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Nanotechnology research featured on BBC World Service

Published 20 December 2010

Research carried out at the University of Brighton on the environmental applications of nanotechnology will be featured on the BBC World Service on 22 December.

The 'Discovery' series programme will examine the rapidly developing fields of nanogeoscience and environmental nanotechnology, and will discuss work by the university's Nanoscience and Nanotechnology group on developing low-cost, non-toxic water and land clean-up methods based on nanoparticles – highly reactive particles a fraction of a millimetre in size.

The University of Brighton group is an international team of researchers which is working closely with industrial partners to develop and scale-up devices where iron, silver and other nanoparticles are embedded into polymer and carbon-based materials, and used as the basis of water filters, membranes and other clean-up devices.

Iron-polymer composite device, showing oxidised iron nano and micro-particles used to strip contaminants from water. Photo courtesy of Dr Irina Savina.

These devices will be used to target and remove problem water contaminants such as arsenic, mercury and emerging organic contaminants in developed and developing nations.

Dr Ray Whitby and Professor Andy Cundy noted that "these projects clearly show the value of academic - industry partnerships in helping to develop and shape new technologies and ensure their rapid translation into real environmentally beneficial products."

Discovery is transmitted on BBC World Service on Wednesday at 10:32, 15:32, 20:32, Thursday at 01:32 and Saturday at 13:32.

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