Environmental Science: Nano Blog

Introducing our New Associate Editors – John Fortner & Zhang Lin

28 Jun 2018

We are delighted to announce that Professor John Fortner (Washington University in St. Louis, USA) and Professor Zhang Lin (South China University of Technology, China) join the Environmental Science: Nano team as Associate Editors.

Professor Fortner and Professor Lin join Iseult Lynch, Joel Pedersen, Kristin Schirmer and Wei-Guo Song as Associate Editors handling the peer review of submissions to the journal.

John Fortner is the InCEES Career Development Associate Professor at Washington University in St. Louis. His research is primarily focused on advancing water-related technologies and engineering novel material interfaces as they relate to critical environmental-based health, security and energy challenges. He has extensively studied the environmental fate, (photo) reactivity and applications (e.g. novel water treatment membranes) of engineered carbon nanomaterials, including fullerenes, carbon nanotubes, and graphene-based materials.

Read John’s recent ES:Nano paper on Superparamagnetic nanomaterials for As and Cr sorption

Submit your high impact work to Professor Fortners’s office: mc.manuscriptcentral.com/esn

Zhang Lin is a Professor in School of Environment and Energy, South China University of Technology. Her research group focuses on the crystal growth kinetics of nanoparticles and the relevant environmental applications. More specifically, she is interested in recycling of heavy metal from nanowaste, especially from industrial sludge or from nano-adsorbents after usage. She is also interested in studying the bio-mineralization processes of heavy metals by indigenous microorganism, the structure, properties, and transformation of biogenic nanoparticles.

Read Zhang’s latest ES:Nano paper on Lead adsoption by Ti₃AlC₂ nanomaterials

Submit your high impact work to Professor Lin’s office: mc.manuscriptcentral.com/esn

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Emerging Investigator Series – Peng Wang

10 Apr 2018

By Sian Carrington, Editorial Assistant.

We are delighted to introduce our first Environmental Science: Nano Emerging Investigator of 2018, Peng Wang!

Professor Peng Wang is currently an associate professor in the Environmental Science and Engineering program at KAUST. He received his Ph.D. degree from the University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB) in 2008 and started his independent research as an assistant professor at KAUST in 2009. His research focuses on rational design, synthesis, and application of nanomaterials toward sustainable-energy driven clean water production.

Read his Emerging Investigator Series article The rise of nano-enabled photothermal materials for water evaporation and clean water production by sunlight and find out more about him in the interview below:

1. Your recent Emerging Investigator Series paper focuses on the rise of photothermal materials for clean water production. How has your research evolved from your first article to this most recent article?

Solar-driven water evaporation and distillation is an ancient technology, but has been rejuvenated in the past four years thanks to the contribution from nanotechnology. I did not work on this until early 2015. Ever since, my group has been working on photothermal nanomaterial selection and optimization along with photothermal structural design. Our first paper on this topic was in July 2015 in which we reported a solar-to-water-evaporation efficiency of 56%. In our latest work, we could achieve a nearly 100% energy efficiency. We have very recently extended our research on photothermal materials into new applications, including atmospheric water harvesting, highly viscous oil spill cleanup, smart windows, etc.

2. What aspect of your work are you most excited about at the moment?

The potential to produce more energy efficient water production/treatment technologies and to bring benefits to the society.

3. In your opinion, what is the biggest advantage of solar-driven nano-enabled clean water production over traditional methods?

The CO₂ emission free is the biggest advantage of solar-driven nano-enabled clean water production. It also offers hope towards green and zero-liquid discharge desalination processes.

4. What do you find most challenging about your research?

Scaling up of the technologies is very challenging as cost consideration along with other unexpected problems often come along and frustrate me.

5. In which upcoming conferences or events may our readers meet you?

I will be attending IWA LET at Nanjing this may and Gordon Research Conference on Solar Energy Conversion at Hong Kong in June. I, along with my colleague, Professor Suzana Nunes, are putting together a symposium on Nano-Enabled Water Technologies: Opportunities and Challenges, to be held at KAUST tentatively in March 2019.

6. How do you spend your spare time?

I do and enjoy regular mid-distance running and play regular badminton games with friends.

7. Which profession would you choose if you were not a scientist?

Probably a lawyer, which is my wife’s profession. Haha, I actually never give this possibility any serious thoughts.

8. Can you share one piece of career-related advice or wisdom with other early career scientists?

As a passionate environmental nano scientist who actually spent his entire PhD working on soil, I would say ‘it takes very bold courage to give up on the old and start the new. However, your passion will always take you to the right place.’

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Outstanding Reviewers for Environmental Science: Nano in 2017

22 Mar 2018

By Sian Carrington, Editorial Assistant.

