dirty work

Tel Aviv University researchers dig deep to clean soils of dangerous contamination

By-products of the electronics, fuel, chemical and defense industries can be dangerous. Toxic heavy substances such as cadmium and lead can enter the food chain and cause cancer. And if they are found in land for construction, the real estate on which it is located loses its value.

Therefore for environmental, health and economic reasons alike, it is necessary to find new solutions to clean industrial chemicals from the soil in America.

Now, innovative cleaning techniques developed at Tel Aviv University, which turn a cement truck into a giant mixer, may change the situation for industry and environmental experts. Prof. Amos Ullman, Prof. Naima Brauner and Prof. Eliora Ron from the Faculty of Life Sciences at Tel Aviv University, in collaboration with the Israeli researcher Dr. Zvi Ludmar, are working on the development of a new cleaning agent that removes dangerous substances from the soil and does not harm the desired minerals.

"My colleagues have developed a system that literally cleans the ground," said Dr. Michael Gozin from Tel Aviv University's School of Chemistry. "Their secret formula, which is currently in the early stages of research and development, will make it possible to clean the contents of trucks full of dirt in a concrete mixer. Not only will the compound leave the essential minerals in the soil, it itself is biodegradable and is therefore safe to use from an environmental point of view."

More than soap and water

Tel Aviv University researchers have created a molecular compound with complex and particularly specific functions. The compound is able to identify and bind to certain metals such as cadmium, it is non-toxic and biodegradable.

The soil, says Dr. Guzin, is a very complex substance. "From now on, when we design a new chemical, we will have to think about how to maintain the delicate balance of the environment. Microorganisms must be maintained, for example, in the soil. We don't want to kill them or take out the vital minerals and metals. Our sophisticated solutions take these things into account," he said.

According to him, the land cleaning solutions that are on the market today require a lot of work and an investment of time and money and are not effective. They empty the soil of all its basic components and leave behind dead and useless soil. They also leave behind their own toxic byproducts that do not biodegrade. "These solutions solve one problem but create another," said Dr. Guzin, who works on a research project for the Department of Defense and the US Air Force.

other applications

The solution could also be used in the mining industry, to help mineralogists extract desired materials from the ground, such as gold and other rare metals used in the high-tech industry.

Tel Aviv University's new solution will give the contaminated land a new life and therefore can also affect businesses. Areas close to industrial parks are at particularly high risk and their value remains low.

"Heavy metals cannot be removed from the soil using soap and water," said Dr. Guzin. This type of cleaning agent is very difficult to develop, however, when an industrial partner is found it will be possible to complete the development of the product within three years. "It can also be adapted to remove specific hazardous chemicals, which can then be moved to safe storage facilities so they don't harm the environment." Guzin adds.

The research at Tel Aviv University is funded by the Israel Science Foundation.

For a notice on the Tel Aviv University website (English)