Are We in Danger from Nanotech?

Yes, nano metals, nano adhesives, nano dusts of many components all will create new diseases. Answer? God knows !

Certainly we are possibly in danger of any new technology. Particularly when people quickly and casually jump to the conclusion that risk is impossible. What we are most at risk for is stagnation from fear of the unknown.

Boo!

The potential risk with nanomaterials is obvious - the particle size makes for potential hazards because these particles can set off immune reactions, enter cells, interfere with DNA.

This is confirmed in the study referenced here. It's exactly what you would logically expect to be a risk.

It is obvious that "nanotech-enabled makeup or sunscreen" that you immediately wash off into the environment is a good example of a "maximum hazard" approach to the new materials. I also read it's being considered as a fuel additive. Any risk they may get the hazardous particles into the air you breathe?

It stands to reason that nanomaterials should be restricted to applications that are not immediately degraded into the environment. There are lots of applications that are worthwhile and that do NOT run this kind of risk.

GA

Not to worry, we will "off" ourselves one way or another.

A recent HSE health and safety email suggested that nano particles may induce asbestosis-like diseases in the lungs as they are able to infiltrate further. On a separate note, I once bought lemon curd, and on the ingredients list was titanium dioxide! Whilst it wasn't a nano-particulate size, what was it doing in food?

The answer to this question is, "Duh." I'm not normally in the alarmist camp, but this area looks bad. We don't even have validated models to test nanoparticle safety yet.

The problem is much larger then everyone thinks. Two thirds of all municipal waste, including building products and used construction materials (chemicals, paints, sealers, stains, plastics...) are used as fuel in WTE facilities across the country. They burn the material in these plants to produce electricity. WTE stands for Waste to Energy and there are a couple of hundred located in North America. You might as well be serving sun screen cocktails for what is being expelled into the atmosphere by this type of energy production...

Google WTE and let me know what you think?

By the way...Happy Holidays everyone.

I absolutely agree with your comments. Both the EPA and FDA have been tasked to review all new nano tech products even tooth brushes coated with nano metals (used to enhance bacterial-cidal activities). The comment that one poster made concerning nano metals and asbestosis is very apropo because asbestos fibers were the first nano-particle (by product) that induced disease (cancer as mesothelioma) in man.

YES, Murphy's Law states "if anything can go wrong, it will" also besides that statement.. "In nature, nothing is ever right. Therefore, if everything is going right.. something is wrong" & "Left to themselves, things tend to go from bad to worse"