. . . and even if it were, then how long would it take for something like this to be viable?

Nanotchnology eliminating or reducing some pollution problems.

Emerging Environmental Issues - June 2006

Cleaning up water.

Technology Review: Cleaning Up Water with Nanomagnets

Cleaning up the ozone?


TOWARD REAL ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY BY MOLECULAR NANOTECHNOLOGY

There is a bunch of stuff on the internet about this, but honestly I don't understand how nanotechnology really works . . . or if it even could.

More . . .

The Weekly Green Planet: The Truthiness Of GREEN Nanotechnology

"And Engineers are trying to build a system to remove the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide from the atmosphere in an effort to reduce global warming. A research and development company called Global Research Technologies, LLC (GRT) and Klaus Lackner from Columbia University recently successfully demonstrated a device that captures carbon from the air."

Nanotechnology Cleans Up the Atmosphere | Nanotechnology Development Blog

"With all of the emphasis on the possible toxic effects of industrialized CO2 emissions, Nanotechnology is delivering solutions that enable businesses to create a cleaner environment. Nano-enabled devices will be able to detect and remove pollutants in the atmosphere, measured in the neighborhood of 3 parts per million. These pollutants not only include CO but also NO, NO2 and O3 as well."

1. I think this application, if at all possible, is quite a ways down the road.

2. If this were to emerge as a viable option I can only imagine the millions up millions of dollars lost from TSDFs let alone the changes this would have on everything from LDAR programs to EPA and State enviro regs.

3. Might there be some unforeseen effects from this application? Who knows.

HUGE changes if what is touted in the articles comes to pass.

__________________
He who makes a beast of himself gets rid of the pain of being a man.
Dr. Samuel Johnson

You first link doesn't seem to work....
Nanotechnology quite simply is designer molecular & atom work. Working on the Nano level to create specific molecular & atomic structures to do specific things.

My father in law works extensively with this stuff in Taiwan. I got in a big argument with him years ago because, well I was a dumbass & thought nanotechnology was about mini robots. Too much bad sci-fi

In reality it encompasses any type of technology work done on the nano level. Most commonly like in the articles postings you linked, towards designer molecules. Like for example buckyballs.

__________________
The crows seemed to be calling his name, thought Caw.
- Jack Handy

Just use baking soda!!!!

Baking soda could help save planet - CNN.com

Or Co2 making soda.

__________________
The crows seemed to be calling his name, thought Caw.
- Jack Handy

This is exciting and a possible answer to our forever mounting waste.

It will take decades if not centuries to work out the kinks. Foreinstance, magnetizing arsenic out of well water wont work until the source of the arsenic is discovered. It will just keep leaching in with new water.

But the imagination can go wild thinking of possible applications!

Wanna speed up the glacial meltdown? Use sodium acetate.

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THAT explains it!!!



Word of warning... I don't play well with others.

Present day environmental regs prohibit arsenic laden waste being sent off-site from RCRA regulated facilities. D004 (arsenic) is regulated at 5 mg/ml and usually tested by means of state certified labs via TCLP methods. This test is just as the acronym suggests, testing for leachablity of all tested toxins.

Speaking of decades and centuries, do you think that perhaps arsenic or other listed RCRA haz waste streams come primarily from historical practices rather than present day? The imagination certainly does run wild.

__________________
He who makes a beast of himself gets rid of the pain of being a man.
Dr. Samuel Johnson

And that's relevant how?

__________________
The crows seemed to be calling his name, thought Caw.
- Jack Handy

Bacteria have been in use to cleanup SOME types of pollution for decades.

But yes, nano tech as a day-to-day thing is at minimum a half-century away.

But let's look at it in light of current social trends.

I am Joe Scientist. I invent a nanobot that eats CO2. I look at the history of things like nuclear power and the irradiation of foods, and various additives to fuel and food and other things in America.

I take my nanobots and sell them in Europe.

Ain't no way in HELL the environmental whackos (who, in reality, don't give a rat's ass about the "environment" and whose REAL aim is the destruction of America as a free market, capitalist society) are going to let me use this here.

Tokie