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Wei-xian Zhang
Professor of Environmental Eengineering, and Advanced Materials and Nanotechnology
Lehigh University

Talk Title: Nanotech for Environment Renaissance - Soil and Groundwater Cleanup using Reactive Nanoparticles

Abstract
Zero-valent iron nanoparticle technology is quickly becoming a popular choice for remediation and treatment of a wide variety of common environmental contaminants in soil and groundwater. Over the three years, there are more than 30 completed and ongoing applications in North America and Europe. Nanoparticles have small sizes for effective in situ injection and dispersion and large surface areas and high surface reactivity for rapid contaminant transformation. Recent innovation in the technology and increasing supplies of nanoparticles have substantially reduced the cost of this technology for large scale applications. In this lecture, fundamental principles on nanoparticle synthesis and characterization will be highlighted. Applications of the iron nanoparticles for treatment of chlorinated organic solvents, organochlorine pesticides, PCBs, perchlorate, and hexavalent chromium will be presented. In addition, key issues related to field applications such as cost, fate/transport, and potential environmental impact will be discussed.

Biographical Sketch
Dr. Zhang is professor of environmental engineering, and advanced materials and nanotechnology at Lehigh University where he serves as the director of the Institute of Sustainable Nanotechnology, and also coordinator of the environmental engineering program.

Dr. Zhang’s research group has pioneered the research and development of iron nanoparticles for environmental remediation. He has published more than 80 technical papers in environmental engineering. He was the co-author of the feature article on Environmental Nanotechnology published by Environmental Science & Technology (ES&T) in March 2003. He also co-edited ES&T’s first special issue on Environmental Nanotechnology (March 2005).

Dr. Zhang is the recipient of National Science Foundation’s CAREER Award and Lehigh University’s Class 1961 Professorship. NASA TECH BRIEFS selected the iron nanoparticle technology as the technology of the year in 2003. Prof. Zhang’s work has been featured in recent NSF, EPA and NNI reports, covered by New York Times, USA Today, Wall Street Journal, Discovery, New Scientist, Popular Science, and many newspapers and magazines. He also appeared on National Public Radio and several national and international TVs. On July 18, 2005, he presented a lecture on environmental nanotechnologies for the USEPA Millennium Lecture Series. He also lectured at the NSF summer nano institute at Northwestern University in June 2005 and taught a short on environmental nanotechnology at the Fifth International Conference on Remediation at Monterey, CA on May 21, 2006.

Prof. Zhang received his Ph.D. in Environmental Engineering from the Johns Hopkins University in 1995.

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