We would like to highlight the Outstanding Reviewers for Environmental Science: Nano in 2017, as selected by the editorial team, for their significant contribution to the journal. The reviewers have been chosen based on the number, timeliness and quality of the reports completed over the last 12 months.

We would like to say a big thank you to those individuals listed here as well as to all of the reviewers that have supported the journal. Each Outstanding Reviewer will receive a certificate to give recognition for their significant contribution.

Professor Arturo Keller, University of California Santa Barbara

Dr Cyrill Bussy, University of Manchester

Dr Dana Kuehnel, UFZ Centre for Environmental Research

Dr Jose Peralta-Videa, University of Texas at El Paso

Dr Laura Sigg, Eawag

Dr Matteo Minghetti, Oklahoma State University

Dr Navid Saleh, University of Texas at Austin

Dr Patricia Holden, University of California Santa Barbara

Professor Xiangke Wang, North China Electric Power University

Dr Zhang Lin, South China University of Technology

We would also like to thank the Environmental Science: Nano board and the Environmental Nanotechnology community for their continued support of the journal, as authors, reviewers and readers.

If you would like to become a reviewer for our journal, just email us with details of your research interests and an up-to-date CV or résumé. You can find more details in our author and reviewer resource centre

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Introducing our New Associate Editor – Joel Pedersen

14 Feb 2018

By Harriet Riley, Development Editor.

We are delighted to announce that Professor Joel Pedersen joins the Environmental Science: Nano team as an Associate Editor.

Professor Pedersen joins Greg Lowry, Iseult Lynch, Kristin Schirmer and Wei-Guo Song as Associate Editors handling the peer review of submissions to the journal. More information about his research interests is given below:

Professor Pedersen holds appointments in the Departments of Soil Science, Civil & Environmental Engineering, and Chemistry at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where he serves as a Research Theme Leader in the NSF-funded Center for Sustainable Nanotechnology. His research focuses primarily on environmental interfacial chemistry, in particular the interfacial processes affecting the behavior of nanoparticles, biomacromolecules, and organic microcontaminants in natural and engineered environments.

Submit your high impact work to Professor Pedersen’s office:

mc.manuscriptcentral.com/esn

Read a recent Open Access paper by Joel Pedersen published in Environmental Science: Nano:

Formation of supported lipid bilayers containing phase-segregated domains and their interaction with gold nanoparticles
Eric S. Melby, Arielle C. Mensch, Samuel E. Lohse, Dehong Hu, Galya Orr, Catherine J. Murphy, Robert J. Hamers and Joel A. Pedersen

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New Editorial Board members for Environmental Science: Nano

02 Feb 2018

By Harriet Riley, Development Editor.

We are delighted to announce three new members are joining the Environmental Science: Nano Editorial Board!

	Dr. Zhang Lin is a Professor in School of Environment and Energy, South China University of Technology. Her research group focuses on the crystal growth kinetics of nanoparticles and the relevant environmental applications. More specifically, she is interested in recycling of heavy metal from nanowaste, especially from industrial sludge or from nano-adsorbents after usage. She is also interested in studying the bio-mineralization processes of heavy metals by indigenous microorganism, the structure, properties, and transformation of biogenic nanoparticles.
Dr Jerome Rose is CNRS Senior Scientist at the CEREGE Laboratory and serves as adjunct faculty at Rice and Duke Universities (USA). His research focuses on the behaviour and toxicity of colloids and contaminants from laboratory to field scale. He is employing intensively synchrotron and Lab Xray-based techniques to study mechanisms at a molecular level. Since 2001 he has been involved in research on the environmental and health implications of nanotechnologies. His group determined the molecular and thermodynamic mechanisms responsible of the enhanced reactivity of iron nanoparticles smaller than 10 nm and discovered double wall Ge-imogolite nanotubes. More recently the team unravelled the environmental exposure level and mechanisms to nanoparticles from various commercial products by taking into account the various stages of their life cycle.
	Nathalie Tufenkji earned the Ph.D. degree in Chemical and Environmental Engineering from Yale University in 2005. She is presently Professor in the Department of Chemical Engineering at McGill University where she holds the Tier I Canada Research Chair in Biocolloids and Surfaces. She works in the area of (bio)colloid-surface interactions with applications in protection of water resources, antimicrobial materials, and sustainable nanotechnologies for use in environmental remediation, agriculture and medicine.

