The world of sport turf management will be experiencing challenges with the introduction of new technologies into this ever changing environment.

Synthetic nanoparticles do not harm soil ecology, according to new experiments by researchers at Purdue University in the US. The result was obtained by adding fullerenes (or buckyballs) to samples of soil and observing any changes.

Ron Turco, a Purdue University soil and environmental microbiologist, and his research team designed its study to test how different levels of buckyballs affect soil microorganisms, including bacteria that are responsible for breaking down organic material and producing carbon dioxide and other compounds. Results of the study are published online and in the April 15 issue of the journal Environmental Science and Technology.

How will these impact the sports turf management profession? What should we be learning about this technology to be prepared for challenges we might not yet understand?

These technologies will be introduced into players' uniforms and equipment within a couple years. Thus, we'll likely experience these technologies finding their way into sports playing surfaces and soils soon after.

I predict nanoparticles will be introduced into pest control products within 5 years, soil amendments products within 5-10 years, and paint products in less than 10 years. What will the Material Safety Data Sheets need to reflect for these products, what risk mitigation techniques will turf managers need to consider, and what training requirements will be integrated into employee training procedures? These are just a few of the questions we need to start asking ourselves.

For example, a long-lasting nanoscale gas state has been observed for the first time by engineers in Australia. William Ducker and Xuehua Zhang of the University of Melbourne have observed very thin bubbles of carbon dioxide gas measuring around 10 nm at the interface between a hydrophobic solid and water under ambient conditions. The team has also found evidence for nanobubbles of air. The results not only settle a long-standing debate over whether a stable nano-gas state phase could exist, it might also be put to good use in a diverse range of applications in industry. These include reducing the friction force when pumping liquids through pipes and stabilizing emulsions like paint or salad dressing.