Nanotechnology and
Environmental Protection
I. Introduction
Shu-Chi Chang, Ph.D., P.E., P.A.
Assistant Professor1 and Division Chief2
1Department of Environmental Engineering
2Division of Occupational Safety and Health,
Center for Environmental Protection and Occupational Safety and Health
National Chung Hsing University
9/16/2008
Outline
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Instructor’s background
Course overview and grading policy
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Overview of this course
Grading policy
Textbook and references
Introduction of Nanotechnology and
Environmental Protection
Instructor’s background
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Ph.D., Environmental Engineering, University of Michigan at Ann
Arbor, U.S.A. (Ranked at the 3rd place in 2008)
Award
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Government Scholarship: Sole grantee in Environmental Engineering
in year 2000.
Professional qualification
 PE, Environmental Engineering (1989)
 PE, Industrial Safety Engineering (1997)
 CPA, ISO 14000 (1996, Naville & Clark)
 CPA, ISO 9000 (1997, Mercedes-Benz)
Professional Expertise
 Environmental microbiology and nanobiotechnology (8
years)
 Bioremediation of contaminated soils and groundwater (6
years)
 Integrated quality, environmental, safety, and health
management ( 5 year)
Dissertational Research
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Rapid detection and enumeration of mycobacteria in
metalworking fluids: technology development and
validation
Tools
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Flow cytometry
Fluorescent antibody and nucleic acid dyes
Functionalized magnetic nanoparticle (dia. 25 nm and 60 nm)
Statistical data analysis
Contributions
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Shortened assay time by more than 95%
Single colony-forming-unit sensitivity
~98% specificity
Good correlation over 4 orders of magnitude
Can effectively reduce health hazards and environmental
burdens
Extended Research
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Peptide Nucleic Acid Probes
Nano-emulsion: novel industrial fluid
formulations
Flow-Genomics™: an ultrasensitive and
high-throughput single molecule detection
platform
Instantaneous characterization of
microbial ecosystems: rapid identification
of structural and functional roles of
numerous microorganisms in a microbial
ecosystem
Award: Ms. Hsin-Yue Chen won the “Outstanding Research Award” granted
by NSC, Taiwan.
Others
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University of Michigan Dioxin Exposure Study
(UMDES)
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Soil, blood, dust, and questionnaire
Data analysis
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Modeling
Pattern analysis
Exposure pathway modeling
Flow GenomicsTM
Microbial fuel cell
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Environmental impact of nano-materials (EINM)
Bioremediation experience
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Expert system programmer (Bioremediation Advisor)
Investigation
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Remediation
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Soil sampling and analysis
Groundwater sampling and analysis
Soil gas sampling and analysis
Off-site remediation
On-site remediation
In-situ remediation (pioneered the in-situ air sparging
bioremediation in Taiwan)
Technology transfer
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Speaker for a session on in-situ bioremediation technology
transfer to Chinese Petroleum Corporation, Taiwan
Expert system illustration
Original fact pool 1
Evolved fact pool 1
Evolved fact pool 2
Evolved fact pool 3
Evolved fact pool n
Rule base or
Evolved
Rulebase
base or
knowledge
knowledge base 1
Contaminated site
Drilling and sampling
Pilot study
Current Research
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Applications of nanoemulsions
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Bioremediation of chlorinated solvent
contaminated sites
Sustainable industrial fluid
Growth enhancer
Magnetite nanoparticle synthesis for arsenic
removal
Environmental microfluidics
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Single cell packaging
High throughput genomic study platform
Overview of this course (1)
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Teaching goals
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To gain basic understanding of nanotechnology.
To review the technical areas of environmental
protection
To learn the current applications to environmental
engineering and energy engineering
To be familiar with the possible environmental
impacts due to nanomaterials
Overview of this course (2)
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Main topics
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Short history of nanotechnology
Basic rules about the nano-world
Fabrication and characterization of nanomaterials
Nanoparticles and carbon nanotubes
Nano-Sensors
Ecological impacts of nanomaterials
Nanotechnology application to remediation,
adsorption, and membrane processes
Micro- and nano-fluidics
Overview of this course (3)
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Style
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Fact and engineering oriented
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Understanding first, memorization second
Quantification and calculation is necessary
Group learning and communication
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A short group oral presentation
A group term project and presentation
Grading policy
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All lectures, assignments and exams will be in English. Short oral
presentation has to be in English. However, questions, term paper, and
homework are allowed to be finished in either Chinese or English.
Homework will be handed out probably every three weeks and a term
paper will be assigned to each group of students, usually 3 students in a
group. Each group will also give a short presentation apart from the term
project presentation.
Composition of final score
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Homework assignments: 10%, zero score for late submission.
Short group oral presentation (15 minutes): 10%
Term paper (Research proposal) + presentation: 25%, 7 pages min and 10
pages max, not including references. Font in size 12 and double spaced.
References should be no less than 7 citations. Preferably in English.
