Clean Technology (main)

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Clean Technology


The term "clean technology" describes technologies developed by biological, computational, and physical scientists and engineers that enable more efficient and effective use of natural resources and potentially reduce ecological and human health impacts. Clean technologies embrace a diverse range of products, services, and processes, and span many industries, from alternative forms of energy generation to water purification to materials-efficient production techniques.

Clean technologies represent a paradigm shift from environmental technologies that we have traditionally used to mitigate waste and reduce emissions. The traditional definition of environmental technologies encompasses technologies in remediation, hazardous and solid waste, water and wastewater treatment, and air pollution control. Clean technologies represent new technologies in renewable energy, alternative fuels, bio- and nano-technology, and microelectronics.

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ContentImg.jpg Health effects of 1,1,1-trichloroethane Last Updated on 2008-03-26 20:40:42 1,1,1-Trichloroethane is a synthetic chemical that does not occur naturally in the environment. It also is known as methylchloroform, methyltrichloromethane, trichloromethylmethane, and ?-trichloromethane. Its registered trade names are chloroethene NU® and Aerothene TT®. It is a colorless liquid with a sweet, sharp odor. 1,1,1-Trichloroethane dissolves slightly in water. The liquid evaporates quickly and becomes a vapor. Most people begin to smell 1,1,1-trichloroethane in the air when its levels reach 120–500 parts per million (ppm). If the chemical makes up 8–10.5% (80,000– 105,000 ppm) of the air, it can burn easily when it contacts a spark or flame. A poisonous gas known as phosgene can be produced during welding if 1,1,1-trichloroethane is used to clean the metal. 1,1,1-Trichloroethane also can be found in soil and water, particularly at hazardous waste sites. Because... More »
ContentImg.jpg Roth, James (Clean Technology) Last Updated on 2007-02-20 20:10:20 The accomplishments of James Roth (1925– ) display how catalytic processes similar to those described in Petroleum and Petrochemicals can be used to sculpt environmentally friendly molecules. Roth came of age during World War II. Having completed high school and attended two years of college, at the age of 18 Roth was serving as a navigator aboard a Navy vessel that landed Marines on Iwo Jima during World War II. After the war Roth completed his bachelor's degree in chemistry—earned with credits from three different colleges and universities—and a Ph.D. in physical chemistry from the University of Maryland. After a succession of positions, including a year or two as part owner of a small paint manufacturing company, Roth joined Monsanto in 1960. There he used platinum catalysis to solve an emerging environmental problem, the fouling of streams and lakes with detergents.... More »
ContentImg.jpg La Cour, Poul Last Updated on 2006-09-08 19:46:47 Poul La Cour (1846-1908), a Danish pioneer of modern aerodynamics and electricity-generating wind turbines. La Cour was initially concerned with the storage of energy, and he used the electricity from his wind turbines for electrolysis in order to produce hydrogen for the gas lighting in the Askov Folk High School in Askov, Denmark. La Cour conducted many of his experiments in a wind tunnel that he built himself. La Cour founded the Society of Wind Electricians in 1905, and was the founding publisher of The Journal of Wind Electricity, the world's first journal of wind electricity. In 1918, some 120 local utilities in Denmark had a wind turbine, ranging in size from 20 to 35 kilowatts, for a total of about 3 megawatts of installed power, supplying about 3 percent of Danish electricity consumption at the time. Further Reading Paul la Cour Information (Poul la Cour Museum) The Wind... More »
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