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Researchers at Tecnalia recently published a study
in the prestigious science magazine, Applied
Catalysis B: Environmental , which reveals the
emission of nanomaterials caused by water runoff on
surfaces containing nanomaterials. These surface
treatments are employed in numerous consumption and
construction products, so evidences of the presence
of engineered nanomaterials are beginning to appear
in the environment. Concerns about their toxicity
for human or the environment rose in the last years,
so further studies are required.
The results indicate that all the surface treatments
analyzed in this work suffered from a loss of
nanomaterials and properties in the surface
treatments. That is why TECNALIA has created a
highly specialized technological service which can
be adapted to the needs of any company dedicated to
surface treatment with nanomaterials who wish to
optimize the development of their products,
acquiring specific knowledge about the behavior of
their products under real operational conditions
and/or estimate the loss of functionality and
emissions of nanomaterials to the environment.
The research entitled “Aging of photocatalytic
coatings under a water flow: Long run performance
and TiO2 nanoparticles release” focuses on one of
the most successful applications of nanomaterials:
photocatalytic surface treatments with titanium
dioxide nanoparticles.
These nanoparticles, when illuminated with
ultraviolet light, are capable of degrading organic
material present, including contaminants which can
be found in water and air. Thanks to this property
and the hydrophobicity which these surface
treatments provide the surfaces, they are often
applied to certain paints, decontaminant pavements
or, still in the experimental stage, water and air
treatment systems.
For more information
http://www.journals.elsevier.com/applied-catalysis-b-environmental/
http://www.tecnalia.com/
(MDN)
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