Vidic 2:00
Group R13
NANOCOMPOSITE MEMBRANES:
ETHICS AND EDUCATION
Benjamin Zimmerman (bmz13@pitt.edu)
These molecules are then pushed through the pores of a
semi-permeable membrane [5]. Once this process is
complete, the water is clean and drinkable. This process is
not the most efficient, however. The separated ions and
bacteria clog the dense polymer film that divides the water
molecules from these ions and bacteria. Consequently,
reverse osmosis requires a great amount of pressure and
therefore energy to produce drinkable water. I believe
producing freshwater is needed via reverse osmosis, but in a
more efficient process via nanocomposite membranes.
ETHICALLY NAVIGATING THROUGH THE
PERMEABLE FILM
Without water our population and living earth would perish
and die. Every hour, engineers are investigating new and
economical
methods in solving earth’s challenge of
accessing clean, drinkable water. The National Academy of
Engineering recognizes 14 Grand Challenges for engineers
to confront in the 21st century; of these, I believe that
affordable—“believed to be within one's financial means” or
to obtain easily[1]—access to clean, drinkable water is of
paramount importance [2]. The ability to generate clean
water, through reverse osmosis, is one way of ensuring
clean, drinkable water. This method, I believe, improves the
world’s ability to access clean water easily. However, within
reverse osmosis, I strongly see the need to adopt and use the
affordable UCLA-developed thin film nanocomposite
membranes. Reverse osmosis membrane technology has
been around for the past 50 years, but this method requires
high energy consumption and costs [3]. The integration of
nanocomposite membranes with reverse osmosis that UCLA
has developed provides cutting edge technology that can
produce clean water affordably. Moreover, UCLA has made
good on its challenge to bring to the world's attention our
need to implement this new method of desalinating our
water supplies more economically, not only for the world’s
population, but also for the world’s natural habitats.
UCLA’s engineering achievement brings with it, like any
engineering achievement would, the issue of ethics – “that
branch of philosophy dealing with values relating to human
conduct, with respect to the rightness and wrongness of
certain actions”[4]. Ethical issues that involve developing
clean, affordable water via nanocomposite membranes are
most notably the safety and welfare of humans, the health of
the environment, the integrity of the technology, and the
manner in which the achievement is communicated
publically.
Over the past six weeks, I have researched and wrote
about nanocomposite membranes and how they can help to
overcome the grand challenge of accessing clean water.
Further, I have discussed the ethics involving this particular
achievement. In doing so, I have gained knowledge,
invaluable insight, and a taste of what life will be like as an
engineer.
NANOCOMPOSITE MEMBRANES
Using new nanocomposite membrane polymer film and
nanocarbon tubes created by Eric Hoek and his team at
UCLA reduces clogging problems and repels organics and
bacteria [5]. The water molecules soak up like a sponge and
actually repel other impurities during this new process [6].
Located within the thin film, nanocarbon tubes “about 100
times as strong as steel and 50,000 times as thin as a human
hair,” [7] use their extraordinary filtering abilities to filter
the water molecules from the rest of the solution [8].
Reducing clogging lowers the pressure and energy within
the reverse osmosis process. I find this new membrane to be
the method that every desalination plant needs to invest in in
order to save money. This cutting edge, affordable method
of desalinating water, will benefit third world countries, our
habitat, and the overall well-being of this earth. Water is the
basic necessity of all life on this earth. Consequently,
ensuring its distribution and availability in affordable ways
to places in need, such as third world countries, will
undoubtedly save human lives.
NO TIME TO WASTE
The new reverse osmosis nanotechnology uses less energy to
pressurize water molecules into clean drinking water. This
innovative technology, with all its economic and health
benefits, must be adopted by the world. The longer we wait
the more we put earth’s inhabitants in danger. As Einstein
once said, “Doing the same thing again and again and
expecting a different outcome is the definition of insanity.”
We need to take full advantage of this economically
beneficial process and when doing so, we must consider all
ethical codes of engineering.
CLEAN, AFFORDABLE AND ETHICAL WATER
REVERSE OSMOSIS
We now have efficient ways of producing clean, affordable
water. Of course water is not something described as ethical,
but the way in which it is engineered and developed from
Using high pressure, the process of reverse osmosis
separates water molecules from brackish or saline water.
