'Self-cleaning' pollution-control technology could do more harm than good, study suggests
Thursday, June 13, 2013 - 10:34
in Physics & Chemistry
Environmental scientists shows that air-pollution-removal technology used in "self-cleaning" paints and building surfaces may actually cause more problems than they solve. The study finds that titanium dioxide coatings, seen as promising for their role in breaking down airborne pollutants on contact, are likely in real-world conditions to convert abundant ammonia to nitrogen oxide, the key precursor of harmful ozone pollution.