An Introduction to Biomass Energy

Biomass is the material derived from plants that use sunlight to grow which include plant and animal material such as wood from forests, material left over from agricultural and forestry processes, and organic industrial, human and animal wastes.

Biomass energy (or bioenergy) is a type of renewable energy generated from biological (such as, anaerobic digestion) or thermal conversion (for example, combustion) of biomass resources.

Biomass comes from a variety of sources which include:

  • Wood from natural forests and woodlands
  • Forestry plantations
  • Forestry residues
  • Agricultural residues such as straw, stover, cane trash and green agricultural wastes
  • Agro-industrial wastes, such as sugarcane bagasse and rice husk
  • Animal wastes
  • Industrial wastes, such as black liquor from paper manufacturing
  • Sewage
  • Municipal solid wastes (MSW)
  • Food processing wastes

In nature, if biomass is left lying around on the ground it will break down over a long period of time, releasing carbon dioxide and its store of energy slowly. By burning biomass its store of energy is released quickly and often in a useful way. So converting biomass into useful energy imitates the natural processes but at a faster rate.

Biomass can be transformed into clean energy and/or fuels by a variety of technologies, ranging from conventional combustion process to advanced biofuels technology. Besides recovery of substantial energy, these technologies can lead to a substantial reduction in the overall biomass waste quantities requiring final disposal, which can be better managed for safe disposal in a controlled manner while meeting the pollution control standards.

Biomass conversion systems reduces greenhouse gas emissions in two ways.  Heat and electrical energy is generated which reduces the dependence on power plants based on fossil fuels.  The greenhouse gas emissions are significantly reduced by preventing methane emissions from decaying biomass.

Moreover, biomass energy plants are highly efficient in harnessing the untapped sources of energy from biomass resources and helpful in development of rural areas.

Recommended Reading: How bioenergy can help in reaching net zero targets

IMS PCB: Everything You Need to Know

The metal substrate of IMS PCBs improves mechanical and thermal conductivity. Copper and aluminum are common materials used because they are both inexpensive and light. Copper is more suitable for high-density designs, but it has a lower CTE. A single electrical layer must be sandwiched between a metallic substrate and a prepreg layer in the Integrated Metal Substrate PCB design layout. Typically, these boards are used for simple circuits.

applications of IMS boards

IMS PCBs are suitable for a wide range of applications, including high-power, flammable, and high-temperature environments. They can serve as ground layers to protect sensitive electronic components and directly absorb heat produced by SMD components. These boards are particularly useful in the fields of LEDs, solid-state relays, and power electronics. They do, however, provide additional benefits. If you’re not sure whether IMS PCBs are the right choice for your next project, keep reading to learn more about IMS PCBs and how they can help you make your next project.

IMS PCBs is used in automotive applications because they aid in the cooling of surface-mount components. The dimensional stability of the IMS PCB allows it to operate without cracking in temperatures ranging from 140 to 150 degrees Celsius. Furthermore, its thickness does not increase significantly with temperature, and it can withstand high temperatures. IMS PCBs is frequently more expensive than FR4 PCBs, so choose PCB May if you need high-quality IMS PCBs.

To help manage heat, an IMS PCB has a copper-based base material and a copper-based layer. This layer is made of a copper-based alloy and is either 1.0mm or 1.6mm thick. A single-sided IMS PCB is clear, whereas a double-sided IMS PCB has an aluminum layer on the board’s outside. The IMS PCB is a multilayer PCB regardless of the materials used.

Thermal vias can be counterproductive in some cases because they must be drilled through large areas of well-conducting aluminum. Thermal insulation is insufficient in such cases, and the aluminum cladding alone may suffice. IMS PCBs without thermal vias may be more efficient in this regard because heat is transferred by the aluminum within the carrier. It could even be more efficient than FR4 PCBs.

The thermal management properties of an IMS PCB are one of its most common advantages. A thermally conductive base metal, for example, is a good thermal conductor, reducing the amount of heat that must be transferred. The manufacturer will design and manufacture the board in accordance with these guidelines, and using a standard thickness can help to reduce costs. It is critical, however, to ensure that the material used for the base metal is thermally conductive in order to avoid excessive heat buildup.

