Nano overview
Nanotechnologies offer a great power, and obligates a great responsibility. It promises to revolutionize every sector of our economy, from things as important as cancer therapies, as exciting as elevators to space, and as mundane as stain-free neckties and smoother face creams and cosmetics. Nanotechnologies are not new, but our ability to manipulate materials at the nano-scale so precisely is new, and ushers in a new wave of nano-enabled scientific advancements.
Nanotechnologies are the engineered convergence of biology, chemistry, and informatics at the nano-scale. The products of these efforts are called nanomaterials, consisting of nanoparticles (having one or more dimensions of 1-100 nanometers in size) and the grouping of these particles into structures that may be larger than nano-scale. Nano-scale materials dissolve in different ways, take on different magnetic properties, react differently to chemicals, or reflect light differently than they would at normal size. The very qualities that make nanomaterials commercially desirable can also make them more toxic than their normal-sized counterparts. Because they are so small—the head of a pin is about 1 million nanometers across -- nanomaterials can be extremely mobile, and may pass easily into the bloodstream when inhaled, swallowed, and possibly when applied to the skin.. Once inside the body, they seem to have access to most or all tissues and organs, including the brain. It is unknown whether nanomaterials pass from the mother’s blood circulation to the fetal circulation, or through breast milk to a nursing infant. While the potential for toxicity of intentionally engineered nano-scale materials is still being explored, studies on the health effects of unintentional nano-scale air pollutants is relevant. These data demonstrate that inhalation of nano-sized chemical pollutants is associated with asthma attacks, heart disease, strokes, and respiratory disease.
So, what is our government doing about this? At this time, nothing more than voluntary corporate stewardship programs are being promoted by our regulatory agencies, encouraging companies to submit health and safety information on their products, hopefully prior to commercialization. NRDC has called on our scientists, our corporate leaders, and our federal regulators to take care, act responsibly, and limit or prevent human exposures and environmental releases of nanomaterials until we know that it can be done safely.
NRDC proposes a three-part framework for regulating nanomaterials based on a precautionary approach to managing toxic chemicals:
- Prohibit the untested or unsafe use of nanomaterials. Because preliminary data demonstrates the potential for toxicity, unsafe or untested nanomaterials should not be used in a manner that may result in human exposures or environmental releases over the lifecycle of the material.
- Conduct full lifecycle environment, health, and safety impact assessments as a prerequisite to commercialization. Robust testing is urgently needed to identify potential risks early in development, across the lifecycle of the material. The results of testing should made available to the public.
- Facilitate full and meaningful participation by public and workers in nanotechnologies development and control; consider the social and ethical impacts of nanotechnologies. The potential of nanotechnologies to transform the global social, economic, and political landscape means we must move the decision-making out of corporate boardrooms and into the public realm.
