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Nanotechnology is a relatively new technology that utilizes tiny particles that are slightly larger than molecules, but smaller than cells. Carbon, titanium dioxide, zinc oxide, silver, heavy metals and salts can all be engineered at this scale. Being a new discipline, the implications of nanoparticles on the environment and our bodies is just beginning to be understood.
Nanoparticles have found widespread use in personal care products such as sunscreen, toothpaste, aftershave lotion, shampoo, cosmetics, moisturizers and anti-wrinkle creams. They are also used to produce lightweight and strong materials like the carbon fiber used in bicycles, tennis rackets and other items. Nanoparticles are found in many electronics because of their conductivity and ability to store energy, and are used in many medical technologies and devices.
Sunscreens using nanotechnology have raised concerns because recent studies have shown that the nanoparticles are small enough to penetrate cells and move around the body in the blood. Researchers have found that titanium dioxide nanoparticles can cause DNA damage, nerve damage and birth defects in laboratory animals.
Carbon "nanotubes" are used in products and equipment where its strength can be exploited, but emerging research has uncovered many similarities between carbon nanotubes and asbestos fibers, causing some researchers to question whether lung damage or mesothelioma-like problems may arise from their use.
Silver nanoparticles are used for their antimicrobial properties, and are being used in sheets, towels, stuffed animals and garments such as sport bras. Because the particles are not covalently bonded to the fabric, there is the potential that they can migrate. Silver is also used in some cleaning products, where it may have negative effects on the beneficial bacteria used to clean water in wastewater treatment plants, lakes and rivers.
In the United States, the use of nanotechnology comes under the authority of the FDA and the Consumer Products Safety Commission. The rapid introduction of nano-based products and processes into the market has outpaced the ability of these regulating agencies to keep up: every effort must be made now to remediate this problem and protect consumers. This includes better labeling, not only for disclosure purposes, but so that the public can make informed choices about what they buy.
Web Resources
A Nanotechnology Policy Framework - The Program on Reproductive Health and the Environment, University of California, San Francisco
Nanotechnology in Personal Care Products - Friends of the Earth
EWG Comments to FDA on Nano-Scale Ingredients in Cosmetics - Environmental Working Group
The National Nanotechnology Initiative - Read about what U.S. federal agencies are doing in the areas of nanotechnology research, education and funding. Find information about the environmental, health, and safety implications of nanotechnology.
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Resources