Copper, aluminum, and other metals are commonly used to make IMS PCBs. Because of its excellent thermal and electrical properties, copper is frequently used in IMS PCBs. Aluminum is the most common metal substrate and is significantly less expensive than copper. Aluminum is also electrically and thermally conductive, making it an excellent choice for a wide range of applications. However, keep in mind that aluminum is much less resistant to corrosion.

The Advantages of IMS PCBs

When considering the advantages of IMS PCBs, it is useful to understand what distinguishes them from standard boards. A single copper layer is present on a single-layer PCB. On the other side, they are insulated by a metal substrate that also serves as a heatsink. However, if a circuit requires two copper layers, more complex circuits can be integrated. IMS PCBs also include heat transferring vias, which allow heat to be transferred from the top-side components to the bottom-side substrate.

It is critical to consider both the physical and electrical properties of IMS PCBs when using them. The dielectric constant, for example, is used to measure the electrical properties of an IMS PCB by comparing the capacitance of the metal substrate to that of the vacuum. The rate at which the metal substrate changes along the z-axis is another important parameter known as the thermal expansion coefficient. Finally, another important feature is the temperature at which the material transitions to a glass state and decomposition, which determines the material’s heat resistance.

IMS PCBs is constructed from several layers of thermally conductive dielectrics. The circuitry is buried in one or more dielectric layers that serve as thermal and signal vias. Multilayer printed circuit boards are more expensive than single-layer printed circuit boards, but they provide simple heat dissipation for complex circuits. They are an excellent choice for high-end PCs.

Applications of IMS Boards

Because they keep surface-mount components cool, IMS Boards are ideal. The electrical and mechanical properties of IMS PCBs must be thoroughly examined, and the copper thickness must be 0.5 oz. The benefits of the metal substrate and thermal conductivity are completely negated by thick copper. To create the holes for the components, the board must be precisely drilled. The components are then soldered or bonded to the copper surface. Desmearing is required after drilling to remove any melted resin from the drilled holes.

what is IMS PCB

A motherboard and two IMS evaluation modules, which can be configured as a full or half-bridge, comprise the IMS evaluation platform. The evaluation modules support both power levels and include GaN E-HEMTs, gate drivers, DC bus decoupling capacitors, and a heatsink. The evaluation modules can be used to prototype high-power GaN intelligent power modules and in-systems. The board is also intended for high-power applications, making use of vertical space.

Hundreds of control units in modern cars are located around the engine area and are subject to extreme temperatures. Because they can transport heat without the use of discrete heatsinks, industrial IMS PCBs are the ideal solution for applications like this. Solid-state relays, which are small circuits made up of an optocoupler and a MOSFET, are an excellent example of how IMS PCBs are used to transfer heat.

IMS PCBs is also well-known for providing effective thermal dissipation. They can reduce power losses and improve overall product performance because they can be made of thin copper sheets. This allows for higher packing densities on the board, improved overall security, and longer operating times. It is also suitable for use in single-board computers. This simplifies the production of double-sided boards with metal cores.

High-power IMS printed circuit boards are ideal for high-power, high-temperature, and combustible environments. IMS PCBs also serves as an electromagnetic shield and a ground layer. Because of these benefits, IMS PCBs is a popular choice for a variety of applications, including power electronics, solid-state relays, and LEDs. IMS PCBs also enables more compact designs that are less prone to catching fire.

IMS PCBs is more expensive than FR4 PCBs, despite their superior thermal conductivity. Copper-based PCBs have more layers than FR4 PCBs, which can also have multiple layers. PCBs of various thicknesses can be produced using standard machinery. Copper-based boards, on the other hand, are more expensive than their counterparts and have inferior thermal and electrical properties.

Everything You Should Know About Electricity

Electricity, we use it every day but what is it? The dictionary defines it as a form of energy resulting from the existence of charged particles (such as electrons or protons), either statically as an accumulation of charge or dynamically as a current. This may sound confusing, but by breaking it down we can understand how it works. Electricity is used for many everyday things but breakthroughs of how to use it have resulted in many cool inventions, some of which you can explore on thehomesecuritysuperstore.

