Nanoscale Iron Could Help Cleanse the Environment

[Township75]

ARLINGTON, Va.—An ultrafine, "nanoscale" powder made from iron, one of the most abundant metals on Earth, is turning out to be a remarkably effective tool for cleaning up contaminated soil and groundwater--a trillion-dollar problem that encompasses more than 1000 still-untreated Superfund sites in the United States, some 150,000 underground storage tank releases, and a staggering number of landfills, abandoned mines, and industrial sites.

The case for nanoscale iron is laid out in the September 3 issue of the Journal of Nanoparticle Research, where Lehigh University environmental engineer Wei-xian Zhang reviews his eight years of pioneering work with the material. Much of Zhang's research has been funded by the National Science Foundation as a part of the federal government's 16-agency National Nanotechnology Initiative (NNI). This issue of the Journal is dedicated to nanoparticles in the environment and it is prefaced by Mihail Roco, NNI's coordinator and NSF's Senior Advisor on Nanotechnology, with a perspective on "Broader Societal Issues of Nanotechnology".

Iron's cleansing power stems from the simple fact that it rusts, or oxidizes, explains Zhang. Ordinarily, of course, the only result is the familiar patina of brick-red iron oxide. But when metallic iron oxidizes in the presence of contaminants such as trichloroethene, carbon tetrachloride, dioxins, or PCBs, he says, these organic molecules get caught up in the reactions and broken down into simple carbon compounds that are far less toxic.

The full story is here:
http://www.nsf.gov/od/lpa/news/03/pr0394.htm