Office Of Science And Technology Research Articles

<p>Nano Revolution – Big Impact: How Emerging Nanotechnologies Will Change the Future of Education and Industry in America (and More Specifically in Oklahoma) An Abbreviated Account</p>

Scientists are creating new and amazing materials by manipulating molecules at the ultra- small scale of 0.1 to 100 nanometers. Nanosize super particles demonstrate powerful and unprecedented electrical, chemical, and mechanical properties. This study examines how nanotechnology, as the multidisciplinary engineering of novel nanomaterials into atomically precise products, is expected to disrupt most industries.
 Past industrial revolutions, driven by water power, internal combustion power, electrical power, and computer power, have greatly affected our economy and forever changed the course of society. Nanotechnology represents more potential power than all previous technologies combined. The primary methodology of this study involved comparing the current literature on developments in nanotechnology to the historical development of electricity to assess if the nanotech revolution is reaching a true “critical mass,” based on acceleration of technological change today and at other times in history. Data was collected from technical and business books on nanotechnology, testimonies from scientists before Congress, policy letters from the President’s Office of Science and Technology, presentations at major nanotech conferences, perspective surveys from the international to the local level, studies on the dangers and regulation of nanotechnology, and studies on the general and scientific educational landscape of America.
 Although nanotechnology is growing in national academic intensity, is gathering public recognition, and is based on patentable science, Oklahoma and the West South-Central Region received only 9.6 percent of nanotech funding (NSF Award DMI-0450666, 2005). This study establishes recommendations for business and academic planning with specific strategies, goals, and objectives for community college workforce education in Oklahoma.

Comment on "Present and Future of the British Schools, Institutes and Societies Abroad"

Bill Finlayson has set out the current position of the Academy-sponsored overseas Schools, Institutes and Societies very clearly and accurately. The fundamental issues are the need to maintain and develop the resource base – no organisation would claim that it does not need more, either for refurbishing and developing its physical infrastructure, or for developing its research activities. At the same time, the institutions must demonstrate to the funding bodies, the Council of the British Academy and its sponsor, the Office of Science and Technology (OST), that the research undertaken under their auspices is of the highest quality, equal to or better than that undertaken by comparable organisations in other countries.

Trends in PM 2.5 composition at the Department of Energy OST NETL fine particle characterization site in Pittsburgh, PA, USA

This paper reports on the results from the first 6 months (from November 1999 to April 2000) of an ongoing monitoring study of fine particulate air pollutants at the Department of Energy's Office of Science and Technology (OST) NETL sampling site, 30 km southwest of Pittsburgh city center, Pennsylvania. This study is part of a 2-year sampling program for PM characterization, under the auspices of The University Coal Research Program of the National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL), US Department of Energy in Pittsburgh, PA, USA. Samples were collected daily with a Particle Concentrator-Brigham Young University Organic Sampling System (PC-BOSS) to determine PM 2.3 composition, including the semi-volatile organic compounds (SVOC) and ammonium nitrate lost from particles during sampling. Average fine particulate composition during the 6-month period was: constructed PM 2.3, 19.4 μg m −3; ammonium sulfate 4.3 μg m −3; non-volatile organic material, 6.9 μg m −3; elemental carbon, 0.4 μg m −3; SVOC lost from particles during sampling, 6.1 μg m −3; retained ammonium nitrate, 1.4 μg m −3; lost ammonium nitrate, 0.3 μg m −3. Results from the PC-BOSS sampler are also compared with those obtained from a Federal Reference Method PM 2.5 sampler, and a Tapered Element Oscillating Microbalance monitor, both of which tended to not measure the semi-volatile particulate matter. SVOC concentrations were highest in the spring. Episodes of fine particulate non-volatile organic material occurred throughout the 6-month period. Average ammonium sulfate concentrations were higher in November and January than the other months for the study period.

Health advisory values for drinking water contaminants and the methodology for determining acute exposure values

The Health Advisory (HA) Program of the Office of Water provides informal technical guidance to Federal, State and local officials responsible for protecting health when emergency spills or contamination situations occur. Under this program, first initiated in 1985, HA values are developed for 1-day, 10-day, longer-term (approx. 7 years) and lifetime exposures based on data describing non- cancer endpoints of toxicity. For substances that are known or probable human carcinogens, lifetime HAs are not recommended. In these situations, the HA document provides an estimate of the drinking water concentration that is equivalent to a 10 −4–10 −6 cancer risk. US EPA has HA documents for over 175 chemicals dating from 1987 to 1998. A tabular summary of HA values can be accessed through the EPA Office of Science and Technology (OST) web page. The HA support documents provide a concise technical summary of and references for information on chemical, physical and toxicological properties, analytical methods, and treatment technologies. Some of the lifetime HA and cancer values in the HA documents may no longer agree with the most recent Agency assessment for Reference Dose (RfD) and cancer effects. However, the lifetime HA and cancer values presented in the HA tables have been updated to correspond with agency consensus values as presented in the Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS) database.

Innovative characterization, monitoring and sensor technologies for environmental radioactivity at USDOE sites

The mission of the U. S. Department of Energy Office of EnvironmentalManagement (EM) is to clean up its contaminated sites from the past productionof nuclear weapons. Within EM, the Office of Science and Technology (OST)is responsible for providing a full range of science and technology resourcesneeded to support resolution of EM cleanup and long-term environmental stewardshipproblems. This responsibility includes implementation of a technology developmentpathway from basic research to development, demonstration, and deploymentof scientific and technological solutions needed by DOE sites. One OST Programis the Characterization, Monitoring, and Sensor Technology Crosscutting Program(CMST-CP), which aims to provide innovative technologies (i.e., faster, better,cheaper, and/or safer) for environmental characterization and monitoring.This paper describes several technologies that CMST-CP has supported for developmentwith significant benefits realized or projected over the baseline characterizationand monitoring practices. Examples of these technologies include mapping ofsubsurface radioactivity using Cone Penetrometer and drilling techniques;a Rapid Liquid Sampler for Sr, Ra, Tc, and Cs using 3M Empore™ Rad Disks;Long-Range Alpha Detectors; a Compact High Resolution Spectrometer; BetaScint™for determination of Sr in soil; Laser-Induced Fluorescence Imaging techniquesfor mapping U on surfaces; the Environmental Measurements While Drilling System;and the Expedited Site Characterization methodology.