A Closer Look at Atoms

So, what is electricity? To understand how electricity works we have to break it down, starting with the charged particles. Everything is made of atoms, and these atoms are mostly empty space. Moving around in the empty space are electrons and protons. These each carry an electric charge, electrons being negative and protons being positive. These opposite charges attract each other. The atom is in balance when there are an equal number of protons and electrons. The number of protons determines what kind of element the atom is, and these numbers and elements are shown on the periodic table.

Imagine the atom as having rings around the nucleus, the center of the atom. These rings can hold a certain number of electrons which move constantly around the nucleus which holds the protons. When the rings hold electrons that are attracted to the protons the strength of this attraction can push an electron out of its orbit and even make them shift from one atom to another. This is where electricity occurs.

Traveling in Circuits

Now that we know the basics of electricity, we can look at how it works. For a basic understanding of how electricity travels through circuits and how we use electricity we will look at batteries and light bulbs. Batteries can produce electricity through a chemical substance called an electrolyte.

The battery is attached to two metals, one on either end, and produces a negative charge in one metal and a positive charge in the other metal. When the battery is then connected on either end by a conductor such as an electrical wire the electrical charge is balanced. If you were to attach a light bulb to the wire in between the sides of the battery, the electrical current would then travel through the light bulb to get to the other side of the battery and thus powering the light.

LED-lighting-workplace

Electricity moves through electrical circuits and must have a complete path for the electrons to move through. The switch or power button on electronic devices opens and closes this path. When you turn on the light switch the circuit is closed and electrons can move freely to turn on your lights. When you turn off the switch it opens the circuit not allowing the electrons through and turning off your lights. When light bulbs burn out the small wire connecting the circuit inside the light bulb breaks and stops the flow of electrons.

Final Thoughts

Energy flows through our entire world and understanding how electricity works is just the beginning. Of course, most of the electricity in your life is not connected to a single battery as in the example above, but the understanding on a basic level is very interesting.

Electricity literally powers everything in our lives and a world without it would be very different. Understanding how these things work lets us enrich our knowledge of the world around us and provides us with practical information we can use in our everyday life. Electricity is all around us and is used in more interesting ways than just light bulbs and batteries.

Additional Resource: What Are The Different Types Of Magnetic Susceptibility?

The Biological Purpose of Pheromones in the Animal Kingdom

This article was developed via a partnership with BetterHelp.

Pheromones are interesting biological components in all animals (and possibly humans!) that are secreted from sweat glands and scent glands for various purposes. There are several types of pheromones. However, not all are able to be measured or tested.

We know that pheromones exist because of the tests we have done on certain animals, such as moths, that show their existence and purpose. This article will take a look at the biological purpose of pheromones in the animal kingdom and some examples of each.

Biological Purpose of Pheromones in the Animal Kingdom

Which Animals Produce Pheromones and What Are Their Purposes?

Animals are pretty incredible. They can do amazing things! For example, bugs can turn our food waste into fuel! Here are some of the top animals that produce pheromones and which types they produce, as well as the purpose.

Bugs

Bugs, such as certain moths produce pheromones for the purpose of reproducing. We are able to extract pheromones of a certain type of moth to study them, and we’ve found that these are compounds that can be picked up by other bugs and sensed within the species.

Bugs also use pheromones to help each other find food and to run away from danger. For example, an ant can give off a fear pheromone, and the other ants will run away with it, back to the safety of the main house.

Since insect pheromones are easiest for us to measure and understand, we use them to remove pests. Beekeepers often use queen bee pheromones as well to help control a colony of bees and bring them safely to a new home, as bees will always follow the scent of their queen.

Cats and Dogs

Cats and dogs, and other mammals have similar pheromones. They usually include:

  • Pheromones that are released during nursing from the mother to the babies (in the milk or by scent) to calm the babies
  • Pheromones of fear to warn other animals in the group of danger
  • Pheromones that work as “scent labels” that tell animals of the same family that they are related
  • Pheromones that work as “scenting markers” and show other animals which territory is theirs and which isn’t
  • Pheromones that are released during intercourse or to signal readiness to mate and reproduce

The pheromones of other mammals are the most useful in understanding the pheromones of humans, as we are also mammals. The purpose of these “scents” is for other animals of the same species to communicate with a lack of language.