University of Pittsburgh
Swanson School of Engineering
November 1, 2011
1
Benjamin Zimmerman
must be issued “in an object and truthful manner”[9][10].
When judging something as ethical, one is usually talking
about its morals and lying is thought of by most as immoral.
Therefore, to lie about the achievement with nanocomposite
membranes would be unethical and result in a failure to
folow the code of ethics. Many repercussions could
potentially result in a failure to follow the codes of ethics
NSPE and ASCE have set out for engineers. I have
researched online, in articles, in journals the achievement
and development of nanocomposite membranes. Further, I
have explained and shared it with you, the reader. If
UCLA’s developments were false or issued incorrectly,
myself and others who have studied and shared the
innovation of nanocomposite membranes are now
reproducing false information. This unethical action can
cause a lot of damage to a company and its reuputation. An
ethical code to be followed must be the publication of
acheivements for its values to individuals on any level can
be valuable, most notably to individuals who are studying to
be engineers.
start to finished product is an ethical issue worth discussing.
The National Society of Professional Engineers and the
American Society of Civil Engineers are important
organizations who have developed sets of ethical codes that
engineers must abide by and follow. The significance of
these codes is that they can and should be applied to any
engineering achievement to ensure the ethics of that specific
achievement which in this case is nanocomposite
membranes. Specifically, The NSPE (National Society of
Professional Engineers) and the ASCE (American Society of
Civil Engineers) both emphasize the importance of “safety,
health, and welfare of the public” [9][10]. The engineers
working on the nanocomposite membranes need to be fully
qualified to do so and must take credit for exactly only the
achievement they have taken part it [9]. Furthermore, the
NSPE and ASCE in Canon 3 describe how an achievement
like nanocomposite membranes must be reported objectively
and truthfully [9][10].
SAFETY, HEALTH, WELFARE
To survive, humans need clean, drinkable water. Ensuring
that water is safe to drink and to produce from this new
process must be considered on an ethical level. The code
from the NSPE and ASCE that deals with the safety, health
and welfare of the public can clearly guide engineers to
making ethical decisions. Engineers, during the process of
reverse osmosis via nanocomposite membranes, must ensure
the process’s success. Moreover, engineers working with the
nanocomposite membrane process must regulate the effect
producing this clean water has on the environment. This
process requires energy causing carbon dioxide emission
into the atmosphere [11]. Producing safe drinking water in a
regulated, eco-friendly manner is the ethical decision
essential for engineers to make according to the code of
ethics. If the code of ethics involving safety, health, and
welfare of the public were to be broken, lives would be in
danger and even lost. Also, if the reverse osmosis process
involving nanocomposite membranes were to be regulated
improperly, the amount of carbon dioxide emitted into the
air could have serious environmental damages to not only
humans but also nature and its habitats.
EXPERIENCE AND KNOWLEDGE TO LAST A
LIFETIME
I have learned a great deal of information over six weeks of
researching and writing about nanocomposite membranes
and their benefits. Undoubtedly, the combination of
researching and writing about nanocomposite membranes
and their use in reverse osmosis to develop clean water is an
invaluable knowledge I would never have come across
without this assignment. When integrating the ethical
component into the third writing assignment, I learned a
great deal about the ethical codes of engineering and how
they pertain to nancomposite membranes. All of this new
knowledge and the experience itself is definitely worth
doing because it increases my knowledge in a specific area
of engineering acheivement while enhancing my writing
skills, research skills, and time management skills.
VALUE OF KNOWLEDGE OF THE ENGINEERING GRAND
CHALLENGES
The educational value of learning about this new innovative
process should not be overlooked. The fact is, this process
deals with sustaining, improving, and prolonging life for all
individuals, present and future. Learning about something
such as this is essential and worthwhile because engineers
will be dealing with these type of goals for the rest of their
careers. Not only is learning about a specific engineering
acheivement such as nanocomposite membranes and their
benefits towards society
important for freshman
engineering, but the connection an engineering acheivement
has to ethics and a specific achievement is also vital for new
freshman engineers to become familiar with.