Read some of the high-impact research published in Environmental Science: Nano by our new Editorial Board members below:

Chlamydomonas reinhardtii displays aversive swimming response to silver nanoparticles
Michael R. Mitzel, Nicholas Lin, Joann K. Whalen and Nathalie Tufenkji

Enhanced removal of roxarsone by Fe3O4@3D graphene nanocomposites: synergistic adsorption and mechanism
Chen Tian, Jian Zhao, Jing Zhang, Shengqi Chu, Zhi Dang, Zhang Lin and Baoshan Xing

Structural and physical–chemical behavior of a CeO₂nanoparticle based diesel additive during combustion and environmental release
M. Auffan, M. Tella, W. Liu, A. Pariat, M. Cabié, D. Borschneck, B. Angeletti, G. Landrot, C. Mouneyrac, L. Giambérini and J. Rose

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Emerging Investigator Series in Environmental Science: Nano

20 Dec 2017

By Harriet Riley, Development Editor.

Environmental Science: Nano is pleased to announce the launch of an Emerging Investigator Series, aimed at highlighting some of the best research being conducted by early career scientists in the field of environmental nanotechnology. This Series complements the Emerging Investigator Series in our sister journals, Environmental Science: Water Research & Technology and Environmental Science: Processes & Impacts, which are already providing early career environmental scientists with a high-quality, society platform to showcase their best research to a broad audience.

Articles published in the Series will be heavily advertised, including an interview with the lead author on our blog, highlighting in our table of contents alerts and further publicity. The Series is ongoing, with articles being published once they are accepted and collated online, meaning that there are no submission deadlines.

To be eligible for the Emerging Investigator Series you will need to have completed your PhD (or equivalent degree) within the last 10 years*, have in independent career and appear as corresponding author on the manuscript. If you are interested in contributing to the Series please contact the Editorial Office (esnano-rsc@rsc.org) and provide the following information:

Your up-to-date CV (no longer than 2 pages), which should include a summary of education and career, a list of relevant publications, any notable awards, honours or professional activities in the field, and a website URL;
A synopsis or abstract of the article intended to be submitted to the Series, including a tentative submission date. This can be an original research or review article. Please visit the journal website for more details on article types. All articles submitted to the journal for the Series will undergo the usual peer-review process.

Keep up to date with the latest papers added to this Series on our twitter feed (@EnvSciRSC) with the hashtags #EmergingInvestigators #ESNano

*Appropriate consideration will be given to those who have taken a career break or followed a different study path

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Welcome our new Editor-in-Chief – Peter Vikesland

08 Dec 2017

By Harriet Riley, Development Editor.

We are delighted to announce that Professor Peter Vikesland joins the Environmental Science: Nano team as Editor-in-Chief from 1^st January 2018

Peter Vikesland is a professor of civil and environmental engineering at Virginia Tech, USA. His research interests include nanomaterials in the environment and improved sensors for drinking water. His research on the environmental implications of nanotechnology examines the effects of solution chemistry on the aggregation and dissolution of environmentally relevant nanoparticles.

Peter says: “It is truly an honor for me to be named the second Editor-in-Chief of Environmental Science: Nano. I am excited to have the opportunity to work with our outstanding group of Associate Editors, our Editorial Board, our Advisory Board, and all of the wonderful people at the Royal Society of Chemistry who manage the day to day operation of Environmental Science: Nano and its sister journals Environmental Science: Processes & Impacts and Environmental Science: Water Research & Technology.”

Since launch, the journal has been led by inaugural Editor-in-Chief Professor Vicki Grassian (UC San Diego) whose term as Editor-in-Chief finishes at the end of 2017, as is Royal Society of Chemistry policy. Professor Grassian says: “I was really excited to see the community embrace the journal and work hard as authors, reviewers and editorial board members to insure its success. It has been my honour to be the inaugural Editor-in-Chief and I am so pleased to be passing this position on to Peter.”

Read this recent Open Access paper by Professor Vikesland in Environmental Science: Nano:

Waste not want not: life cycle implications of gold recovery and recycling from nanowaste
Paramjeet Pati, Sean McGinnis and Peter J. Vikesland

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Smog eating paint does more harm than good

08 Sep 2017

By RSC Internet Services.

Written for Chemistry World by Harriet Fletcher

Photocatalytic paints for reducing air pollution may actually do the opposite

A study by scientists in France and China has raised questions about the effectiveness of paints formulated to combat air pollution. Whilst the paints decompose some pollutants, the research revealed they also generate and release other toxic compounds.

Urban air pollution is a common problem in many of the world’s cities; vehicles and power stations are the primary culprits. Titanium dioxide nanoparticles, when exposed to UV light, can oxidise organic compounds in the air. When added to paint, they present a quick fix for reducing air pollution. However, the overall improvement to air quality is dubious.

