Risks of Nanotechnology
Risks and Other Issues
While much attention has been focused on the potential benefits of water treatment devices that incorporate nanotechnology, a growing number of people are advocating for more research to assess the potential human health and environmental risks of nanotechnologies. Current estimates indicate that investments in environment, health, and safety research are a small percentage of overall investments in nanotechnology R&D (e.g., in the US 4% of the total USD 1.1 billion is invested in EHS research). Although there are a limited number of research studies on the potential human health and environmental risks of nanotechologies, some research indicates that the unique properties of nanomaterials (e.g., size, shape, reactivity, conductivity) may cause them to be toxic. Because research on the impacts of nanomaterials is limited, risk experts are looking to the results of studies with incidental and natural nanoscale particles and studies with airborne ultrafine particles as the basis for the expanding field of nanotoxicology. Many people have also suggested that a coordinated risk research agenda should be developed to ensure that the right questions are being asked and resources are used efficiently. In addition to a lack of knowledge about the human health and environmental effects of nanoscale materials, common frameworks for risk research, risk assessment, and risk management are lacking; several organizations are working to fill these gaps.The challenges related to assessing and managing the potential risks of nanoscale materials are relevant to people in both developed and developing countries.Therefore, it is imperative that information about potential risks and risk management approaches is shared widely. In addition to potential risks, a number of social issues need to be addressed in developing projects that incorporate nanotechnology. As further illustrated in the case studies, information and education about water quality, in particular about contaminants that cannot be detected by observing the water’s physical properties (i.e., smell, taste, color), are needed to make communities aware of the actual quality of their drinking water. Furthermore, water service providers, government, and the community should all be involved from the planning to the implementation stages of a community water treatment project to enhance transparency and dispel distrust between the parties.
While much attention has been focused on the potential benefits of water treatment devices that incorporate nanotechnology, a growing number of people are advocating for more research to assess the potential human health and environmental risks of nanotechnologies. Current estimates indicate that investments in environment, health, and safety research are a small percentage of overall investments in nanotechnology R&D (e.g., in the US 4% of the total USD 1.1 billion is invested in EHS research). Although there are a limited number of research studies on the potential human health and environmental risks of nanotechologies, some research indicates that the unique properties of nanomaterials (e.g., size, shape, reactivity, conductivity) may cause them to be toxic. Because research on the impacts of nanomaterials is limited, risk experts are looking to the results of studies with incidental and natural nanoscale particles and studies with airborne ultrafine particles as the basis for the expanding field of nanotoxicology. Many people have also suggested that a coordinated risk research agenda should be developed to ensure that the right questions are being asked and resources are used efficiently. In addition to a lack of knowledge about the human health and environmental effects of nanoscale materials, common frameworks for risk research, risk assessment, and risk management are lacking; several organizations are working to fill these gaps.The challenges related to assessing and managing the potential risks of nanoscale materials are relevant to people in both developed and developing countries.Therefore, it is imperative that information about potential risks and risk management approaches is shared widely. In addition to potential risks, a number of social issues need to be addressed in developing projects that incorporate nanotechnology. As further illustrated in the case studies, information and education about water quality, in particular about contaminants that cannot be detected by observing the water’s physical properties (i.e., smell, taste, color), are needed to make communities aware of the actual quality of their drinking water. Furthermore, water service providers, government, and the community should all be involved from the planning to the implementation stages of a community water treatment project to enhance transparency and dispel distrust between the parties.
Labels: risk
