Environmental risks and opportunities of nanotechnology identified
Nanotechnology development in Denmark - environmental opportunities and risk aims to identify the eco-opportunities and eco-risks related to nanotechnology as perceived by Danish nano researchers. Developed by the Risø National Laboratory, the 71-page report explores how environmental issues can form a part of the research process.
When asked directly about nano-related eco-innovation potentials, Danish nano researchers particularly pointed out three areas:
- energy production (hydrogen society).
- catalysis as a source of gas cleaning as well as resource and energy-efficient chemical production.
- sensors as a source of more resource-efficient production processes or products.
Of the three, researchers attributed the greatest environmental impact by far to energy production. More detail from the report:
Smart tailored products
The eco-potential of smart tailored products relate, roughly speaking, to the following research areas:
- Functional surfaces (making strong, self-repairing, anti-fouling, self-lubricating, bio-compatible, energy-preserving/-producing, selective surfaces)
- Catalytic efficient production of chemicals (less energy and waste)
- Polymer electronics/photonics (particularly less energy)
- Monitoring and diagnostics (e.g. pervasive, highly sensitive sensoring and tags – based on cheap, disposable, organic electronics and bio-sensors)
New materials
According to professor Hviid Christensen, Centre for Sustainable and Green Chemistry, DTU, who is among the environmentally most competent nano researchers in Denmark, the biggest eco-potential of nanotechnologies lies in the possibility of making completely new nano-structured materials. All modern materials science today is based on nanoscience, so in this sense the innovation potential attributed to nanotechnology is considerable. The three material areas are:
- Nano-particulate and nano-fibrous materials (eco-efficient production and materials with new properties)
- Nano-porous materials – (potential for membranes, electro-osmotic pumps, con-trolled release, insulation, thermoelectric materials for efficient cooling and energy production)
- Nano composites (lighter, stronger, degradable, renewable raw materials…)
Energy production
There seems to be a shared long-term interest in realizing a hydrogen economy in which possible environmental benefits play an important role. The technical problems remain considerable, however, and prospects are long term and uncertain. The catalysis case below illustrates recent innovations here. Other potentials within the energy area are improvements in energy conversion, the mentioned improved materials for windmill wings and an interesting new niche in polymer-based solar cells. The latter is an example of a nanotechnology at a very early experimental stage, but which could have a huge innovation and eco-innovation potential if commercialization is realized. The high uncertainty as to the scope of this technology makes it very difficult at present to assess possible environmental benefits.
Environmental remediation
This area represents what professor Hans Christian Bruun Hansen at the agricultural university calls “environmental nanotechnology”, where nanotechnology is used directly to reduce the amount and handling of pollutants. The techniques pointed to are catalytic efficient cleaning of gases, remediation through use of functional nanoparticles, more efficient bio-separation through tailored membranes, and controlled release of e.g. pesticides, nutrients and growth regulators into the soil (less resource use and emission.) The latter shows how understandings of nanoscale processes in the soil may be used to find novel environmental solutions.
The most novel suggestion is the use of functional nanoparticles (synthetic particles or modified minerals) for binding and degrading pollutants in soil and water, water-works, waste treatment facilities, nuclear waste storage areas etc. Such technologies are to a limited degree already in use. Here, the importance of new, nanoscience-based understanding (rather than devices) of vital nano-scale processes in the environment are emphasized for finding optimum solutions to environmental problems and the construction of risk assessment models (according to Susan Stipp, GeoNanoScience Centre, University of Copenhagen).