Cleaning Water with Oil: Inexpensive and Energy-Efficient

By Thomas R. Burton, III

While completing his Ph.D. at Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 2008, Anurag Bajpayee discovered a simple chemical trick with vast potential—he found that a certain class of oils can remove contaminants from water. Bajpayee’s discovery could be revolutionary, making the process of purifying water contaminated by cities, industries, and agricultural operations a cheap and energy-smart operation. Bajpayee’s work is featured in Scientific American’s article, “World Changing Ideas: 10 innovations that are radical enough to alter our lives.”1  For more on the article, check out SmartPlanet’s blog post by Laura Shin.

1Scientific American (December 2012), 307,  34-35. Published online: 13 November 2012 | doi: 10.1038/scientificamerican1212-34

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Thomas R. Burton, III

Member / Chair, Energy & Sustainability Practice

Tom Burton has helped to shape the clean energy industry by drawing on his passion for innovation. As a Mintz attorney, Tom counsels investors, entrepreneurs, and Fortune 100 companies. He also guides start-up organizations and accelerators to foster the next generation of energy leaders.