Extramural Research - People, Prosperity and the Planet
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EPA Grant Number: SU831824
Title: Biotemplating of Titanium Dioxide Nanoparticles for the Green Production of Photochemically Active Catalysts: Synthesis, Characterization, and Photocatalytic Evaluation
Can plants be used to produce titanium dioxide nanoparticles?
This project is evaluating the abilities of alfalfa and morning glory to remove titanium from soil, and subsequently precipitating titanium nano-sized materials. This process could benefit the planet by recycling titanium resources from waste streams where they are present in appreciable amounts. By then using the nano-sized titanium in a reactor driven by solar radiation, the developing world could have a renewable alternative to chemical water disinfection.