RAPID: Novel Functionalized Nanomaterials for Effective Remediation of Spilled Oil Contaminants in the Gulf of Mexico

RAPID：新型功能化纳米材料可有效修复墨西哥湾泄漏石油污染物

• 批准号: 1066649
• 负责人: Ashok Kumar
• 金额: $ 15万
• 依托单位: University of South Florida
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2011
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2011-05-01 至 2013-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1066649&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: RAPID; Novel; Functionalized; Nanomaterials; Effective

NON-TECHNICAL DESCRIPTION: This project uses novel materials to address an urgent need for de-contamination of petroleum products in the Gulf of Mexico. Petroleum is a mixture of several hydrocarbons, dissolved gas molecules, organic nitrogen compounds, organic oxygen compounds, organic heavy metallics, colloidal particles and several other products. A few volatile petroleum chemicals evaporate easily, while other chemical compounds that are easily dissolved in water remain for longer periods causing harm to all aquatic animals. So, keeping in view the complete remediation from organic contaminants arising due to the oil spill, this project investigates the integration of two novel materials such as bio-surfactants and photocatalysts for the removal of organic pollutants. The presence of the bio-surfactant will increase solubility of oils in water and could lead to higher oil degradation rates. The complete removal of organic compounds will be made possible by using a graphene-based photocatalyst nanomaterial. This de-contamination supports the cleaning of the organic products as well as organic-metals contaminants from sea water. This project also supports green technology because there are no residual products remaining in the sea water after the de-contamination process. More generally, this project stimulates students interest in de-contamination awareness and nanotechnology among the students interested in obtaining master?s and doctoral degrees on subjects related to both nanotechnology and remediation science. TECHNICAL DETAILS: After the catastrophic oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, de-contamination efforts include the removal of even trace molecules from petroleum products. This project works towards developing a better understanding of the complete remediation of all organic contaminants. It integrates two technologies for the removal of organic pollutants using the biosurfactant and photocatalysts-containing graphene (photocatalysts with large surface area nanoshells and graphene-doped photocatalyst with or without graphene) particles. The presence of biosurfactants could increase solubility of oils in water by leading to higher oil degradation rates, whereas the complete removal of organic compounds could be made possible by graphene-based photocatalyst nanomaterials. With funding from this Grant for Rapid Response Research (RAPID), investigators at University of South Florida, Nanotechnology Research and Educational Center (NREC) are examining the efficacy of removing oil products from sea water. This RAPID project is also examining methods and materials to clean organic products as well as organic-metal contaminants from sea water. The project is comparing de-contamination of water collected from different affected regions.

非技术描述：该项目使用新型材料来解决墨西哥湾石油产品净化的迫切需求。石油是多种碳氢化合物、溶解气体分子、有机氮化合物、有机氧化合物、有机重金属、胶体颗粒和多种其他产品的混合物。一些挥发性石油化学品很容易蒸发，而其他容易溶解在水中的化合物会保留较长时间，对所有水生动物造成伤害。因此，着眼于彻底修复因漏油而产生的有机污染物，该项目研究了生物表面活性剂和光催化剂两种新型材料的整合，以去除有机污染物。生物表面活性剂的存在将增加油在水中的溶解度，并可能导致更高的油降解率。通过使用基于石墨烯的光催化剂纳米材料，可以完全去除有机化合物。这种去污染支持清洁有机产品以及海水中的有机金属污染物。该项目还支持绿色技术，因为净化处理后的海水中没有残留产品。更广泛地说，该项目激发了有兴趣获得纳米技术和修复科学相关学科硕士和博士学位的学生对去污意识和纳米技术的兴趣。技术细节：墨西哥湾灾难性漏油事件后，去污工作包括去除石油产品中的微量分子。该项目致力于更好地了解所有有机污染物的彻底修复。它集成了两种去除有机污染物的技术，使用生物表面活性剂和含光催化剂的石墨烯（具有大表面积纳米壳的光催化剂和有或没有石墨烯的石墨烯掺杂光催化剂）颗粒。生物表面活性剂的存在可以通过导致更高的油降解率来增加油在水中的溶解度，而基于石墨烯的光催化剂纳米材料可以完全去除有机化合物。在快速反应研究补助金 (RAPID) 的资助下，南佛罗里达大学纳米技术研究和教育中心 (NREC) 的研究人员正在研究从海水中去除石油产品的功效。该 RAPID 项目还在研究清洁有机产品以及海水中有机金属污染物的方法和材料。该项目正在比较从不同受影响地区收集的水的净化情况。