Magnetite Nanoparticles for Enhanced Environmental Remediation

Luna Innovations proposes to develop commercial-scale suspension of nano-scale magnetite (Fe3O4) particles for remediation of contaminated groundwater. Magnetite nanoparticles are ubiquitous in the environment and can be found in weathered clays and soils, in atmospheric aeroslos, and in recently deposited marine and reshwater sediments. Preliminary studies conducted by the research team indicate that as a result of their smaller size, the reductive capacity of Fe3O4 nanoparticles is potentially considerabley higher than that of an equal mass of larger sized particles. Recently, it has been shown that nanoscale iron can be used to reduce a wide variety of contaminants prioritized for remdiation by federal agencies such as EPA, DOE and DOD. These contaminants include chlorinated ethylenes, hexavalent chromium and perchlorate. Reaction rates reported for nanoparticlate iron are typically 2-3 fold greaterthan those for granular irons (diameter =1-2 mm), This disparity may be the result of size-mediated changes in surfact reactivity. During Phase I, the reactivity of magnetite nanoparticles towards a model contaminant,carbon tetrachloride (CT), will be examined as a function of particle diameter. We hypothesize that as a direct result of their size, magnetite nanoparticles will exhibit reactivity that differs significantly form that of larger (> 100nm diameter) bulk particles. We attest that the potential importance of these particle as reductive components in anoxic subsurface environments has been under recognized and that a detailed analysis of the activity of these particles is warranted. These hypotheses will be tested by carefully synthesizing nonodisperse suspension fo Fe3O4 under anoxic conditions and then by characterizing the reactivity of these suspensiong towards CT. Finally, the team will leverage Luna's extensive experience in nanomaterials development and manufacturing to refine the application of the nanoparticles for environmental remediation and to optimize the production process for commercial scale-up and field application during Phase II. Luna will market the proposed technology to leaders in the field of environmental remediation, who are continuously seeking advanced tools to cost-effeciently expedite remediation of recalcitrant environmental contaminants. The overall global remediaton market is currently estiated at $8-20 billion annually. In the U.S.,procurement by the federal goivernment plays a critical role in the remediation market segment. With more than 200,000 contaminated sites remaing to be cleanes, and some estimateds pushing that total to more than 500,000, the markect for remediation o U.S. sites alone may exceed $200 billion (u.S.) dollars.