Squid and Octopi

Surprisingly, squid and octopus eggs appear to have a certain pheromone that causes any male squid that touches them to become violent to another male squid nearby, according to National Geographic. This strange reaction is the result of pheromones. Although we don’t know the exact reason for it, it could be due to a need for the male to protect the eggs from other males or to defend his family.

Scientists are still studying pheromones in all species, and these chemicals are something new that isn’t completely understood yet. What we can learn from the pheromone reactions in squid is that these chemicals do impact behavior in others, outside of what we may have previously thought was possible.

Humans

Humans also have pheromones, although we have not yet proven them with a chemical compound that can be physically studied. Due to our knowledge of pheromones in the animal kingdom, we know that humans likely exhibit similar abilities. Many scientists believe that if we do have pheromones, they would have been something we developed in prehistoric times before we learned more advanced communication.

For this reason, it is likely that pheromones exist in our mothers when we are born, in potential mates (dates), and when feeling fear. For example, we may feel afraid if someone close to us is feeling fear. This reaction can be attributed to an empathetic response, but many scientists believe that it’s simply pheromones and that we can tell how someone is feeling by picking up on them.

Others

Many other animals have pheromones, and studying these can help us learn more about behavior. In some cases, like in the example of squid, pheromones seem to play no biological advantage. However, knowing what we know about animal behavior, these are simply forms of communication that we don’t understand so well as humans, who communicate primarily through language.

What Types of Pheromones Are There?

The most common types of pheromones studied are:

  • Reactive pheromones- The fear response
  • Sexual pheromones- Chemical compounds that cause two animals to mate or be “attracted”
  • Mother pheromones- Pheromones released by the mother to calm her children
  • Labeling pheromones- Pheromones that label members of the same family or species or simply announce the presence of an outsider
  • Marking pheromones- Pheromones that are used to mark territory

We can also see outlier examples that only exist in certain species, such as the example of the squid and octopus. These examples are the more interesting ones that scientists want to pay more attention to, as they can give more insight into our wonderful natural world and how it works.

Conclusion

If you’re still confused about pheromones or want to learn how they work in humans, head on over to BetterHelp’s advice column and blog today. You can learn more about the human body and mind work and find resources for any mental health topic.

Synthetic Biology – A Catalyst to Revolutionize Biogas Industry

Essentially a process operating by living organisms, the biogas industry is a natural target for synthetic biology. Synthetic biology combines biology and engineering to design and construct biological devices. Contrary to traditional genetic engineering that only alters an already existing DNA sequence, synthetic biology allows us to build entirely new sequences of DNA and put them to work in cells. This allows us to build novel biological devices that would never exist in nature.

synthetic-biology-biogas

Constructions and operations of devices that do not exist in nature, such as tools, vehicles, computers and the internet, have crafted modern civilization. Now, it is synthetic biology that is challenging nature’s limitations and advancing civilization to a higher level.

Generating biogas via anaerobic digestion of biomass and organic waste is one of the few proven, cost-effective, scalable biomass energy strategies. Biogas consists of mainly methane and carbon dioxide, and combustion of methane with air generates energy which can be used for many purposes such as cooking, heating, producing electricity and vehicle fuel. As a result, countless biogas plants are operating around the globe helping to clean up waste and generate energy. With more plants being built, they come in all sizes ranging from household to factory scales.

Anaerobic digestion is a process where extremely complex microbial communities degrade organic matter, such as sugars, fats and proteins, resulting in biogas as the primary end-product. Such inherent complexity makes this process very difficult to optimize. Mechanical engineers have made tremendous progress to optimize this process, but in many places it still requires government subsidies to be profitable.

Synthetic Biology and Biogas Industry

Essentially a process operating by living organisms, the biogas industry is a natural target for synthetic biology. In terms of their genetic content, organisms are classified into three natural groups, Archaea, Bacteria and Eukarya. Most microbes are Archaea and Bacteria, while humans are Eukarya.

In an anaerobic digester, many different types of Bacteria convert the complex organic matter in waste or biomass to hydrogen gas, carbon dioxide, formate and acetate. A unique group of methanogenic Archaea then produces the invaluable part of biogas, methane, by eating hydrogen and carbon dioxide, formate or acetate.

One can imagine creating a super microbe to convert the complex organic matter directly into biogas, thus making anaerobic digestion faster, more efficient and easier-to-manipulate. Making a synthetic microbial community by reprogramming key microbes may also help them work together when a tough job (i.e., eating extremely complex waste) needs to be done.

