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acceptance of emerging
technologies such as
nanotechnology are essential
for the development of new
consumer products and their
market uptake.
What is nanotechnology?
Whereas science is concerned with understanding the
way the world operates, technology emphasises the
development of something practical. Technology is often
defined as applied science. Like any other technology,
nanotechnology is the invention of new processes and
products with which we can improve quality of life.
A nanometre is one-billionth of a metre and around
1,000th of the width of a human hair. Nanotechnology
refers to manufacturing and engineering techniques
applied at nanoscale the scale of atoms and molecules.
When particles get that small, they can acquire novel
properties. Understanding these properties is essential for
assessing the potential health and environmental risks,
and for developing ways to address them.
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Exposure to nanoparticles
So far, inhalation is considered to be the main route of
human exposure to nanoparticles in view of how easily
they can become suspended in air. This is clearly the case
for the nanoparticles from non-intentional sources.
Furthermore, nanoparticles undergo numerous changes
both in the environment and in the human body that
affect their impact and fate. Some of those changes are
summarised in Fig 1.
After deposition in the lungs, a fraction of the
nanoparticles may be translocated to other organs such as
the liver, spleen and possibly to the foetus in pregnant
women. There is also evidence that nanoparticles from
diesel exhaust entering the nose can reach the brain.
The rapidly increasing use of manufactured nanoparticles
in consumer products, in particular cosmetics, is likely to
increase human exposure through skin and ingestion.
The release and dissemination of nanoparticles may occur
through air, water and soil, thus exposing species living in
any environment.
Public Service Review: European Union: issue 19
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Fig. 1: The potential changes in nature of a nanomaterial due to the surrounding media
Current scenarios
What is, then, the certainty that the products of
nanotechnology are safe? Manufacturers have a legal
obligation to ensure that the products they put on the
market are safe, but how can we control this safety, and
reassure the public?
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Critical period
To complicate matters, some scientific studies are hyped
in the media, with headlines like one in Popular Science
recently: China Reports the First Human Nano-Fatalities.
In the age of instant and constant information, it is
difficult to communicate credible information on
controversial and emerging issues with the potential to go
viral. If repeated enough, false perceptions may hold even
if the reported information is inaccurate.
We have reached a critical time window, which makes or
breaks nanotechnology. Now is the time for building
public trust. This requires efforts from all parties:
industry, regulators, scientists and consumers. Industry
must demonstrate the safety of its products. Regulators
must control that what industry says is true. Scientists
must develop the methods and knowledge to be used by
industry. Regulators and consumers must remain critical
but open-minded to be able to reap the benefits from
nanotechnology.
Laurent Bontoux
Principal Administrator
Laurent.Bontoux@ec.europa.eu
Philippe Martin
Principal Administrator
Philippe.Martin@ec.europa.eu
Directorate General for Health and
Consumers (DG SANCO)
European Commission
http://ec.europa.eu/dgs/health_
consumer/index_en.htm