Nanotechnology in Environmental Applications

Report Highlights

• Conventional remedial methods have yielded mixed and marginal results; they are likely to give way to far more robust and effective nanotechnologies, once commercialized. These factors form the basis of the inflated estimate of $2,385.9 million for 2010, an average annual growth rate (AAGR) of 192.2%.
• The Maintenance sector of the nanotechnology market is projected to reach $1,690.0 million by 2010.
• The Protection nanotechnologies market reached $166.2 million in 2005 and is projected to grow at an AAGR of 53.0% to reach $1,393.7 million by 2010.

INTRODUCTION

Expansive potential markets for environmental nanotechnology ("E-nano") products already exist for a wide array of urgently needed environmental remedial applications, some of which appear to have requirements that are approaching critical levels. Indeed, it can be considered as essential that innovative and robust nanotechnology-based remedial technologies be developed as rapidly as is possible in order to assure our continued well-being, if not our very survival long-term.

Conventional environmental remedial solutions seem to be relatively ineffectual in the face of currently extensive and expanding pollutant loads that permeate the air, water, and soil environments. This has been repeatedly evidenced by the limited successes seen, in response to addressing recent large-scale cleanup challenges. Nanotechnologies dedicated to environmental cleanup may evolve to levels of sophistication and efficiency such that contaminant-affected areas might very well be "engineered" back to their original integrity; so as to perhaps "reset" the conditions for the restoration of their delicate balance.

SCOPE OF STUDY

This report contains:

• Four primary sections:
     a) Environmental Remediation,
     b) Environmental Protection,
     c) Environmental Maintenance, and
     d) Environmental Enhancement.
• The details involved in driving product demand within this vast untapped market, in conjunction with trends, potential sales, and forecasts for various market sectors through 2010.
• Investigations to elucidate current research efforts, as well as the characterization and quantification of developing environmental nanotechnologies already poised to enter the marketplace.
• Manufacturers involved with the production of these nanotechnologies, along with their anticipated product volumes, demonstrating how these advances might impact specific environmental market segments.

METHODOLOGY

The methodology involved in the compilation of this report included extensive literature searches, assimilation and distillation of environmentally related nanotechnology research. Where clarification or additional information was required to further elucidate specific technologies, individual researchers were contacted. Companies were consulted when a more in-depth description of their processes, products and perceived markets was warranted.

Relative to the sections of the report that explore potential nanotechnologies for environment policies, laws, and safety concerns, hundreds of emails were sent out internationally to survey individuals involved in these areas. This strategy was employed to gain a clearer picture and cross-disciplinary understanding of these domains, and to glean various perceptions of environmentally applied nanotechnologies via respondent opinions, comments and perspectives. These individuals included international government environment officials, scientists and research experts, politicians, environmental lawyers and lawmakers, business leaders, as well as individuals from several prominent international environmental groups.

INFORMATION SOURCES

The majority of information sources used in this report were derived from online literature searches, journal-published scientific papers, editorials, news articles, and government as well as global environmental agency databases, reports and briefings. Numerous books and magazines were consulted for relevant technological information, or for background sections. Researchers considered as experts in their respective fields and nanomaterials companies were also consulted.