PNNL Technology Wins Award for Improving Submarine Air Quality

Researchers at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory won a prize today for inventing nanotechnology that cleans carbon dioxide from the air in Navy submarines. According to a press release,the current method is 50 years old and uses technology that is heavy, bulky and relies on a liquid that is corrosive, smelly and difficult to dispose. The nanotechnology developed at the PNNL was originally used to remove heavy metals from ground and surface water near DOE waste sites. It can absorb large quantities of contaminants without creating secondary waste. The nanotechnology can also be disposed of as a nonhazardous waste. In the future, the technology may be used in SCUBA gear, space ships and astronaut suits, and to cool buildings on Earth.