Prospects for Environmental Nanotechnologies

Various applications of nanotechnologies for environmental remediation have been successfully demonstrated at the laboratory scale but, in the majority of cases, require verification of their efficacy and safety in the field. This paper reviews current European research in this area and examines the opportunities that exist for the use of nanotechnologies in environmental remediation, considering the relevant phenomena from the nanoscale to the macroscale. It addresses the questions of which are the most effective nanotechnologies for prevention or cleanup of pollution, how dependable and close to market are remediation techniques based on nanotechnologies and what additional research is needed to exploit the full potential of nanotechnology for remediation. It attempts to identify those environmental nanotechnologies that appear the most promising, and should be further explored, and considers the potential risks involved in using nanotechnologies for remediation applications. Finally it examines whether there a need for targeted funding for research infrastructure to support nanotechnologies for environmental remediation and what opportunities exist for setting up future EU collaborative projects on environmental nanotechnologies.

RICKERBY David;  MORRISON Mark; 

2007-12-12

Collegium Basilea

JRC42083

1660-6795,   

https://publications.jrc.ec.europa.eu/repository/handle/JRC42083,