ENGINEERING CONSIDERATIONS RELATED TO NANOPARTICLES IN THE ENVIRONMENT
By: Denis M. O’Carroll
Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering, The University of Western Ontario, London, ON, N6A 5B9 CANADA; Fax: (519) 661-3942; docarroll@eng.uwo.ca
Abstract
Nanotechnology is an emerging industry throughout the world. This new area is met with both excitement and skepticism. On the one hand there are tremendous technological opportunities through the exploitation of the unique properties of nanoparticles; for example, innovative groundwater remediation technologies are likely. On the other hand, there is concern that nanoparticles will have adverse effects on human and ecological health when, accidentally or intentionally, they are released to the environment. Concerns have been raised regarding the acute and chronic health effects of ingesting or inhaling these particles. In terms of groundwater reservoirs, there are concerns that nanoparticles may contaminate vast areas by moving through microscopic flow channels in soil and rock. Both the benefits and the risks of nanoparticles in subsurface environments are as yet unknown, limited by a lack of basic scientific understanding of nanoparticle transport in water bearing soils. The focus of our work is to determine the mobility of nanoparticles under conditions representative of natural subsurface conditions, engineered contaminated site conditions (ie: pump and treat conditions) and conditions found in filtration systems at water treatment plants. The mobility of two different classes of engineered nanoparticles will be discussed, multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) and nanometals.
Bio
Dr. O’Carroll is an Assistant Professor in Civil and Environmental Engineering at the University of Western Ontario. Dr. O’Carroll completed his Ph.D. at the University of Michigan where he was awarded the 2004 Walter J. Weber, Jr. Student Prize. Upon completion of his Ph.D. Dr. O’Carroll completed one postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Michigan and was awarded a Government of Canada NSERC postdoctoral award to complete a postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Toronto. He was recently awarded the Province of Ontario 2007 Early Researcher Award for his work in the “Development of Nanomaterials and Hot Water Flooding for Enhanced Groundwater Remediation”. Dr. O’Carroll has significant experience in laboratory studies developing innovative remediation schemes in addition to site remediation consulting experience. His work has investigated the utility of nanotechnology for contaminated site remediation, the impact of soil surface chemistry on NAPL migration and remediation and the utility of hot water flooding for NAPL remediation. He has ongoing research projects developing nanometals for contaminated site remediation and investigating the fate of carbon based nanoparticles in the environment.
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