Nanotechnology and Human Health

CONTENTS OF CURRICULUM UNIT 10.05.02

  1. Unit Guide
  1. Introduction
  2. Goals & Objectives
  3. Rationale
  4. Content
  5. Strategies
  6. Classroom Activities
  7. Resources
  8. Appendix I State Standards
  9. Appendix II National Science Education Standards
  10. Endnotes

Nanotechnology and Clean Water: How Safe Is Our Drinking Water?

Ram Bhagat

Published September 2010

Tools for this Unit:

Guide Entry to 10.05.02

This is an inquiry-based unit designed to guide students in the development of pertinent questions about direct (i.e. personal) concerns of water quality, as well as indirect (i.e. global) concerns about water quality.

After energy, the second major problem facing global society is the availability of clean water. To address this concern, intelligently and cooperatively, members of society must be well informed. Presenting students with a conceptual framework to help them understand size and scale, the basic functions of atoms and molecules, and some emerging applications of nanotechnology will provide them with essential knowledge.

Access to clean water is a bigger problem for exploited and under industrialized areas than hunger. Within the next two decades, the average supply of water per person will drop by one third, possibly condemning millions of people to severe dehydration and avoidable premature death. The design and manipulation of atomic and molecular scale (nanoscale) materials offers great possibilities for advances in cleaner energy production and water treatment.

One of the primary reasons for teaching this unit is to foster a basic understanding of nanotechnology and its applications in the field of chemistry, as it relates to water pollution and purification. I contend it is essential to facilitate a learning experience that empowers students to analyze the relative quality of drinking water in their community.

The crux of my unit is to integrate the performing arts (i.e. drumming, dance, and drama) into science, an approach I refer to as 3D Aesthetic Science Education (ASE). This approach to science education through the arts is designed to expand the students' understanding of scientific concepts and principles through interpretive performance based activities.

(Developed for Chemistry/Atomic Structure, grades 10-11, and AP Environmental Science, grades 11-12; recommended for Chemistry/Water Chemistry/Pollution, grades 10-11, Environmental Science, grades 9-10, and AP Environmental Science, grades 11-12)

Comments:

Abdulraheem Okehi Anumah

February 25, 2018 at 3:26 am

Thank You Message.

Dear Admin, This is to acknowledge with much ecstasy and all the functional groups of appreciation; the article is the best I have read since I started school. It came at a right time, a time when I needed to decide on the best and promising areas of research where I can quickly delve in to learn, contribute and inspire the world. This inspiring article on nanotechnology applications in water treatment would go a long way into moulding me to be a frontrunner for the research, Industrial and academic community of the world. Nothing would bring me greater satisfaction than to improve existing technologies to better analyse topical and troubling issues, and keep the cost of such procedures to a minimum for a number of industries and the society at large. Thank you for giving me this wonderful platform to go and explore the world of Nanotechnology. My Msc proposals and subsequent projects will aim to address the menace of waste water through ground breaking research in nanotechnology. Regards, Anumah ABDULRAHEEM Okehi +2347038848744 abdulraheemanumah@yahoo.com

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