Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are carbon-based compounds,
many of which are hazardous to humans' health. EU-funded
researchers coordinated efforts to apply nanotechnology to the
capture and sequestration of these compounds. VOCs evaporate
into the air at room temperature. The evaporation process
produces tiny air-borne molecules that may be unsafe to those
who inhale them, come into contact with them via skin, or drink
them in contaminated water supplies. While the use of VOCs has
been restricted in recent years, there are still thousands of
products present in everyday life that contain VOCs. Removal of
VOCs from waste air streams, whether at factories that use VOCs
or at wastewater treatment plants that remove VOCs from
wastewater, is commonly accomplished with separation membranes.
The application of nanotechnology (technology on the scale of
atoms or molecules) to membrane filtration of VOCs in waste air
streams may greatly enhance functionality. Nanoparticles have
the unique feature of having very hi