Midterm: 25% and Final: 25%
Participation: 5%
Best Proposal Award: extra credit 5 points. (highest score99)
Group learning and presentation
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Why
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Promotion of team spirit and interaction
Chance to investigate the topic you are most
interested in environmental nanotechnology or
environmental problems associated with
nanomaterials
Getting familiar with the format of research
proposal writing and oral presentation in an
international symposium.
Environmental professionals need better
communication skills than any other engineering
disciplines
Schedule
Week
Date
Topic
1
9/16
Overview of this course
2
9/23
Nanotechnology and the Environment (I)
3
9/30
Nanotechnology and the Environment (II)
4
10/7
Nanotechnology and energy, and Nanomaterial fabrication (I)
5
10/14
Nanomaterial fabrication (II)
6
10/21
Structural characterization of nanomaterials
7
10/28
Chemical characterization of nanomaterials
8
11/4
Midterm Exam (in-class, 2 hour exam)
9
11/11
Nanomaterial toxicity assessment
10
11/18
Nanomaterials for groundwater remediation
11
11/25
Membrane processes and adsorption
12
12/2
Environmental impacts of nanomaterials
13
12/9
Life-cycle assessment of nanomaterials (oral presentation)
14
12/16
Nanoemulsion for remediation (oral presentations)
15
12/23
Microfluidics for medical and environmental applications (oral presentation)
16
12/30
Quantum dots (oral presentation)
17
1/6
Group term project presentation
18
1/13
Final Exam (take home for 24 hours)
Textbook and references
Textbook
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References
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Wiesner & Bottero, 2007. Environmental
Nanotechnology. McGraw Hill Companies, New York,
NY. (Not required)
Course pack (handouts)
Course slides (on-line available with password)
Current journal articles (on-line available through
http://lib.nchu.edu.tw )
For lecturing slides, please refer to
http://web.nchu.edu.tw/pweb/users/shucc
Office hours and others
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Office hours:
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Thursday: 12pm (noon) ~ 1pm
Other time: by appointment
Lab tour: electron microscope lab in
NCHU (TBA)
Introduction to this course:
“Nanotechnology and
Environmental Protection”
Shu-Chi Chang, Ph.D., P.E., P.A.
Assistant Professor1 and Division Chief2
1Department of Environmental Engineering
2Division of Occupational Safety and Health,
Center for Environmental Protection and Occupational Safety and Health
National Chung Hsing University
9/16/2008
Outline
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What is nanotechnology
What is environmental protection
The interface between nanotechnology and
environmental protection
Environmental applications of nanotech
Environmental impacts of nanotech
A hands-on preparation on nanostructured
surface
Summary
What is nanotehnology？
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Dimension < 100 nm
Dr. Feynman’s talk on nanotechnology
Dr. Drexler’s book: “Nanosystems”
Dr. Smalley’s Fullerene and Nano-energy
There’s plenty of room at the bottom
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The beginning of nanotehnology:
Dr. Feynman’s talk --“What I
want to talk about is the
problem of manipulating and
controlling things on a small
scale.” (12/29/1959 at Caltech)
Questions:
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Why cannot we write the entire 24
volumes of the Encyclopedia
Brittanica on the head of a pin?
(write and read)
Physical way to chemical synthesis
Learn from and incorporate with
biological entities
http://www.zyvex.com/nanotech/feynman.html
There’s plenty of room at the bottom
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Other possibilities
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Stored in 555 atoms as a bit as DNA stored
one bit in about 50 atoms
Better electron microscope with resolution at
<0.1nm to see single atom
Tiny robots to do what we want them to do
Making computer with line width at around
40nm. How about chemical vapor deposition
(CVD)?
Lubrication of tiny cars as small as 0.5mm
Swallow the surgeon into your body
Nano mass production
Bottom-up synthesis -> LED light
Quantum dots?
There’s plenty of room at the bottom
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Two high school prizes
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$1,000 to the first guy who can take the
information on the page of a book and put it
on an area 1/25,000 smaller in linear scale in
such manner that it can be read by an
electron microscope.
another $1,000 to the first guy who makes
an operating electric motor---a rotating
electric motor which can be controlled from
the outside and, not counting the lead-in
wires, is only 1/64 inch cube.
http://www.zyvex.com/nanotech/feynman.html
Overview (Cont’d)
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Who is Dr. Feynman?
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Awards
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Noble Prize Winner in 1965
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Albert Einstein Award (1954, Princeton)
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Lawrence Award (1962).
Distinguished achievements in Quantum
Electrodynamics
His research question actually started from his
undergraduate study in MIT.