Among numerous microbes in anaerobic digester, methanogenic Archaea are one of a few microbial groups that have been extensively studied, and a number of genetic tools are available for engineering via synthetic biology. Therefore, scientists have begun to reprogram methanogenic archaea, allowing them to eat organic matter such as sugars and directly produce methane. If they succeed, they may engineer a super microbe that never existed in nature and revolutionize the biogas industry by making anaerobic digestion much simpler and more efficient.

There is also the possibility of more applications downstream. For instance, upgrading biogas by removal of carbon dioxide improves its combustibility. A super microbe could be made to upgrade biogas using hydrogen gas or even electricity to form more methane from carbon dioxide.

Conceptualized super cell that converts idealized organic matter (2CH2O) directly into biogas.

Grand Challenges

However promising, grand challenges remain when it comes to the use of synthetic biology in biogas industry. About 10,000 moving parts are needed to make an automobile, millions of parts for an airplane, and all the parts are standardized.

Similar to those engineering sectors, synthetic biology also needs many standardized genetic parts and modules to be able to create biological devices that can really revolutionize an industry. Sophisticated genetic tools are needed as well to assemble these parts and put them to work. However, few such parts, modules and tools are at disposal for engineering microbes in an anaerobic digester.

Take methanogenic Archaea for example, only three parts are available in the iGEM registry, the world largest collection of biological parts for synthetic biology. Another challenge is an apparent neglect of synthetic biology by the biogas industry. Symposiums bringing professionals from biogas industry and synthetic biology together for discussions are rare, as are major investments for promoting synthetic biology.

As a result, few research groups are developing synthetic tools and parts for the biogas industry. For example, the aforementioned three iGEM parts were all contributed by only one group, the UGA-iGEM team at the University of Georgia.

Future Perspectives

Synthetic biology is developing faster than ever, and its cost continues to fall. Thanks to prompt actions of many industrial pioneers in embracing and supporting synthetic biology, it is already starting to revolutionize a few fields.

Synthetic biology holds great potentials to revolutionize the biogas industry. To achieve this goal, joint efforts between the biogas industry and academia must be made. The former side needs to understand what synthetic biology can achieve, while the latter side should identify which parts of the process in the biogas industry can be re-designed and optimized by synthetic biology.

Once the two sides start to work together, novel synthetic parts and tools are bound to be invented, and they will make anaerobic digestion a better process for the biogas industry.

8 Study Tips for Science Students

Being a student in any field is hard. It requires a lot of hard work and commitment, and it can often affect your life – positively as well as negatively – in many ways.

While any field of study is hard work, many people may say that studying science is even harder, simply because the science industry  is often very complicated and competitive. If you’re a science student or aspiring science student, you may be looking for some tips to help you study. If that’s the case, you’ve come to the right place. Keep reading to learn about eight study tips for science students.

Study Guide for Science Students

1. Use tools to help you

You’re lucky to be studying at a time when technology can help you so much. There are plenty of tools that can help any student, such as apps or websites to make research easier.

On top of that, there are tools that are designed specifically to help science students. This free electronic lab notebook can probably help you a lot during your studies, so it’s worth looking into it.

In short, while studying science may be hard, there are many tools to make it easier, so you should take full advantage of this fact.

2. Do a lot of research

If you truly want to succeed in your scientific studies, you will need to go above and beyond. This often means doing more research than you are required to.

While it may seem counterintuitive to research things when you don’t have to, it can help you a lot in your studies. This is because science is such a broad field, and there’s so much to learn. Everything also links with each other, so the more you learn and research, the more you will understand.

3. Manage your time

You probably feel a bit overwhelmed. Don’t worry, most students feel this way, so you’re not alone. Science students often have to juggle a lot of things, which means they tend to prioritize certain aspects and neglect others. This is often simply due to poor time management. Luckily, there’s an easy solution to this, and that is to work on your time management skills.

Start small, by buying a student planner and making a list of things you need to do every day. Once that is done, you can move on to these time management tips for students. Once you learn how to manage your time, you will feel much more in control of your studies.

