Chemical engineers at Rice University have found a new catalyst that
can rapidly break down nitrites, a common and harmful contaminant in
drinking water that often results from overuse of agricultural
fertilizers.
Nitrites and their more abundant cousins, nitrates, are inorganic compounds that are often found in both groundwater and surface water. The compounds are a health hazard,
and the Environmental Protection Agency places strict limits on the
amount of nitrates and nitrites in drinking water. While it’s possible
to remove nitrates and nitrites from water with filters and resins, the
process can be prohibitively expensive.
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| Researchers at Rice University's Catalysis and Nanomaterials Laboratory have found that gold and palladium nanoparticles can rapidly break down nitrites. (Credit: M.S. Wong/Rice University) |
Credit: http://news.rice.edu