"The work I perform with RESTORE has allowed me to apply my knowledge of nanoscience and nanomaterials synthesis into relevant and challenging environmental problems. The group is truly multidisciplinary and quite motivated."

  
Project Title:
Development of Zero-Valent Iron nanoparticles (nZVI) for subsurface remediation of chlorinated solvents.

Project Description:
Zero-valent (Fe0) is a strong reducing agent, which can be used as an abiotic electron donor to promote the reductive dehalogenation of chlorinated hydrocarbons in a direct chemical reaction with iron. By decreasing the particle size of ZVI to nanoscale size, the ability to reduce the chlorinated hydrocarbon increases dramatically due to the significant increase in surface area. This improves remediation performance. The goal of the project is to synthesize nZVI systems that are stable in aqueous solution for in situ remediation of free phase chlorinated solvents that contaminate groundwater resources. Chlorinated solvent is a particularly persistent NAPL contaminant, frequently contaminating water sources for decades or centuries and are one of the most common contaminants at brownfield and industrialized sites. nZVI properties and structure are investigated in order to understand the dechlorination mechanisms, which in turn helps in designing of more efficient nZVI systems.

Personal Background:
Nataphan Sakulchaicharoen got her B.Sc. degree in Chemical Engineering in 1998 from Chulalongkorn University in Bangkok, Thailand. After graduation she joined the graduate program in the Petroleum and Petrochemical College from the same university. In 2002 she got her M.S. degree in Chemical Engineering and took a position as quality control supervisor on a transnational surfactant producer company in Thailand. After a year she joined the graduate program at the University of Oklahoma to work on a Ph.D. degree under the supervision of Dr. Resasco, in the area of nanomaterial synthesis and characterization which she completed in March 2006.