AN HONEST ACHIEVEMENT AND REPORT
According to the codes of ethics, an engineer working on a
project must be qualified for that specific project [9]. The
engineers who work on the nanocomposite membranes must
be qualified to carry out any actions or processes required to
make the membranes. Their qualification partially
safeguards the claim of safe, affordable drinking water. To
fully safeguard the fact that UCLA and its engineers have
discovered a new way to affordably access clean water, their
acheivement must be publically exposed in an objective,
truthful fashion [9]. It is encouraged by the NSPE and ASCE
that UCLA publish their development of nanocomposite
membranes, but the codes of ethics state the achievement
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Benjamin Zimmerman
[10] (2011) “Code of Ethics.” ASCE. [Online article]. Available:
http://www.asce.org/Leadership-and-Management/Ethics/Code-of-Ethics/
[11] B. Palmer. (2011, Jan. 11). “A Glass of Seawater. Hold the Salt.” Slate.
[Online
article].
Available:
http://www.slate.com/articles/health_and_science/the_green_lantern/2011/0
1/a_glass_of_seawater_hold_the_salt.html
VALUE OF ETHICS
I learned the codes of ethics when researching and writing
for these past two assignments. The specific ones I utilized
in my paper include—the safety and health of the public
being taken into account when using nanocomposite
membranes to develope clean affordable water and—
acheivements and new technology must be issued truthfully
and subjectively. The safety of yourself, your peers, and
humans in general is essential in sustaining life. Acting in a
professional, honest manner can serve one’s life a multitude
of good and success without encountering fraud or
dishonesty. On a profound level, learning these codes as a
freshman engineer has provided me with lessons that will
last me a lifetime as an engineer and a person. That in itself
makes this project valuable.
ADDITIONAL SOURCES
B. Amadei. (2004). “Engineering for the Developing World.” Engineering
for
the
Developing
World.
[Online:
Web
site].
http://www.engineeringchallenges.org/cms/7126/7356.aspx
B. Jesiek, M. Borrego, K. Beddoes. (2011, May 1) “Advancing global
capacity for engineering education research: relating research to practice,
policy and industry.” European Journal of Engineering Education. [Online
pdf]
Available:
http://web.ebscohost.com/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?vid=4&hid=123&sid
=483e96fc-d58d-4ca2-8680-ca8ef4452fa2%40sessionmgr110
(2011, Oct. 25) “Ethics.” NSPE. [Online article] Available:
http://www.nspe.org/Ethics/index.html
THE ETHICS OF NANOCOMPOSITE MEMBRANES:
THE EXPERIENCE
G. Eherenman. (Oct. 2004). “From Sea to Sink: Desalinating Salt Water.”
ASME. [Online article]. Available: http://www.asme.org/kb/news--articles/articles/sustainability/from-sea-to-sink--desalinating-salt-water
“Global Challenges/Chemistry Solutions Water Desalination: Freshwater
from the Sea.” ACS. [Online Word Document]. Available:
http://search.acs.org/search?q=desalination%20membrane&client=acs_r2&
output=xml_no_dtd&proxystylesheet=acs_r2&sort=date%3AD%3AL%3A
d1&entqr=3&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF8&ud=1&site=acs&partialfields=&as_filetype=&as_ft=i&filter=p
“Grand Challenges for Engineering.” National Academy of Engineering of
the
National
Academies.[Online
Video].
Available:
http://www.engineeringchallenges.org/
(2011). “How much water is there on Earth?” Howstuffworks: A Discovery
Company.
[Online
article].
p.
1.
Available:
http://science.howstuffworks.com/environmental/earth/geophysics/question
157.htm
(2007, May 15) “Interfacial polymerization of thin film nanocomposites: A
new concept for reverse osmosis membranes.” ScienceDirect. [Online
article].
pp.
1-7.
Available:
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0376738807001251
“Nano filtration and Reverse Osmosis.” Water Treatment Solutions
Lenntech.
[Online:
Web
site].
Available:
http://www.lenntech.com/nanofiltration-and-rosmosis.htm
(2010). “NanoClear.” Dais Analytic Corp. [Online Web Site]. Available:
http://www.daisanalytic.com/applications/nanoclear.html
(2009, Aug. 24). “Nanotechnology speeds desalination.” Nanowerk
Nanotechnology
News.
[Online
article].
