Nanotubes and Bioremediation of Petrochemicals

Researchers at the University of Lancaster, United Kingdom, have shown that carbon nanotubes can pierce plant root cells, allowing other pollutants to easily infiltrate the cellular structure of plants. The researchers, Edward Wild and Kevin Jones, wanted to better understand the fate and interaction of nanoscale materials in the natural environment, due to the growth in production of these materials. Wild says "[T]here are also suggestions that nanomaterials might be useful in bioremediation, whether that's cleaning up groundwater or removing pollutants from contaminated sites, so we were interested to see what interactions there would be [with typical contaminants]." Wild and Jones used a special technique that allowed them to see exactly where molecules end up within the cellular structure of plants, bacteria, or fungi. The team examined nanoparticles of titanium dioxide, cerium dioxide, and multiwall carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs), and found that the nanotubes pierced the cells, significantly accelerating the uptake, by the plant, of phenanthrene, a typical atmospheric pollutant arising from the burning of fossil fuels. The acceleration appeared to be caused by the nanotubes piercing the cells and acting as pipes, allowing the phenanthrene to infiltrate much more rapidly than it could have done otherwise. Jamie Lead, a specialist in environmental nanoscience from the University of Birmingham, UK, said "[T]his kind of 'Trojan horse' scenario has been talked about a lot, but it's nice to have confirmation and data to show that it is the case."

Numerous bioremediation products are currently being used globally to clean up petrochemical contamination. Notably, Oil Gone Easy in the United States has launched the first retail product utilizing this technilogy for home and marine use.