Research
Developing Novel Functional Materials to Solve Environmental Issues in the Water and Fashion Industries
About research
Water Contamination in Tanzania: Detecting Fluoride levels with MOF
In our lab, we are primarily using organic chemistry techniques to develop functional materials to help clean the environment or reduce ecological burdens.
One such initiative is a project that focuses on improving water quality in Tanzania. In the Arusha Region of Tanzania, groundwater is people's primary water source, and in some areas the water is contaminated by fluoride at ten times higher than in Japan. Shinshu University is making efforts to resolve this issue. Our lab, in particular, is developing and promoting sensors to detect fluoride concentration. Our first aim is to help the local people understand the risks by making fluoride concentrations visible.
We use a new porous material called Metal-Organic Framework (MOF) which is made of organic compounds and metal ions in our sensors. Under blacklight, the color of the glow varies depending on the fluoride concentration. We use 3D printing for the sensor’s protective housing, making production relatively low-cost and easy. We are also publishing the blueprints and instructions for the sensor online. This is because we want the local community to be able to build the sensor and monitor the fluoride concentration on their own in the future.
Protecting Global Water Resources with Regenerated Cellulose
In addition, our laboratory is working on ways to solve water-related environmental issues linked to the fashion industry. Many clothes are made of cotton. However, cotton cultivation creates issues such as drying up lakes in certain regions because it uses so much water—72 liters for a single T-shirt.
Our lab seeks to contribute to the resolution of these water issues by working on a cotton recycling approach. The main component of cotton is cellulose, and a unique ionic liquid we developed dissolves cotton waste textiles and chemically re-forms the cellulose into fiber. The recovered cellulose provides a sustainable material for artificial turf, food packaging, agricultural film and more. This approach holds the potential to address water-related environmental issues while also reducing our dependence on petroleum-based plastics.
Affiliated researchers
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Principal Investigator (PI)
KIMURA MutsumiProfessor