An illustration of the emission of VOCs and nanoparticles from photocatalytic paints

a) Photocatalytic paints contain titanium dioxide nanoparticles. b) Ultraviolet radiation activates the titanium dioxide nanoparticles, which degrade ambient VOCs, as well as the organic matrix of the paint, releasing new VOCs into the air. c) As the paint ages, it releases titanium dioxide nanoparticles too. Source: © Royal Society of Chemistry

So says Sasho Gligorvoski, from the Chinese Academy of Sciences, and his team who have found that photocatalytic paints release significant quantities of nanoparticles and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) over their lifetime. This is especially problematic indoors, where the chemicals accumulate over time.

Read the full article in Chemistry World.

Characterization of photocatalytic paints: a relationship between the photocatalytic properties – release of nanoparticles and volatile organic compounds
D. Truffier-Boutry, B. Fiorentino, V. Bartolomei, R. Soulas, O. Sicardy, A. Benayad, J.-F. Damlencourt, B. Pépin-Donat, C. Lombard, A. Gandolfo, H. Wortham, G. Brochard, A. Audemard, L. Porcar, G. Gebel and S. Gligorovski
Environ. Sci.: Nano, 2017
DOI: 10.1039/C7EN00467B

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Pannano- 2017

22 Aug 2017

By Harriet Riley, Development Editor.

The 1st Pan American Congress of Nanotechnology Fundamentals and Applications to Shape the Future (Pannano-2017) is taking place in Guarujá, Brazil on 27th – 30th November 2017. This conference will provide a venue for understanding nanotechnology and nanoparticles behavior in biological, chemical and environmental systems with the purpose to develop useful and sustainable applications of nanotechnologies throughout the Pan-American region. This conference will be the single best opportunity to reach the largest assemblage of participants from all over the globe. Learn more about Nanotechnology and nanomaterials, networking and build relationships and partnerships in the field.

The conference has a wide range of themes, including:

Biological-nano interations
Chemical-nano interactions
Ecological-nano interactions
Nanomanufacturing
Nanoinformatics and Modeling
Sustainability
Education and entrepreneurship

Keynote speakers include Environmental Science: Nano Editor-in-Chief, Vicki Grassian (University of California San Diego, USA) and Associate Editor, Greg Lowry (Carnegie Mellon University, USA), as well as Mike Roco, Jorge Gardea-Torresdey, Nelson Durán and Marcelo J. Kogan.

Key Dates:

Early Bird Registration: 1st September 2017

Abstract Submission: 30th September 2017

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Tiny virus batteries remove water pollutant

18 Apr 2017

By RSC Internet Services.

Written for Chemistry World by Eve Rooks

Metal nanoparticles turn viruses into tiny batteries that reduce toxic compound in just 10 minutes

Scientists have developed a method to remove a common persistent pollutant in under 10 minutes using metal nanoparticles supported on genetically modified viruses. Each metal-studded virus acts as a tiny battery, electrochemically reducing the pollutant to a less toxic compound.

Para-chloronitrobenzene is a carcinogen and toxic when inhaled, consumed or absorbed through the skin. It is widely used in dyes, synthetic materials and pesticides. As a persistent organic pollutant, it accumulates in lakes and rivers, where it sticks around for decades. A common method of reducing the compound to the safer para-chloroaniline uses metal nanoparticles, often iron. However, this method is slow and requires like high temperature or high acidity. Moreover, with continued use, nanoparticles tend to clump together, which makes them much less effective.

Now, Huimin Yu and colleagues from Tsinghua University in China can reduce chloronitrobenzene in less than 10 minutes using genetically modified viruses. They decorated the outside of the viruses with iron and nickel nanoparticles; the difference in electric potential between the metals converts the viruses into micro-batteries, which can reduce more chloronitrobenzene in the same time than simple iron nanoparticles.

Read the full article in Chemistry World.

Design of the nanoarray pattern Fe–Ni bi-metal nanoparticles@M13 virus for the enhanced reduction of p-chloronitrobenzene through the micro-electrolysis effect

Shuai Zhang, Huimin Yu, Ji Yang and Zhongyao Shen

Environ. Sci.: Nano, 2017, 4, 876-885

DOI: 10.1039/C7EN00120G

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Environmental Science: Nano Blog

Introducing our New Associate Editors – John Fortner & Zhang Lin

Emerging Investigator Series – Peng Wang

Outstanding Reviewers for Environmental Science: Nano in 2017

Introducing our New Associate Editor – Joel Pedersen

New Editorial Board members for Environmental Science: Nano

Emerging Investigator Series in Environmental Science: Nano

Welcome our new Editor-in-Chief – Peter Vikesland

Smog eating paint does more harm than good

Pannano- 2017

Tiny virus batteries remove water pollutant

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