NRI
Doctor,Pratim Biswas:
A new device has
recently
been patented to capture and destroy bioagents
such
as the Anthrax, smallpox virus and ricin
Washington, March 8, 2004
By A. Singh
SMART CATALYSTS, a new device
for trapping and deactivating microbial particles
has recently been patented. It has the potential
to benefit the war on terrorism by deactivating
airborne bioagents and bioweapons such as the
smallpox virus, anthrax, and ricin, as well as
routine indoor air ventilation applications, such
as in buildings and aircraft cabins. Biswas and
his collaborators have tested the device using
non-potent polio virus and have achieved 99.9999
percent efficiency
The device combines an electrical
field with soft rays and smart catalysts to capture
and destroy bioagents. "When the aerosol
particles come into the device they are charged
and trapped in an electrical field," explained
Pratim Biswas, Ph.D., Stifel & Quinette Jens
Professor of Environmental Engineering Sciences
and director of Environmental Engineering Sciences
at Washington University. "Any organic material
is oxidized, so it completely deactivates the
organism."
Biswas noted that conventional
corona systems do not charge and effectively trap
nanometer-sized particles, such as viruses. But
his invention combines soft x-rays with a conventional
corona that has been proven to be very effective
at charging and trapping particles in a range
of sizes.
The walls of the device have coated
nanoparticles that catalyze the oxidation. These
nanoparticles are "smart" objects that
are turned "on" and "off"
by irradiation.
Washington University in St. Louis
has a core group of six faculty who are mainstream
aerosol researchers, and work on different aspects
related to Aerosol Science and Engineering. This
nationally and internationally recognized group
of scientists, one of the largest groups in U.
S. universities, studies the synthesis and environmental
impact of nanoparticles, atmospheric pollution
at the regional and global scales, and develops
the next generation of instrumentation for detection
of these particles, as well as several environmental
nanotechnology applications.
Biswas was part of a special colloquium,
"Research in Aerosols and Air Quality,"
held March 2, 2004, at Washington University.
The event was organized under the university's
Sesquicentennial Environmental Initiative wherein
world-renowned researchers reported the latest
findings in the aerosol engineering field. The
colloquium, was part of a series of environmental
dialogues held in honor of Washington University's
150th anniversary.
PRATIM
BISWAS
Stifel and Quinette Jens Professor
Director, Environmental Engineering Science
Washington University in St. Louis
Coordinates
Departments of Chemical and Civil Engineering
Environmental Engineering Science Program
Washington University in St. Louis
One Brookings Drive, Campus Box 1180
St. Louis, MO 63130-4899
The Aerosol and Air Quality Research
Laboratory (AAQRL) Educational and Research Interests
Teaching and research interests include aerosol
science and engineering; nanoparticle technology;
air quality engineering;combustion; materials
processing for environmental technologies, environmentally
benign processing, environmental nanotechnology,
and the thermal sciences.
Education
1985 Ph.D. California Institute of Technology
1981 M.S. University of California, Los Angeles
1980 B.Tech. Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay
Professional Experience
2000 - current Jens Professor and Director, Environmental
Engr.
Washington University in St. Louis
1993 - 2000 Professor, University of Cincinnati
1998 - 2002 Associate Editor, Aerosol Science
and Technology
1998 - 2000 Chair, Critical Review Committee,
AWMA
1998- current Member, Critical Review Committee,
AWMA
1998 - 2000 Board of Directors, AAAR, Executive
Committee
1995 - 1998 Director, Environmental Engineering
and Science Div.
University of Cincinnati
1994 Visiting Scientist, Natl. Inst. of Stds.
& Tech.
1989 - 1993 Associate Professor, University of
Cincinnati
1985 - 1989 Assistant Professor, University of
Cincinnati
1981 - 1985 Graduate Asst., California Institute
of Technology
1980 - 1981 Graduate Asst., University of California,
Los Angeles
1979 Trainee Engineer, Voltas India Inc.
Classes That I Teach
1) Aerosol Science and Technology, Env/ChE 518
2) Advanced Topics in Aerosol Science, Env/ChE
592 (alternate (even) years)
3) Topics in Nanotechnology, Env/ChE/ME 564 (alternate
(odd) years)
4) Environmental Engineering Science Seminar,
Env 5908
5) Transport Phenomena, ChE 368
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