Ultra-Sensitive Lead Detector Could Improve Water Quality Monitoring

Engineers have developed an ultra-sensitive sensor made with graphene that can detect extraordinarily low concentrations of lead ions in water. The device achieves a record limit of detection of lead down to the femtomolar range, which is one million times more sensitive than previous sensing technologies. Read on to learn more.

Space Station Germ Testing Improves Wastewater Monitoring

A technology developed for NASA to identify pathogens inside spacecraft turned out to be beneficial for wastewater surveillance on Earth.

Wastewater Treatment and Remediation

This technology could be incorporated into water treatment systems at various stages including water treatment, effluent polishing, resource reclamation, resource recycling, gray water treatment, etc.

An All-Liquid Iron Flow Battery for Better Energy Storage

Flow batteries can serve as backup generators for the electric grid. Flow batteries are one of the key pillars of a decarbonization strategy to store energy from renewable energy resources. Their advantage is that they can be built at any scale, from the lab-bench scale, as in this PNNL study, to the size of a city block.

Snail-Inspired Robot Could Scoop Ocean Microplastics

Inspired by a small and slow snail, scientists have developed a robot prototype that may one day scoop up microplastics from the surfaces of oceans, seas, and lakes.

Exploring 3D Printing in a Weightless Environment

Recent experiments by a team from the West Virginia University focused on how a weightless microgravity environment affects 3D printing using titania foam, a material with potential applications ranging from UV blocking to water purification. ACS Applied Materials and Interfaces published their findings.

Navajo Pottery-Inspired Ceramic Water Filter

Navajo pottery-inspired water filtration system developed by engineers at The University of Texas at Austin can effectively and cheaply disinfect water.

5Ws of the Green Submarine

Who A fully automated net positive submarine fleet, powered entirely on hydrogen, could help cleanse the oceans of toxic pollution. Developed by London-based startup Oceanways, the submarine was named among the...

3D-Printed Graphene Aerogels for Water Treatment

The aerogels safely remove contaminants from water without releasing any problematic chemical residue.

AI Technology Foils Cyberattacks

The technology is aimed at protecting physical targets, such as utilities and infrastructure.

Cleaner Water Through Corn

Activated carbon made from corn stover filters 98 percent of a pollutant from water.

Chemistry Discovery Could Remove Micropollutants from the Environment

This approach could result in developing chemical sensors that are sensitive at a very low level to a specific chemical in the environment.

Water Purification System Engineered from Wood

The eco-friendly process removes heavy metals, dyes, and other pollutants.

Products of Tomorrow

Water-sensing smartphone screens, a NASA-developed RF switch, and an ultrasound patch.

Pre-Treatment Solution for Water Recovery

The solution increases water recovery, prevents mineral scaling, and cuts the volume of brines in half.

Standard Water Treatment Eliminates Enveloped Viruses Including Coronavirus

This treatment has the potential to remove from drinking water nearly all viruses that have an “outer fortress.”

Desalination Process Removes Toxic Metals

The desalination method produces clean water while, at the same time, potentially capturing valuable metals such as gold.

Filters from Tree Branches Purify Drinking Water

Prototypes show promise as a low-cost, natural filtration option.

Products of Tomorrow

Battery recycling, NASA's water treatment, and a wireless wearable transmitter.

5 Ws of the Sunlight-Powered Water Filter

The invention could help solve the problem of providing clean water off the grid or where low-cost, non-powered water purification is needed.

Products of Tomorrow

Head-up displays, health-monitoring sensors from NASA, and a pollen sponge.

Smart Aerogel Turns Air into Drinking Water

This invention achieves sustainable freshwater production in a variety of climates at minimal energy cost.

Generating Renewable Hydrogen Fuel from the Sea

Membranes that remove salt from water help split sea water into fuel.

Material Advances for LED Quantum Dot Efficiency

Creating next-generation LEDs for novel efforts like COVID-19 decontamination requires LED manufacturers to reevaluate the materials that they’re using.

Facility Focus: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

In 2020, the EPA marks 50 years of preparing for, responding to, preventing, and mitigating natural and manmade disasters.

Portable Tool Analyzes Microbes in the Environment

This device could be used to find threats to ecosystems.

Wireless Aquatic Robot Cleans Water

Inspired by a coral polyp, this plastic mini robot moves by magnetism and light.

Smart Sponge for Environmental Remediation

This highly porous sponge absorbs more than 30 times its weight in oil and can be reused up to several dozen times.