News
Professor Kurt Pennell Featured in WE&T Magazine
Dr. Kurt Pennell, professor in the School of Civil and Environmental Engineering (CEE), was recently featured in the article “Concentration of Nanoparticles in Water Depends on Solution Properties” in the magazine Water Environment & Technology (WE&T).
The article discusses the research his team is doing around the ability of municipal systems to filter Carbon 60 (C60) nanoparticles from drinking water.
Nanoparticles are small objects that range in size from 1 to 100 nanometers (nm) and behave as a whole unit in its transport. C60 nanoparticles have a diameter of approximately 1 nm and a structure similar to a soccer ball. It is found naturally in soot, which results from the incomplete combustion of hydrocarbons.
The article summarizes Dr. Pennell’s findings that solution properties such as saltiness effect how well C60 adheres to filtration system particles. The importance of the research, which was funded by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), was also discussed; namely, local conditions can impact drinking water from municipal filtration systems. The EPA is also concerned about the potential toxicity of C60 nanoparticles. Future studies planned by Dr. Pennell to look at other materials such as metal-based nanoparticles were also mentioned.
Dr. Kurt Pennell joined CEE in 1995. He holds an adjunct appointment in the Department of Neurology at Emory University and is a member of the Emory Neuroscience Graduate Program and Center for Neurodegenerative Disease. In addition to studying the transport and retention of C60 fullerenes in soils, Dr. Pennell’s current research projects include the effects of partial mass removal on contaminant distribution and groundwater plume development, chemical and biological reactions during thermal treatment of contaminated sites, and coupled surfactant flushing and bioremediation for treatment of chlorinated solvent source zones.
To read the complete story, visit http://www.wef.org/ScienceTechnologyResources/Publications/WET/08/08Jul/08JulyResearch.htm (subscription not required).