Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
Different applications of the materials are developed:
- The removal of contaminant ions (e.g., methylene blue dye) is achieved by EDI,
applying a potential to porous carbon electrodes inside an aqueous solution.
- Arsenic ions are electroanalytically measured using nanocomposites made of
cobalt oxide or magnetite nanoparticles synthesized inside HPC.
- Water-soluble organic compounds are removed by complete electrochemical oxida-
tion on nanocomposite electrodes made of HPC modiied with Pt/Ru nanoparticles.
- The removal of organic soluble contaminants is achieved by absorption into
hydrogels and hydrogel-based nanocomposites based on the hydrophobic
nature of the polymer chains, enhanced by water pool illing with conducting
polymers.
- Magnetite (Fe
3
O
4
) nanoparticles are shown to be absorbed inside macroporous
hydrogels, avoiding their leakage to the environment. The nanoparticles can be
used to remove arsenic ions from water by speciic chemisorption.
- Toxic metal ions can be speciically absorbed into hydrogels that are functional-
ized with hydrophobically retained chelating agents.
- Model drugs to be delivered to aquaculture organisms are released spontaneously
or by thermal activation.
Future uses of the developed materials in aquananotechnology were outlined. Among
them are forward osmosis using nanocomposites based on hydrogels, drug liberation from
hydrogel nanoparticles, solid-phase extraction for contaminant analysis, and detection of
harmful waterborne microorganisms through fast DNA sensing.
A social outreach program called “nanotechnology for everyone,” which tries to dis-
seminate the knowledge about nanotechnology among wide audiences in developing
countries, is described.
In summary, nanoporous materials and related nanocomposites seem to be useful tools
for the development of applications in aquananotechnology.
Glossary
1PSC:
hierarchical porous carbon made using a silica nanoparticle template that is
removed after resin curing but before pyrolysis
2PSC:
hierarchical porous carbon made using a silica nanoparticle template that is
removed after pyrolysis
Ag/AgCl:
reference electrode (
E
r
= 0.195 V vs. RHE)
AMPS:
2-acrylamidepropansulfonic acid; PAMPS monomer
CTAB:
cetyltrimethylammonium chloride
CV:
cyclic voltammetry; electrochemical technique where the electrode potential is
scanned at a constant rate and the current is measured
DNA:
deoxyribonucleic acid
EDI:
electrochemical deionization; method to remove unwanted ions from solution by
charging the double layer of porous electrodes inside the ion/s solution
