Toxic removal

Tiny particles of pure silica coated with an active material could be used to remove toxic chemicals, bacteria and viruses from water much more effectively and at a lower cost than conventional water purification methods, according to Australian researchers.

The availability of drinking quality water is fast becoming a major issue across the globe, especially in the developing world. However, water purification technology is often complicated, requires sophisticated equipment and is expensive to run and maintain. Moreover, it usually requires a final costly disinfection stage.

Now, Peter Majewski and Chiu Ping Chan of the Ian Wark Research Institute at the University of South Australia, suggest that nanotechnology could provide a simple answer to the problem.

The researchers developed silica particles coated with a nanometre-thin layer of active material based on a hydrocarbon with a silicon-containing anchor. The coating itself was formed through a chemical self-assembly process so involved nothing more than stirring the ingredients to make the active particles.