BETHLEHEM, PA. — Using advanced imaging instruments, researchers at Lehigh University have tracked the evolution of nanoparticles as they remove contaminants in water, according to physorg.com.
The new insights could improve the efficiency and extend the applications of nanoparticles, the article stated.
Using scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) and X-ray energy dispersive spectroscopy (XEDS), the scientists were able to capture the structural changes that nanoparticles undergo as they react with pollutants, such as trichloroethylene (TCE).
The results of the study, published in Environmental Science and Technology, indicate that the nanoparticles’ abilities to remove toxins decrease as the particles age, according to the story.
“The traditional way of doing environmental research is to examine the contaminants in water to make sure they are wiped out,” said Weile Yan, a Ph.D. candidate in civil and environmental engineering. “We are taking a different approach by looking inside the treatment agent to see what happens to it and how remediation actually takes place.”
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