructures blossom from a chemical reaction perfected at Harvard May 17th, 2013
Artificial Forest for Solar Water-Splitting: Berkeley Lab Researchers Report First Fully Integrated Artificial Photosynthesis Nanosystem May 17th, 2013
Moth-Inspired Nanostructures Take the Color Out of Thin Films May 17th, 2013
Scientists capture first direct proof of Hofstadter butterfly effect May 17th, 2013
Announcements
Aspen Aerogels Announces $22.5 Million Private Placement May 18th, 2013
NanoInk, Inc. Assets To Be Sold May 18th, 2013
NIA Public Briefing: Nanotechnology and the Council of Europe May 17th, 2013
Scientists capture first direct proof of Hofstadter butterfly effect May 17th, 2013
Environment
NIA Public Briefing: Nanotechnology and the Council of Europe May 17th, 2013
Nanoadsorbent Synthesized to Remove Toxic Dyes from Textile Industry Wastewater May 16th, 2013
New Stanford Nanoscavengers Could Usher In Next Generation Water Purification May 15th, 2013
INSCX™ exchange to present a nanotechnology-based Emission Reduction Programme, Ankara, Turkey, June 2013 May 14th, 2013
Safety-Nanoparticles/Risk management
NIA Public Briefing: Nanotechnology and the Council of Europe May 17th, 2013
Squishy hydrogels may be the ticket for studying biological effects of nanoparticles May 15th, 2013
Ubiquitous engineered nanomaterials cause lung inflammation, study finds: Substances are used in everything from paint to sporting equipment May 6th, 2013
Council of Europe commences regulation of nanotechnology April 27th, 2013