I-Corps: Magnetic Nanoremediation of Crude Oil

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The broader impact/commercial potential of this I-Corps project comes from a nanotechnology-based platform developed for the treatment and clean-up (remediation) of contaminated land and water. The platform has the potential for use for a wide range of contaminants and has been demonstrated successfully for oil and metals. The platform is scalable in both synthesis and deployment, has a low environmental footprint, and it is flexible and cost-effective. Remediation of oil and metal pollution is an ongoing and critical concern for environmental and human health. This flexible platform has the potential to solve these challenges. Initial commercialization targets are the shipping, marine, and tourism sectors, This I-Corps project will determine potential use cases for safe polymer-coated and magnetic nanomaterials based on low-cost, easily available and low toxicity chemicals. Simple and rapid sorption reactions govern oil and metal removal, and the nanomaterials are protected from transformations long enough to effectively perform their function. Sorbed metal/oil is less toxic, and magnetic nanomaterials allow easy separation of sorbed pollutants from the environment. The platform can be used effectively in conjunction with bacterial bioremediation for in-situ use, in which the magnetic properties may not be needed, but the nanomaterials provide an easily assimilated carbon and limiting nutrient source to bacteria. The system would offer rapid reduction of toxicity via rapid degradation of oil and metal fixation.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.