World Gold Council: Can Gold Be Used to Solve Certain Environmental Concerns?

Gold is quickly becoming the answer to several important environmental questions.

It has been discovered that a stable and effective formulation can be created when gold, palladium and platinum are combined, helping form less harmful molecules during the breakdown of pollutants.

The new technological innovation is now being implemented by the automotive industry with a new gold-containing catalytic converter being introduced in 2011. It is currently being supported by the World Gold Council.

Because many vehicles require a catalytic converter, which removes toxins created by burning fuel in an engine, the World Gold Council hopes to fast track the development of this gold-backed technology. Growing worries about fossil fuels and their contribution to climate change has also given way for viable alternative energy.

Gold has become an extremely important factor in the development of alternative energy sources and gold nanoparticles have begun to be used to improve solar energy cells. Also, gold-based products have begun showing the ability to be used for new and more effective fuel cell catalysts.

The metal can also help solve groundwater contamination issues which is an extremely serious and global problem in industrialized areas.

Researchers at Rice University, Stanford University, and DuPont Chemicals are using gold to break down contaminants. The research, headed by Professor Michael Wong from Rice University, has created a gold and palladium catalyst, which eliminates chlorinated compounds from water. The team will be testing their gold and palladium catalyst in a pilot plant in Kentucky. The catalyst is also being supported by the World Gold Council.