Silver, the metal that can reduce pollution. Surprising results obtained by Australian researchers

A single silver atom, acting in synergy with carbon and nitrogen atoms, can effectively transform polluting nitrogenous waste from agriculture and mining into liquid fertilizers, according to an Australian study, reports Xinhua on Tuesday, taken over by Agerpres.

Researchers have precisely inserted silver atoms into a matrix of carbon and nitrogen that, in perfect synergy, perform a series of complex catalytic steps to convert polluting nitrate into ammonium that can be used directly as fertilizer, Australia's Center of Excellence for Carbon Science and Innovation announced Tuesday.

Eliminating nitrogenous waste at the source and transforming it into a valuable product contributes to closing the NOx cycle of nitrates and nitrites (atmospheric pollutant, nitrogen-based gases) and prevents waste from entering the environment, where it has adverse effects on aquatic life and human health, according to the above-mentioned center, coordinated by the University of New South Wales in Australia.

If left untreated, nitrates and nitrites can turn into some of the most powerful greenhouse gases, such as nitrous oxide (laughing gas), which is 290 times more potent than carbon dioxide (CO2), according to the authors of the new study.

“Our research demonstrates how carbon-based materials can be modified at the atomic level to convert waste nitrate into valuable ammonia using extremely small amounts of silver atoms,” said the study's lead author, Thanh Son Bui.