Did you know?
884 million people do not have access to safe water
supplies: about one in eight people in the world
3.6 million people die every year from water-related
diseases
98% of water-related deaths happen in
developing countries
84% of water-related deaths (reported) are
children (0-14 years of age)
see http://www.scidev.net/global/water/feature/nanotechnology-for-clean-water-facts-and-figures.html for more information.
The UN has now moved water treatment in the world to one of
its top priorities through its Millennium Development Goals. The ultimate goal
is to cut the number of people lacking safe water access around the world in
half. Nanotechnology is a promising tool for this large world project and
aspiration.
Nanotechnology can be used to filter water of heavy metals and
biological toxins because the nano-particles can be fine adjusted and
engineered. Materials at nano-levels usually have different electrical
properties than at their larger size: this fact can be utilized to employ nano
materials in a wide variety of applications. For water pollution,
nanotechnology could be used to efficiently remove bacteria, viruses, arsenic,
mercury, pesticides, and salt from water around the world.
Nanotechnology is a promising solution to water pollution
because it is efficient in both use and production. Corporations can mass
produce it with less environmental damage than from making any other mass
produced filter for water. Also, nanomaterials are durable and in general, cost
effective. Therefore, nanotechnology could be the one thing needed around the
world to quench the thirst of millions.
Is nanotechnology capable of helping to solve other forms of pollution? If so, what types?
ReplyDeleteThe United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) states that Nanotechnology has the capacity of treating not only water pollution, but also air pollution and land pollution, all involving hazardous site clean ups. One such idea is to make the manufacturing production process more efficient and with less carbon emissions through subsituting with nanomaterials, some such materials coming from organic plant extracts. A large area where nanotechnology has much potential is in the cleaning of sites contaminated by polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) through activating carbon with a nano-derivative of iron. In these scenarios, the nanoparticles help to absorb the toxins from the ground, and the surrounding ground water.
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