Authors:
Paul Bardos | r3 environmental technology ltd | United Kingdom
PhD Jürgen Braun | University of Stuttgart | Germany
Miroslav Černík | Technical university of Liberec | Czech Republic
PhD Daniel Elliott | Geosyntec Consultants, Inc. | United States
Elsa Limasset | BRGM | France
Hans-Peter Koschitzky | University of Stuttgart, VEGAS | Germany
This abstract is for the first of two free sessions. The aim of these two free sessions is to provide delegates with sufficient information to decide if nanoremediation and new techniques in nanoremediation is a viable activity for their organisation. It is particularly targeted at practitioners such as site owners/managers service providers (consultants contractors), and regulators.
Nanotechnologies could offer a step-change in remediation capabilities: treating persistent contaminants which have limited remediation alternatives, avoiding degradation-related intermediates and increasing the speed at which degradation or stabilisation can take place (Müller and Nowack 2010), among other potential benefits. In 2007 in Europe it was forecast that the 2010 world market for environmental nanotechnologies would be around $6 billion (JRC Ispra 2007). In fact, adoption of nanoremediation has been slower, with fewer than 100 field scale applications, since the first field application in 2000. However, the recent emergence of nanoremediation as a commercially-deployed remediation technology in several EU countries, notably the Czech Republic and Germany indicates that it is timely for service providers and site owners or managers in Europe to reconsider its potential applications and the consequent implications for their business activities.
Since early 2014, the EU FP7 NanoRem project (www.nanorem.eu) has been carrying out an intensive development and optimisation programme for different nanoparticles (NPs), along with analysis and testing methods, investigations of fate and transport of the NPs and their environmental impact. NanoRem is a €14 million international collaborative project with 28 Partners from 12 EU countries, and an international Project Advisory Group (PAG) providing linkages to the USA and Asia. It is a major initiative, which will support the effective deployment of nanoremediation technologies in Europe. As part of its work it offers these two sessions to provide key information for organisations considering diversifying into nanoremediation, or already beginning that process.
The first free session focuses on providing a practical grounding in nanoremediation theory and practice with particular reference to applied examples in the field.
The second free session focuses on providing business and strategic intelligence for delegates with interests in using nanoremediation at their sites or developing nanoremediation activities at their organisations.
Session 1 provides four keynote presentations, with a question and answer session.
1. Miroslav Černík, Technical University Liberec, Czech Republic: What nano-remediation is and what it can and cannot do (20 minutes) This presentation provides a practical foundation into the application of nanotechnology to environmental remediation. It provides a survey of the major drivers underpinning the development of the nanoscale zero-valent iron (nZVI) technology, other related nanotechnologies under development, as well as the key identified applications of the technology and implications associated with its use. Perspectives on the last two decades of development will be covered including key upsides/downsides, technology advances, regulatory issues, and apparent limitations.
2. Dan Elliott, Geosyntec Consultants, USA Practical experience in nanoremediation (20 minutes) This presentation will trace the field experience using nanotechnology in remedial applications starting with the pioneering initial nZVI field demonstration in 2000 and progressing into the present day. Key aspects including the evolving thought on the role of nZVI in remedial design, dosage and delivery systems, stabilisation methods, and utilisation with complementary technologies will be covered.
3. Elsa Limasset, BRGM, France Regulatory perspective on nanoremediation use (15 minutes) There have been concerns about nanoparticle release in several countries. This short presentation reviews whether nanoremediation is indeed a special case for regulation, the current situation as seen by the COMMON FORUM and the likely future direction of travel.
4. Jürgen Braun, University of Stuttgart, Germany: The NanoRem experience: large scale and case study testing (15 minutes) A key part of NanoRem’s research agenda is the use of large scale tank experiments and well monitored field based case studies to provide the kind of practical performance data that some regulators and users feel may be missing. This presentation provides an overview of NanoRem’s work and findings to date from these activities. 10 minutes
5. Question and answer session (20 minutes)
Chair: Paul Bardos, r3 environmental technology ltd, UK
Delegates will be provided with take home materials that they can use within their own organisations to support further decision-making. In addition the key outcomes/questions from the Q&A session will be addressed in more detail after the session in a “Frequently Asked Question” format. These written FAQs will be circulated to interested attendees, and posted on the NanoRem web site (www.nanorem.eu), and links/copies will be made available to the ACS 2015 organisers if desired.
References:
JRC (2007) Report from the Workshop onNanotechnologies for Environmental Remediation. JRC Ispra 16-17 April 2007. David Rickerby and Mark Morrison.
Müller, N.C. and Nowack, B. 2010. Nano Zero Valent Iron – THE Solution for Water and Soil Remediation?, ObservatoryNANO Focus Report.
Contact: Paul Bardos, paul@r3environmental.co.uk