Available:
http://www.nanowerk.com/news/newsid=12278.php
(2010) “Provide Access to Clean Water.” National Academy of Engineering
Grand
Challenges
For
Engineering.
[Online].
Available:
http://www.engineeringchallenges.org/cms/8996/9142.aspx
(2011, Oct. 3). “Research and Markets: Nanotechnology Applications for
Clean Water – Solutions for Improving Water Quality.” Business Wire.
[Online
article].
Available:
http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0EIN/is_20110609/ai_n57640043/?ta
g=rel.res3
(2010, Oct. 13) “Tailoring the Structure of Thin Film Nanocomposite
Membranes to Achieve Seawater RO Membrane Performance.”
Environmental Science & Technology. [Online article] pp. 8230-8235.
Available:
http://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/es101569p?journalCode=esthag&quick
LinkVolume=44&quickLinkPage=8230&volume=44
(2009). “The 10 Poorest Countries Of The World | World Poverty.”
Hottnez: Travel Around the World. [Online article]. Available:
http://www.hottnez.com/the-10-poorest-countries-of-the-world/
W. Kromhout. (2010, Apr. 5). “Hold the salt: UCLA engineers develop
revolutionary new desalination membrane.” UCLA Engineering: Henry
Samueli School of Engineering and Applied Science. [Online article].
Available:
http://www.engineer.ucla.edu/newsroom/featured-
Our generation needs to take action with Earth’s clean water
shortage; clean water needs to be accessible in affordable
ways, not be a privilege to those who can afford it. Adopting
nanocomposite membranes as the new way to desalinate
water will make this affordable convenience possible.
Ensuring its implementation in ethical ways is of vital
importance for this basic necessity to human life. With
ethical consideration, we need this generation to take action
for the preservation and fair distribution of this basic
necessity. The world needs a positive outcome via an
efficient, ethical method. Using nanocomposite membranes
in reverse osmosis is the answer.
REFERENCES
[1] “Affordable.” Dictionary.com. [Online dictionary]. Available:
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/affordable
[2] 2008, Feb. “Introduction to the Grand Challenges for Engineering.”
National Academy of Engineering Grand Challenges for Engineering.
[Online:
Web
site].
Available:
http://www.engineeringchallenges.org/cms/8996/9221.aspx
[3] E. Hoek “Thin Film Nanocomposites: A New Concept for Reverse
Osmosis.” California NanoSystems Institute. [Online article]. Available:
http://www1.cnsi.ucla.edu/arr/paper?paper_id=184057
[4]
“Ethics.”
Dictionary.com
[Online
Article].
Available:
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/ethics
[5] (2006, Nov. 6). “Engineers develop revolutionary nanotech water
desalination membrane.” Psychorg: Nanotechnology. [Online article].
Available: http://www.physorg.com/news82047372.html
[6] (2006, Nov. 6). “Nanotechnology for Robust Reverse Osmosis
Production of Freshwater.” Al Fin. [Online article]. Available:
http://alfin2100.blogspot.com/2006/11/nanotechnology-for-robustreverse.html
[7] (2000, June 19). “What is Nanotechnology?” Time Magazine U.S.
[Online
article].
Available:
http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,997270,00.html
[8] (2008, June) “Provide access to clean water.” National Academy of
Engineering of the National Academies.[Online: Web site].
http://www.engineeringchallenges.org/cms/8996/9142.aspx
[9] (2011, Oct. 25) “NSPE Code of Ethics for Engineers.” NSPE. [Online
pdf]. Available: http://www.nspe.org/Ethics/CodeofEthics/index.html
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Benjamin Zimmerman
news/archive/2010/hold-the-salt-ucla-engineers-develop-revolutionary-newdesalination-membrane
“WATER AND AGRICUlTURE… THE BIG CONNECTION.” APEC.
[Online
article].
Available:
http://www.freedrinkingwater.com/water_quality/quality1/1-wateragriculture-big-connection.htm
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
I would personally like to acknowledge and thank Tom
McWhorter and Renee Prymus, from the writing center, who
both provided useful advice with the content and specificity
of the project. I would also like to thank Deb Galle, Hans
Mattingly, and Beth Newborg who provided insight on how
to set up the paper. Beth Newborg also aided in the
understanding of the project and its requirements.
4