SYDNEY, Nov. 4 (Xinhua) -- A single atom of silver working in synergy with carbon and nitrogen atoms can efficiently convert polluting nitrogenous waste from agriculture and mining into liquid fertilizer, according to an Australian study.
Researchers have precisely woven silver atoms into a carbon and nitrogen support matrix that, with perfect synergy, choreograph a series of complex catalytic steps to convert polluting nitrate into ammonium that can be used directly as a fertilizer, a statement of Australia's Center of Excellence for Carbon Science and Innovation said Tuesday.
Removing the nitrogenous wastes at source and converting it into a valuable product helps close the NOx (air pollutant, nitrogen-based gases), nitrate and nitrite loop and prevents the waste from entering the environment, where it has adverse effects on aquatic life and human health, according to the center, led by Australia's University of New South Wales.
If left untreated, nitrate and nitrite can convert into some of the more potent greenhouse gases such as nitrous oxide (laughing gas), which is 290 times more potent than carbon dioxide, according to the researchers of the study.
"Our work showcases how carbon-based materials can be engineered at the atomic level to turn waste nitrate into valuable ammonia using extremely low amounts of silver atoms," said the study's lead author Thanh Son Bui. ■
