The World Health Organization in 2004 estimated approximately 1.1 billion people did not have access to clean water and that 35% of Third World residents died from water-borne illnesses. While the situation is grim, recent advances strongly indicate that many of the current water quality problems can be addresses - and potentially resolved - using nanotechnology.
Nanotechnology is already having a dramatic impact on research in water quality and Nanotechnology Applications for Clean Water highlights both the challenges and the opportunities for nanotechnology to positively influence this area of environmental protection.
Here you will find detailed information on breakthroughs, cutting edge technologies, current research, and future trends that may affect acceptance of widespread applications. The first four parts of the book cover specific topics including using nanotechnology for clean drinking water in both large scale water treatment plants and in point-of-use systems. For instance, recent advances show that many of the current problems involving water quality can be addressed using nanosorbents, nanocatalysts, bioactive nanoparticles, nanostructured catalytic membranes, and nanoparticle enhanced filtration. The book also discusses existing technologies and future potential for groundwater remediation, pollution prevention, and sensors. The final part discusses the inherent societal implications that may affect acceptance of widespread applications.
Over 80 leading experts from around the world share their wealth of knowledge in this truly unique reference. Institutions such as Center for the Purification of Water and Systems (Univ. of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign); UCLA Water Technology Center; Carnegie Mellon University, University of Kentucky; The University of Western Ontario; Pacific Northwest National Laboratory; National Institute for Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (Japan), Munasinghe Institute for Development (Sri Lanka) and the Woodrow Wilson Center for Scholars are just a few of the knowledge centers represented in this book.
Water quality is a serious, global issue in which government bodies and scientific communities face many challenges in ensuring clean water is available to everyone. Nanotechnology is already showing dramatic results, and this book is an attempt to share current technologies and future possibilities in reaching this goal.
From the Foreword:
"Researchers and practitioners may find in this volume, key challenges regarding clean water resources. The presentations may crystallize new research and education programs."
- Mihail Roco, U.S. National Science Foundation and U.S. Nanotechnology Initiative
Contributors from the US, India, Canada, Japan, UK, Sri Lanka, and South Africa
Provides detailed information on breakthroughs, cutting edge technologies, current research, and future trends that may affect acceptance of widespread applications
Covers specific topics including using nanotechnology for clean drinking water in both large scale water treatment plants and in point-of-use systems.
Discusses existing technologies and future potential for groundwater remediation, pollution prevention, and sensors
Highlights both the challenges and the opportunities for nanotechnology to positively influence this area of environmental protection."

Life-cycle analyses (LCA), vital in detailing the range of a technology's effects upon the environment and human health, afford us solid information for judiciously selecting those that provide the least damage. This book bring us a major step forward in generating well-balanced, accurate assessments of the environmental impacts of new energy conversion and storage technologies. It presents information on the life cycle of photovoltaics. Since this technology is rapidly evolving, periodic updates are essential for ensuring well-balanced comparisons with other technologies. It also focuses on nanomaterial-based technologies for energy storage and includes comprehensive overviews on the use of nanostructured materials in hydrogen storage, environmental issues related to such storage, and descriptions of new nanoscale systems for energy storage and offers interesting new energy storage technologies. The book also features LCA methodologies applicable to energy-systems analysis, detailing ways of quantifying land use and suggesting applicable metrics.

Nanotechnology is already having a dramatic impact on improving water quality and the second edition of "Nanotechnology Applications for Clean Water" highlights both the challenges and the opportunities for nanotechnology to positively influence this area of environmental protection. This book presents detailed information on cutting-edge technologies, current research, and trends that may impact the success and uptake of the applications.

Recent advances show that many of the current problems with water quality can be addressed using nanosorbents, nanocatalysts, bioactive nanoparticles, nanostructured catalytic membranes, and nanoparticle enhanced filtration. The book describes these technologies in detail and demonstrates how they can provide clean drinking water in both large scale water treatment plants and in point-of-use systems. In addition, the book addresses the societal factors that may affect widespread acceptance of the applications.

Sections are also featured oncarbon nanotube arrays and graphene-based sensors forcontaminant sensing, nanostructured membranes for water purification, and multifunctional materials incarbon microspheresfor the remediation of chlorinated hydrocarbons.
Addresses both the technological aspects of delivering clean water supplies and the societal implications that affect take-upDetails how the technologies are applied in large-scale water treatment plants and in point-of-use systemsHighlights challenges and the opportunities for nanotechnology to positively influence this area of environmental protection"

Traditional Life Cycle Analysis (LCA) methodologies affect the public health and environmental impacts from a material, product, process or activity. The authors of this book suggest that a more holistic approach that incorporates societal and behavioral dimensions will create better results. They discuss how to develop an adaptive framework that would include a wider range of perspectives and disciplines. The book will also include discussions about "Technological Black Swans," trading zones, ethics, behavioral nanotechnology, governance, risk, green design, tools for practitioners, and conclude with a chapter presenting a "strategic outlook."

This book contains fascinating vignettes depicting future societies and the implications which increasing technological change has on society and the environment. The topics discussed include nanotechnology, medicine, computational science, biotechnology, synthetic biology, and cognitive technology, among others in science. In addition, social norms, attitudes, and policy are also featured. The upshot of this combination is an entertaining, educational, and thought-provoking volume. The glimpses into future societies subsequent to the introduction and incorporation of various emerging technologies depict scenarios of how we view ourselves, how we view others, how we are viewed by others, how our surroundings are viewed, how our leaders and political structures are viewed, what our social and behavioral norms are, what our temperament/mood is, and so forth. The introduction features a focused discourse on current trends of the impacts of emerging technologies and the conclusion highlights where society should go from here.