4. Don’t be afraid to ask for help

As mentioned, science isn’t the easiest field to study. Because it is such a highly regarded and competitive field, people are often scared of looking stupid if they ask questions or don’t understand something.

However, that shouldn’t be the case. If you’re struggling with something, you should ask for help. You can ask a fellow student or your professor. It doesn’t make you stupid – in fact, it’s a very smart and brave thing to ask for help.

5. Choose the right field of study

If you’re just about to start studying science, or you need to choose which field you want to specialize in, you may have a hard time deciding.

However, you need to choose something that you are interested in. Remember that, if all goes according to plan, you will be working in this field for many years. This is why it’s so important to choose the right field.

Be sure to choose a scientific field that aligns with your values and passions. For example, if you are passionate about helping the environment, you might want to study renewable energy.

6. Double-check your research

Science relies on accuracy, which means the smallest mistake can have serious consequences. Of course, you will likely make mistakes during your studies, and that is completely fine!

How to Self-Edit Your Essay

That being said, you should try to take the time to check over your research to ensure that it is all done correctly. It’s very easy to make a mistake, especially if you’re tired and have been staring at the same thing for hours. Take a break, and come back with a fresh mind to double-check that everything is right.

7. Study in a way that works for you

No two people are alike, which means that you may not study the same way your friends do. If you find that you are struggling to keep up with or understand the work, it might be that you are simply studying in a way that isn’t ideal for you. Some people are visual learners, while others do best when they consume their work in audio format.

Some may study best in a group, while others may prefer working on their own. The key is to figure out what works best for you, and to tweak that until you have a way of studying that gives you the best results. If you’re not sure what works for you, you can click here to learn more about different ways of studying.

8. Don’t be too hard on yourself

Students who study science often experience a lot of pressure. While you can’t necessarily do anything about this, you shouldn’t add to that pressure by making yourself work too hard.

It’s okay if you don’t get perfect grades every time, or if you need a break now and then. Pushing yourself to the limit may give you good results in the short term, but it could lead to you burning out in the future, which is something you certainly don’t want.

In conclusion

While the field of science may be an intimidating one to study, that shouldn’t scare you away if you are passionate about it. But it is important that you know what you are getting yourself into, and that you are prepared to put in all the hard work it requires.

It might be hard to study science, but it will be worth it. On top of that, there are plenty of tips that you can follow to make your studies easier. Being a science student may not be for everyone, but if you think it might be for you, there’s no reason why you shouldn’t grab the opportunity if you get the chance.

3 Ways Zero Valent Iron Can Help in Environment Protection

Zero Valent Iron (ZVI) was developed to eliminate chlorinated hydrocarbon solvents in the soil. Industrial solvents are replete with chlorinated hydrocarbon, so much toxic and bad for the environment. They get disposed in the soil along with other toxic elements to cause harm to our surrounding. In the current years, significant improvements have taken place in the realm of iron-based technology.

Zero Valent Iron can be effectively used in soil remediation

The result of years of research and significant improvement in the iron-based technology is the advent of nanoscale or polymer-supported iron-containing nanoparticles to remove contaminants from solvents and soil. This is all due to the high surface area to the volume ratio of such nanoscale particles that favor the reaction kinetics and sorption.

But, know one thing that high pressure drops may restrict fixed-bed column application. This is why we now have modified nanosized ferrous particles to facilitate arsenic removal. The fabulous reducing agent helps in pollution recovery, and thus it benefits our environment.

Applications of Zero Valent Iron

ZVI in recent times is used widely for wastewater treatment, groundwater, and soil treatment. If made through the physico-chemical process in combination, the ZVI may be very small particles, having a large surface area. ZVI is beneficial for the environment, for it has a strong reductibility, great purity, long aging property, and similar features.

Zerovalent Iron can boost the chlorine removal efficiency of the soil, groundwater, and six valent chromium. Thus, it reduces the time required for environmental remediation. Acting as a fabulous reducing agent, it facilitates pollution recovery. Indeed, you may also combine it to bioremediation to further improve the efficacy of environment pollution recovery. Use it in the soil, solvents and industrial wastewater confidently to get rid of the contaminants. The use of ZVI paves the way for pure water and soil.

What you should look for in ZVI?

