Nanotechnology and Environmental, Health, and Safety: Issues for Consideration Page: 4 of 40
This report is part of the collection entitled: Congressional Research Service Reports and was provided to UNT Digital Library by the UNT Libraries Government Documents Department.
Extracted Text
The following text was automatically extracted from the image on this page using optical character recognition software:
Nanotechnology and Environmental, Health, and Safety: Issues for Consideration
Introduction
Nanotechnology-a term encompassing nanoscale science, engineering, and technology-is
focused on understanding, controlling, and exploiting the unique properties of matter that can
emerge at scales of one to 100 nanometers.' These properties are believed by many to offer
substantial economic and societal benefits.
A key issue before Congress regarding nanotechnology is how best to protect human health,
safety, and the environment as nanoscale materials and products are researched, developed,
manufactured, used, and discarded. While the rapidly emerging field of nanotechnology is
believed by many to offer significant economic and societal benefits, some research results have
raised concerns about the potential environmental, health, and safety (EHS) implications of
nanoscale materials. Potential tools the Federal government might use to address these issues
include research and development, regulation, and international engagement.
Some of the properties of nanoscale materials (e.g., small size, high surface area-to-volume ratio)
that have given rise to great hopes for beneficial applications have also given rise to concerns
about their potential adverse implications for the environment, and human health and safety.2
With more than 1,000 nanotechnology products reportedly commercially available,3 there is great
interest in protecting the health and safety of the scientists working with nanoscale materials,
workers who manufacture the products, consumers who use the products, and members of the
general public who may be exposed to nanoparticles, as well as in understanding the
environmental impact of nanomanufacturing processes and the use and disposal of
nanotechnology products.
Nanoscale particles can result from a variety of different processes. While nanoscale particles can
occur naturally (e.g., some particles produced by forest fires, sea spray, volcanoes) and as an
incidental by-product of human activities (e.g., some particles contained in welding fumes, diesel
exhaust, industrial effluents, cooking smoke), EHS concerns have focused primarily on nanoscale
materials that are intentionally designed and produced, often referred to as engineered
nanomaterials.
Issues surrounding the potential EHS implications of nanotechnology emerged with the launch in
2000 of the National Nanotechnology Initiative (NNI). The NNI is a multi-agency federal effort
to coordinate and expand federal nanotechnology research and development (R&D) efforts.
Between FY2001 and FY2010, the federal government invested $12.4 billion in nanotechnology
1 Congress defined nanotechnology in the 21t Century Nanotechnology Research and Development Act (P.L. 108-153)
as, "the science and technology that will enable one to understand, measure, manipulate, and manufacture at the atomic,
molecular, and supramolecular levels, aimed at creating materials, devices, and systems with fundamentally new
molecular organization, properties, and functions." ASTM International, one of the largest voluntary standards
development organizations, has defined nanotechnology as, "a wide range of technologies that measure, manipulate, or
incorporate materials and/or features with at least one dimension between approximately 1 and 100 nanometers. Such
applications exploit those properties, distinct from bulk or molecular systems, of nanoscale components." One
nanometer is about the width of 10 hydrogen atoms placed side-by-side, or approximately 1/100,0000 of the thickness
of a sheet of paper.
2 Nanotechnology EHS applications refers to the beneficial use of nanotechnology to improve health, safety, and the
environment; EHS implications refers to known and potential adverse effects of nanoscale materials on health, safety,
and the environment.
s Project on Emerging Nanotechnologies. Figure as of June 2010.Congressional Research Service
1
Upcoming Pages
Here’s what’s next.
Search Inside
This report can be searched. Note: Results may vary based on the legibility of text within the document.
Tools / Downloads
Get a copy of this page or view the extracted text.
Citing and Sharing
Basic information for referencing this web page. We also provide extended guidance on usage rights, references, copying or embedding.
Reference the current page of this Report.
Nanotechnology and Environmental, Health, and Safety: Issues for Consideration, report, September 29, 2010; Washington D.C.. (https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc807588/m1/4/: accessed April 24, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, UNT Digital Library, https://digital.library.unt.edu; crediting UNT Libraries Government Documents Department.