Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
2.3.5 Ion Transport in Porous Carbon ............................................................................ 35
2.3.6 Swelling Degree of Hydrogels ............................................................................... 35
2.3.7 Solute Partition in Hydrogels ................................................................................. 37
2.3.8 Diffusion Coeficient of Solutes in Hydrogels ..................................................... 38
2.4 How to Use Nanoporous Materials for Aquananotechnology ..................................... 38
2.4.1 Removal of Toxic Ions by EDI ................................................................................ 38
2.4.2 Electroanalytical Sensing of Arsenic Ions with Nanocomposites .................... 39
2.4.3 Electrochemical Incineration of Water-Soluble Organic Compounds ............. 41
2.4.4 Absorption of Water Organic Contaminants into Hydrogels and
Nanocomposites ....................................................................................................... 42
2.4.5 Adsorbing Nanoparticles Fixed Inside Hydrogels ............................................. 43
2.4.6 Toxic Metal Ion Absorption into Hydrogels Functionalized with
Hydrophobically Retained Chelating Agents ..................................................... 43
2.4.7 Use of Drug Delivery from Hydrogels in Aquaculture ..................................... 44
2.5 What Future Actions Can Be Taken to Develop Aquananotechnology? .................... 45
2.5.1 Forward Osmosis Using Nanocomposites Based on Hydrogels ...................... 46
2.5.2 Drug Liberation from Hydrogel Nanoparticles .................................................. 46
2.5.3 Solid-Phase Extraction for Contaminant Analysis ............................................. 46
2.5.4 Detection of Harmful Waterborne Microorganisms through Fast DNA
Sensing ...................................................................................................................... 46
2.6 Conclusions ........................................................................................................................... 47
Glossary .......................................................................................................................................... 48
References ....................................................................................................................................... 49
2.1 Introduction
Nanoporous materials can be used in different aquatic nanotechnology applications. In
our case, two kinds of nanoporous material are studied: nanoporous carbon and nanopo-
rous polymeric hydrogels. Novel synthetic procedures aimed at obtaining the materials
are described. The materials can be used without further modiication or functional-
ized by incorporation of bulk conducting polymers, metallic nanoparticles, metal oxide
nanoparticles, or conducting polymer nanoparticles.
2.1.1 Why Nanoporous Materials?
The development of nanotechnology could have different effects on the aquatic environ-
ment. Man-made nanoparticles could be released into the environment and harm the
aquatic life [1-3]. On the other hand, nanotechnology could have different ways of improv-
ing the aquatic environment, such as by (i) detecting water contaminants; (ii) remediating
contaminated water; (iii) delivering drugs, genes, or vaccines to aquaculture organisms;
(iv) delivering nutraceuticals to ish; (v) controlling the growth of algae; and (vi) tagging an
aquaculture organism and sensing its health [4]. While free nanoparticles could be easily
released into the aquatic environment with potentially negative results [5-7], nanoporous
materials and/or immobilized nanoparticles are safer since they cannot easily contami-
nate the aquatic environment. The large surface area of nanoporous materials gives them
large adsorption capacities [8], which make them ideal materials in water remediation [9].
