This report by the Australian Government outlines some of the Australian nanotechnology projects related to the environment and water-treatment. The report says that Australia’s fast-growing nanotechnology sector is the ideal place for investment in environmental nanotechnology because of “the nation’s natural resource-based industries, water scarcity challenges, experience working across a diverse range of environmental conditions and industries, outstanding science and research base, and proximity to fast-growing Asian markets.” Some examples of environmental nanotechnology products described in the report include: NanoChem Pty Ltd.’s MesoLite water treatment technology that removes ammonia from waste water and concentrates it into commercial fertilizer; the Cooperative Research Center (CRC) for Microtechnology’s BioSenZ technology that uses nanotechnology-based biosensing to detect chemicals and organic materials in water at a sensitivity of some parts-per-billion; and the CRC for International Food Manufacture and Packaging Science’s cornstarch-based nano-polymer for environmentally-friendly plastic bags.
