Environmental materials research: opportunities and challenges in China

Abstract

Increased awareness of the social and economic costs and the health and ecological impacts of environmental pollution have created demands for pollution control and environmental remediation. Of vital importance to meeting these demands is the development of cost-effective environmental materials. The underpinning science for advances in, and potential uses of, representative environmental materials, including carbonaceous materials, clay minerals, mesoporous silica and nanoparticles of metals and metal oxides, are reviewed, along with their advantages and limitations. To judge the success or otherwise of their applications, three general criteria are proposed. The scientific, economic, regulatory and educational challenges that need to be considered in future research on environmental materials and the development of their cost-effective uses are discussed.