How to reuse old CDs? No object should be considered useless, even if it is dated. Some scientists are experimenting with their use to purify water. The reference, of course, is not to the original and valuable music CD collections, but to old CD-Roms or burned CDs that have not been used for years.
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How to reuse i old CDs? No object should be considered useless, even if it is dated. Some scientists are experimenting with their use for purify the water. The reference, of course, is not to the original and valuable music CD collections, but to old CD-Roms or burned CDs that have not been used for years.
The researchers of the National Taiwan University have developed a system to extract nanoparticles of zinc oxide, a substance that is able to purify wastewater from pollutants. Din Ping Tsai and his colleagues built a water purification device that is able to take advantage of CDs and their smooth, flat surface to the fullest.
Compact discs, in the opinion of experts, allow the production of zinc oxide particles that can contribute to the degradation of polluting substances present in the water. The system would work perfectly in the presence of UV rays. Zinc oxide nanoparticles are truly microscopic, thousands of times thinner than a human hair.
They are also useful low-cost semiconductors, which enable photocatalytic decontamination of polluted waters. It is a wastewater treatment method that has grown in popularity over the past few years. But it is the first time that CDs have been used to facilitate the process.
CDs are useful to experts because they are very resistant, cheap and able to rotate quickly, as well as favoring the passage of light through the water. The treatment system is simple and not very cumbersome. It consists of CDs coated with zinc oxide, a light source of UV rays and a structure that allows water to circulate.
In the opinion of the researchers, the new tool consumes little energy and can act more efficiently than other photocatalytic wastewater treatment techniques. It could also help solve the problem of lack of access to drinking water in the most disadvantaged areas of the world. L'invention will be presented at the upcoming Optical Society's Annual Meeting in Orlando, Florida.
Marta Albè
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