Development of a Sustainable and Efficient Clay-Based Technology

PROJECT COST:

212 337 $

PRIMA CONTRIBUTION:

96 937 $

PROJECT DETAILS:

Development of a Sustainable and Efficient Technology Based on Natural Clay

A new nanomaterial based on kaolin and copper chloride has recently been developed. Kaolin is a natural, low-cost clay mineral that is widely present in soil, dust, and airborne particles. This inexpensive nanomaterial can be used to instantly remove and recover several toxic metals from the air, including gaseous mercury and particles containing arsenic, cobalt, and lead. Recent studies have also demonstrated that this remediation technique is applicable to aquatic environments.

In this collaborative project with two Quebec-based industries (PO-Laboratoires and Alserna), a new type of filter containing the kaolin–copper nanomaterial will be produced. The efficiency of the filter will be tested using heavily contaminated snow samples. Meltwater from the snow will pass through the filter, where the metals will be captured and then recycled using a magnetic process. Test sites will include downtown Montreal, McGill University, and the Saint-Michel snow disposal site. The development of a wide range of applications for this natural-product-based nanomaterial in industrial and hospital effluent treatment is also being considered.