Air pollution is a problem in many of the world’s major cities and removing it requires 24/7 solutions as well as imagination. Taking a literary run at the task, the University of Sheffield has revealed what it calls the “world’s first air-cleansing poem”. The poem is printed on a material that has the capability to eradicate air pollution caused by 20 cars on a daily basis. The 10m x 20m piece of material developed by university scientists removes harmful nitrogen oxide from the atmosphere by soaking it up.
Simon Armitage, noted poet and professor of poetry at the university, along with Tony Ryan, pro-vice chancellor for science, developed the poem named “In Praise of Air”, which is printed on the material. The technology is cheap and can be applied to advertisements and billboards beside polluted roads to cut down the foul air. The material is coated with microscopic pollution-eating particles of titanium dioxide that utilises oxygen and sunlight to react with pollutants like nitrogen oxide and help purify the air. This is a fun collaboration between science and the arts to highlight the very serious issue of poor air quality in our towns and cities. The science behind this is an additive which delivers a real environmental benefit that can actually help cut disease and save lives.
Like Peru’s recently installed air-purifying billboard, the project aims to help raise awareness about air pollution and help persuade British industry adopt the air-cleansing technology more widely. If every flag, banner or advertising poster followed the idea, the entire country would have better air quality. The posters of the sites that sell cars beside the roads can use the idea and help clean up emissions at the same time. What the innovation suggests is that there may be hope after all for a planet facing threats to the environment considering how science comes up with effective ideas every now and then.