Very good at making complex things simple and
popularize science to common audience.
http://www.zyvex.com/nanotech/feynman.html
Drexler’s Nanosystems
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Nanosystems: Molecular Machinery, Manufacturing, and Computation
Contents
Preface
Chapter 1. Introduction and Overview
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PART I. PHYSICAL PRINCIPLES
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Chapter 2. Classical Magnitudes and Scaling Laws
Chapter 3. Potential Energy Surfaces
Chapter 4. Molecular Dynamics
Chapter 5. Positional Uncertainty
Chapter 6. Transitions, Errors, and Damage
Chapter 7. Energy Dissipation
Chapter 8. Mechanosynthesis
PART II. COMPONENTS AND SYSTEMS
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Chapter 9. Nanoscale Structural Components
Chapter 10. Mobile Interfaces and Moving Parts
Chapter 11. Intermediate Subsystems
Chapter 12. Nanomechanical Computational
Systems
Chapter 13. Molecular Sorting, Processing,
and Assembly
Chapter 14. Molecular Manufacturing Systems
PART III. IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGIES
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Chapter 15. Macromolecular Engineering
Chapter 16. Paths to Molecular
Manufacturing
Molecular machinery (1)
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A pump selective
for neon
http://www.ipt.arc.nasa.gov/gallery.html
Institute for Molecular Manufacturing (www.imm.org).
Molecular machinery (2)
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A Molecular
Differential Gear
Institute for Molecular Manufacturing (www.imm.org).
Molecular machinery (3)
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A Fine-Motion
Controller for
Molecular
Assembly
Institute for Molecular Manufacturing (www.imm.org).
Motion of bacterial flagellum
Dr. Smalley’s argument
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The scientist first
synthesized fullerene, C60.
Drexler's work on
nanotechnology was
criticized as naive by
Nobel Prize winner Richard
Smalley in a 2001
Scientific American article
Nobel laureate in 1996
Died at 62 years old in
2005.
Growth of nanotechnology
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Nanotech is selling
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Intel is shipping <100 nm line-width CPU
chips
Hard drives
LED-based traffic signals
CD players
Low-friction coating
A irritating news about C60
Growth of nanotechnology
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Fear: this tech has been
growing too fast.
Size matters
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Surface atoms dominate
Optical behavior and
chemical reactivity
NNI quadrupled its budget
on nanotech since 2000.
Nanotech economy -> 1
trillion in 2012
Growth of nanotechnology
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Repeat of asbestos nightmare
Environmental toxicity?
C60 may be very good solar cell substrate and may
also convert oxygen and others into radicals
More and more evidences showed that nanomaterials
do show high toxicity to some animals and human
cells
Funding situation
Predictive models are not adequate
Labeling on products
Environmental protection
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Environmental health as endpoint
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Human health
Ecosystem health
Areas
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Toxicology: human body
Surface water: waste water and drinking water
Air: dispersion and deposition
Soil: vadose zone
Groundwater: aquifer, saturated with water
Interface
Air
Soil
Nanotechnology
Groundwater
Surface
water
Environmental applications
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Adsorption
Membrane processes
Groundwater remediation
Nanoenergy
Biosensors
Micro- and nano-fluidics
Nanoemulsion and nanosensor
Adsorption
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Basic principles
Nanoparticles offer >100m2/g specific surface area
Superparamagnetism for magnetically assisted
chemical separation (MACS)
Membrane processes
Groundwater remediation
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Zero valent iron
Biogenic iron oxide
Iron oxide synthesized
in solution phase
Nanoenergy
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Reactive oxygen species
Solar cells
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Generate hydrogen from
water by using nanoparticles
ROS production by fullerene
Biosensors
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Thin film (monolayer)
Micro-cantilever
Magnetic nanoparticles
Quantum dots
Nanowire
Hydro-gel
Biofunctionalized
nanoparticels
Components and total
analysis system
Microscopes
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Light microscope
Electron microscope
www.icob.sinica.edu.tw/pubweb/facility.htm
Image Courtesy: Scott Robinson, ITG - Beckman Institute
Nanoemulsion
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Novel industrial fluids
Drug delivery
Nanoemulsion vaccine
Nanoemulsion on tumor
cells
Cosmetics
Remediation
Heat conductor
Microreactor for
nanomaterial synthesis
Novel industrial fluids
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Hypothesis
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Metastability
Ostwald ripening
Biodegradability at different ranges
of droplet sizes
Size matters
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Better stability -> longer shelf life
Low turbidity -> easier optical
detection
Smaller size -> higher frequency of
collision-> may also have higher
fusion rate
Drug delivery
Nanoemulsion vaccine
Nanoemulsion on tumor cells
Cosmetics
Remediation
Heat conductor
Make your own nanosurface
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Materials
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A
A
A
A
paper cup
small amount of water
lighter
candle
Steps
Observation
The nanosurface image
Most of the soot particles’ diameters range from 100 to 200 nm
Nanostructure on lotus leaf
upload.wikimedia.org
http://www.informaworld.com/
Self-cleaning materials
http://www.sciam.com/article.cfm?id=self-cleaning-materials
Conclusions
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Nanotechnology is growing fast
Funding in environmental impacts and toxicity is still
low comparing with funding to nanotech development
There are great potentials for environmental
engineering application and cleaner energy generation