Are you planning to procure zero valent elemental metallic ions for wastewater treatment or soil remediation? Zerovalent metals or ZVI has a wide range of applications that range from electrodes and trenches to filters. Yes! It helps in the water filtration process, and thus we have pure drinking water. It gets rid of every trace of impurity or contaminant from the solvent or soil. It is important to look for a reliable company to procure ZVI.

Watch out for the following properties of ZVI

  • The particles must be fine enough to be customized as per your application
  • Look for the great adsorption performance and sound chemical activity
  • A large surface area for that very strong reductibility
  • Make sure the duration of its effect is very long to reduce the injections
  • Very fine ZVI particles to remediate pollution and to save remediation time and effort
  • Must be environment-friendly, deprived of any toxic compound

Enhanced nitrate-removing potential

Zero-valent metal has an enhanced nitrate removal capacity. It eliminates nitrate from the groundwater to facilitate remediation. Hence, biochar-supported ZVI can facilitate nitrate removal while the ones with wider pH can remove larger nitrates. Biochar composite eliminates nitrate from the groundwater without leaving any harmful by-products. But, biochar has a variable nitrate-removal capacity.

ZVI biochar has a potential to reduce nitrate by mediating the redox potential, the electron transfer, pH and thus facilitates enhanced removal or reduction of nitrate from the solvent or soil. Everything revolves around the logic of intensifying chemical reduction in order to eliminate nitrate from the soil or groundwater.

Nitrate and How it Accumulates

Nitrate is the form of nitrogen, which lies beneath the cultivable land. Nitrate is water soluble and may move through the soil quite easily. Owing to its high mobility, it moves to the groundwater table. Once it has moved to the groundwater table, it persists there and deposits to a very high level.

Thus, shallow groundwater is also at a risk of contamination from chemicals of land surfaces. This is a matter of concern, and indeed, nitrate in water may harm human health, aquatic life, livestock life and contaminate the surface water. We can say that it is not that harmful to adult humans, but it can significantly affect the health of the infants. It may reduce the level of oxygen in the blood to cause ‘blue baby’ disorder.

Hence, biological denitrification, ion exchange, and reverse osmosis are the treatment processes to handle this issue. The use of ZVI is a way to denitrification and the key to attaining a safe nitrate level in the water. A zero-valent metallic reduction is an effective way to refine dirty and polluted water. As soon as ZVI is placed in the flowing water or is added to the flowing water, there starts the process of oxidizing. The resultant chain reaction will purify water or remove the contaminants.

A Tool to Remediate Acid Mine Drainage

AMD or Acid Mine Drainage is the most common source of metal in places like the Appalachians, Tennessee, and Kentucky. It is important to remediate acid mine drainage for it is highly acidic and toxic. It is the major contributor to the arsenic environment and something needs to be done. AMD is a rich source of heavy and corrosive metals, acidic in nature. Biological treatment of Acid Mine Drainage is cost-effective, efficient and environment-friendly.

Biotechnological processes are an asset when it comes to treating Acid Mine Drainage in an effective manner. ZVI is environmentally sustainable. When it is very complicated and difficult to treat or remediate Acid Mine Drainage, ZVI eases the process. It gets rid of harmful elements or potentially hazardous substances from AMD to separate metal from acid and toxic compounds. There isn’t a need to abandon a mine site just because there are acidic metal deposits. Mine metals can be reclaimed with ZVI, and herein lays the environmental benefit.

Recycling of metallurgical waste

It is important to treat AMD or Acid Mine Drainage. The ecological solution to separate toxic metals, to reclaim water in large quantities is gaining a lot of attention. ZVI and zero valent metals save our natural resources and prepare the toxic metals for the recycling process. This is only possible through the separation of the acidic part.

We can recycle gallons of water that lay in the pond and other water bodies. It drops the acid level in the water and metal while also prevents heavy metallic reactions. When Acid Mine Drainage is one of the serious concerns in the realm of coal mining, zero valent metals prevent any exposure of sulfur-rich mineral to the water and atmospheric oxygen.

Final Thoughts

Zero-valent metals can help in the treatment of contaminated zones through the process of remediation. Zero valent iron is the highly reactive powder for remediation of wastewater and soil and works fabulously on environmentally contaminated areas. This remediation solution is highly efficient and benefits our environment in multiple ways.