Silver has been widely investigated for environmental applications due to its excellent antimicrobial, optical, or conductive properties. Silver-based nanomaterials and composites are integrated into membranes, sensors, adsorbents, catalysts, to name a few, to impart novel or improved functional properties to the materials. However, the high cost, solubility, and high affinity of ionic silver with the various constituents of natural waters have limited the performance of silver-enabled products in aqueous environments. In this presentation, we will discuss how, by developing an understanding of the unique chemistry of silver nanomaterials in natural waters, we can help enhance its performance as a functional material for water treatment. We present examples based on the antimicrobial applications of silver nanoparticles for biofouling control and on silver-enabled coagulation for the prevention of disinfection by-products. We show that by forming low solubility silver/silver sulfide nanoparticles, we can slow down the release of silver from nanosilver-coated surfaces without compromising their anti-biofouling performance. We also show that by engineering the nanoscale features of silver-enabled adsorbents, we can increase the selectivity of silver-enabled coagulation for bromide removal. Both these applications allow for a more efficient use of silver, which both reduce the cost of material production as well as limit the unwanted release of biocidal silver. The results of these findings arediscussed in the context of their niche applications in water treatment.

Understanding silver chemistry to maximize its performance in environmental applications

ACS Spring 2022

The official archive and repository for all ACS Meetings & Expositions abstracts and select posters or presentations.