Nanotechnology is not an individual science or technology. It is a uniting expression for the multi-disciplinary area of production technologies operating in the area of extremely small size particles and materials starting from individual atoms and molecules. Hundreds of products involving nanotechnology are already available and the future applications seem endless in the areas such as biomedicine, computers, consumer products and energy.
So far we have heard of coatings like non-stick pans, self-cleaning window panes, non-scratching paint and sun-screens. In the future we may encounter medical devices which could possibly travel in the human body and cure disease at the cell-level and nanorobots capable of self-assembly
WHAT EXACTLY IS NANOTECHNOLOGY?
A nanometre is one millionth of a millimetre. One human hair is about 100.000 nm thick. Generally when discussing nanotechnology it is defined as handling research and technology in the area between 1 and 100 nanometres the aim of which is to created materials with new properties and functions associated with the small size.The idea of nanotechnology is not new. Richard Feynman’s speech “There’s Plenty of Room at the Bottom” at Caltech in 1959 suggested that the direct manipulation of individual atoms is a more powerful form of synthetic chemistry. The invention of the scanning tunnelling microscope in 1981 by Gerd Binnig and Heinrich Rohrer from IBM, has in particular led to expanding research and the development of the first commercial products in the late 1990s. The inventors received the Nobel Prize in Physics for their work in 1986.Nanosize materials appear in some forms naturally as viruses or particles in volcanic ash. Some particles are produced by human activities like diesel exhaust and other combustion processes. It has been estimated that 50.000 kg/year of nanosized materials are being produced through these unintentional processes. There are negative impacts on people’s health especially in regards to causing respiratory diseases. However, the research results are not yet comprehensive.
The nanotechnology research aims at creating totally new materials not available anywhere before. The characteristics of nanomaterials can be surprisingly different from the same materials in their traditional form. This is because in nanosize the laws of quantum physics and not of classical physics are valid. Insulating materials may become electrically conductive and insoluble materials soluble. In addition, features such as hardness and durability may increase dramatically making these materials excellent for lightweight structures. Many of these characteristics are highly desirable for various products. One feature of the materials is that the smaller the particle gets, the higher the surface area is to the volume ratio. This means that the material gets more reactive with other materials. The feature can be used for example in medical applications, but it may also pose new health risks.
Nanotechnology has been welcomed with enthusiasm for all the promises it holds. Some of the predictions seem to be pure science fiction – like the idea of self-replicating nanomachines getting loose and changing all living material into “grey goo”. But even the already known applications are often surprising and they are pushing the limits of the human imagination.
.RISKS & RISK MANAGEMENT
When considering the wide scope of applications and the strong impact expected on economies it is easy to say that there are great variations in the associated risks as well. In addition to the business risks, risks related to intellectual property and the political risks the main concern at this stage are the risks related to human health. We do not yet know whether the nanomaterials are harmful to people. The nanoparticles can enter a human body through inhalation, ingestion or directly through the skin and they can accumulate in the body. It is possible that they travel through cell walls. Their toxicity or carcinogenic properties have not yet been comprehensively researched. As the production volumes are still small, the exposure is not yet major. In most of the applications the particles are included in other materials thus decreasing the possibility of direct exposure. The first area where we might find evidence of harmful effects is in occupational health and safety. Even if the nanomaterials as such are not more dangerous than any other substances, all their health impacts are not yet known. There have been extensive investments in the research of the health impacts simultaneously with the practical solutions of the new technology being introduced.But the liability and recall risks will also increase as the development progresses. Products will end up with the final consumer. If the still unrecognised health impacts only manifest themselves after long term use of the products by numerous consumers, the liability could theoretically accumulate to catastrophic dimensions. The danger of illnesses comparable to those related to asbestos is considered improbable. However, it is important to approach the potential of a massive risk seriously in advance, even if it is seen as theoretical.Another area of still unknown risks is the environment. What are the possibilities of the materials ending up in the environment and causing irreparable damage? How will the waste disposal of the used products be handled? The nanomaterials may not be biodegradable in the same way as larger scale materials. They may interact with other substances and accumulate in nature. But at the same time there are tests being carried out studying the use of some nanoparticles to detoxify the environment from for example PCB or chlorine and the use of nanotech sensors to monitor environmental status.
Nanotechnology is an enabling technology offering new possibilities to many existing industries and products. This means that all industries are affected through it and have to respond to the risk management challenges. The risk management is not straightforward as there is not any singular “nanorisk” to manage. At the moment there is no available terminology, standards, measuring methods or agreed risk management tools for the special risks associated with nanotechnology.
POSTED BY:
name: SAYAN SEN GUPTA
stream: ECE
college: TECHNO INDIA, SALT LAKE
e-mail: chaptasayan@gmail.com
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