WEBVTT

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Music

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In April 2007, two NASA Kennedy Space Center employees were inducted into the Space Technology Hall of

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Fame for their award-winning work in developing a substance for cleaning up water and soils contaminated by

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chlorinated solvents.

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The inductees, Dr. Jacqueline Quinn, a NASA environmental engineer, and Kathleen Brooks, a NASA analytical

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chemist, invented an emulsion called "emulsified zero-valent iron," or EZVI, to eliminate ground pollutants.

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For many years chlorinated solvents have been used to clean rocket engine parts and other equipment by the

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Department of Energy, Department of Defense, NASA and private industry facilities around the country.

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At the time, the solvents, called "dense non-aqueous phase liquids," or DNAPLs for short,

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were considered safe.

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When the solvents were disposed of, because they are heavier than water, they sank into the ground.

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Later it was discovered the solvents could become harmful, especially to the aquifer, which is often a source

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of drinking water.

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DNAPLs in groundwater were difficult to remove and the process was cumbersome and costly.

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Turning to nanotechnology for an answer, Quinn and Brooks teamed with researchers at the University of

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Central Florida to conduct the first phase of research and development of EZVI.

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The team developed a thick substance containing a mixture of iron particles, water and vegetable oil.

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The oil worked like a magnet, helping to attract contaminants, while the nanoparticles broke down the DNAPL

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into harmless components that could be consumed by microbes in the soil.

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Any vegetable oil left in the groundwater would be absorbed by naturally occurring bacteria in the

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surrounding soil.

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Depending on the size of the contaminated site, it might take just a few weeks before the groundwater is

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completely clean.

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But EZVI is one of only a few methods available to treat the DNAPLs at their source, and, the product is safe

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for the environment.

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The EZVI team was granted yet another patent, for use on metal contamination, making their innovative

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technology even more globally applicable.

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The hall of fame honors those who transform technology originally developed to support space exploration

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initiatives into products that help improve the quality of life on Earth.

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Anyone interested in more information should contact NASA Kennedy Space Center's Innovative

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Partnerships Program Office at (321) 867-5033.