The role of nanotechnology in tackling global water challenges

Meagan S. Mauter; Ines Zucker; Francois Perreault; Jay R. Werber; Jae Hong Kim; Menachem Elimelech

doi:10.1038/s41893-018-0046-8

The role of nanotechnology in tackling global water challenges

Meagan S. Mauter, Ines Zucker, Francois Perreault, Jay R. Werber, Jae Hong Kim, Menachem Elimelech

Research output: Contribution to journal › Review article › peer-review

369 Scopus citations

Abstract

Sustainable provision of safe, clean and adequate water supply is a global challenge. Water treatment and desalination technologies remain chemically and energy intensive, ineffective in removing key trace contaminants, and poorly suited to deployment in decentralized (distributed) water treatment systems globally. Several recent efforts have sought to leverage the reactive and tunable properties of nanomaterials to address these technological shortcomings. This Review assesses the potential applications of nanomaterials in advancing sustainable water treatment systems and proposes ways to evaluate the environmental risks and social acceptance of nanotechnology-enabled water treatment processes. Future areas of research necessary to realize safe deployment of promising nanomaterial applications are also identified.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	166-175
Number of pages	10
Journal	Nature Sustainability
Volume	1
Issue number	4
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1038/s41893-018-0046-8
State	Published - Apr 1 2018

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Global and Planetary Change
Food Science
Geography, Planning and Development
Ecology
Renewable Energy, Sustainability and the Environment
Urban Studies
Nature and Landscape Conservation
Management, Monitoring, Policy and Law

Access to Document

10.1038/s41893-018-0046-8

Cite this

@article{3183997b47474c29951fb13f37a6e205,

title = "The role of nanotechnology in tackling global water challenges",

abstract = "Sustainable provision of safe, clean and adequate water supply is a global challenge. Water treatment and desalination technologies remain chemically and energy intensive, ineffective in removing key trace contaminants, and poorly suited to deployment in decentralized (distributed) water treatment systems globally. Several recent efforts have sought to leverage the reactive and tunable properties of nanomaterials to address these technological shortcomings. This Review assesses the potential applications of nanomaterials in advancing sustainable water treatment systems and proposes ways to evaluate the environmental risks and social acceptance of nanotechnology-enabled water treatment processes. Future areas of research necessary to realize safe deployment of promising nanomaterial applications are also identified.",

author = "Mauter, {Meagan S.} and Ines Zucker and Francois Perreault and Werber, {Jay R.} and Kim, {Jae Hong} and Menachem Elimelech",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2018 The Author(s).",

year = "2018",

month = apr,

day = "1",

doi = "10.1038/s41893-018-0046-8",

language = "English (US)",

volume = "1",

pages = "166--175",

journal = "Nature Sustainability",

issn = "2398-9629",

publisher = "Nature Publishing Group",

number = "4",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - The role of nanotechnology in tackling global water challenges

AU - Mauter, Meagan S.

AU - Zucker, Ines

AU - Perreault, Francois

AU - Werber, Jay R.

AU - Kim, Jae Hong

AU - Elimelech, Menachem

PY - 2018/4/1

Y1 - 2018/4/1

N2 - Sustainable provision of safe, clean and adequate water supply is a global challenge. Water treatment and desalination technologies remain chemically and energy intensive, ineffective in removing key trace contaminants, and poorly suited to deployment in decentralized (distributed) water treatment systems globally. Several recent efforts have sought to leverage the reactive and tunable properties of nanomaterials to address these technological shortcomings. This Review assesses the potential applications of nanomaterials in advancing sustainable water treatment systems and proposes ways to evaluate the environmental risks and social acceptance of nanotechnology-enabled water treatment processes. Future areas of research necessary to realize safe deployment of promising nanomaterial applications are also identified.

AB - Sustainable provision of safe, clean and adequate water supply is a global challenge. Water treatment and desalination technologies remain chemically and energy intensive, ineffective in removing key trace contaminants, and poorly suited to deployment in decentralized (distributed) water treatment systems globally. Several recent efforts have sought to leverage the reactive and tunable properties of nanomaterials to address these technological shortcomings. This Review assesses the potential applications of nanomaterials in advancing sustainable water treatment systems and proposes ways to evaluate the environmental risks and social acceptance of nanotechnology-enabled water treatment processes. Future areas of research necessary to realize safe deployment of promising nanomaterial applications are also identified.

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85049560042&partnerID=8YFLogxK

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=85049560042&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1038/s41893-018-0046-8

DO - 10.1038/s41893-018-0046-8

M3 - Review article

AN - SCOPUS:85049560042

SN - 2398-9629

VL - 1

SP - 166

EP - 175

JO - Nature Sustainability

JF - Nature Sustainability

IS - 4

ER -

The role of nanotechnology in tackling global water challenges

Abstract

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Access to Document

Other files and links

Fingerprint

Cite this