Carbon nanostructures have the potential to be used as a new form of water purification. A team of researches out of the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay have shown the potential to clean out Mercury, Cadmium, and Chromium ions safely from drinking water.
Source: Moronshing et al.
The study, which came out at the end of December 2019, shows that three-dimensional nanostructured carbon florets (NCFs) are tightly packed enough to inhibit heavy metal ions such as Hg2+ and Cd2+ from passing through, while allowing the much smaller H2O molecules to pass though easily. This material is particularly good at adsorbing out multiple heavy metal ions simultaneously, making it uniquely qualified for practical use in water filtration systems.
Source: Moronshing et al. (adapted).
Source: Moronshing et al. (adapted)
Ease of Implementation
The most interesting aspect of this discovery how easy it is to use. No energy is required to enable these filters, the water source simply passes through and between 80% to 90% of the ions are instantly trapped. The study further shows that NCFs are easy to reclaim after use and have long lifespans. These structures, while being nanostructures, act very simply as a filter for harmful meta ions.
Source: Moronshing et al. (adapted)
Furthermore, these NCFS work on a range of pH 2-13, with no significant drop across this large range. This means it can perform well on most all samples of water, and effectively decontaminate water safely. NCFs are also synthesized in a very simple fashion, requiring only minor modifications to an already common nanomaterial known as DFNS (dendritic fibrous nanosilica).
While there is certainly room for expansion into purification of other heavy metals that pollute water supplies, such as lead, this is a very promising step forwards!
-Griffin Bare
