May 2010

Citing both Canadian and U.S. sources, a recent YouTube-hosted video with the above title was recently posted at the Nanotechnology.org website.

The brief audio/video report (1:17 in length) runs through a number of general media headlines in the past year — such as “U.S. nanotechnology safeguards inadequate” and “Health Canada yet to respond to expert calls for better nanotechnology regulations” — pointing out that “critics warn that not nearly enough is known about how these altered materials might affect the human body and the environment.”

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Much has been published in the past two years about the potential health and environmental hazards posed by silver nanoparticles used in a number of consumer products. This post concerns a positive story about nanosilver.

The cover story of the May 26, 2010, edition of the Journal of the American Chemical Society (JACS) describes how nanoparticles formed by very small numbers of silver atoms can protect against the cell damage caused by ethanol.

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Currently, the Acts and Regulations administered by Health Canada have no explicit reference to nanomaterial. In recognition of the need to keep pace with advances in this area and to collect information on risks associated with nanomaterials, Health Canada has adopted the Interim Policy Statement on Health Canada’s Working Definition for Nanomaterials (IPS)

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Prudent manufacturers, sellers, and employers in the nanotechnology community must maintain knowledge of all relevant standards, whether governmental, NGO, or industry-developed.  But there is frustration with the uncertainties about the regulatory definitions of chemicals, materials, and products made with nanotechnologies.

This is an area worth watching closely.  The current confusion and likely permanent lack of complete uniformity with respect to nanotechnology and nanomaterial definitions and related standards also has tremendous implications those corporate officials and lawyers with responsibility for managing and minimizing risk, including litigation risk.  Evidence of compliance or noncompliance can have a powerful impact in personal injury litigation regarding issues of state of the art, negligence, recklessness, and punitive damages.

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Responding to a recent series of AOL News articles questioning the oversight of nanotechnology product safety, nanoTox™, Inc. COO Greg King said that nano-product companies will need to confront possible negative perceptions directly to avoid the kinds of public outcry experienced by bioengineered food companies in the past.

“It’s in people’s nature to fear the unknown,” said King. “And while companies may not be able to educate everyone in the complexities of nanotechnology, they can turn safety concerns to their advantage by being transparent about its use in their products, documenting their careful research and emphasizing concern over human and environment health.”

King was responding to the recent AOL News Special Report series entitled “The Nanotech Gamble” which explored possible risks that may accompany nanotechnology research and product development.   The series was greeted with concern by most in the U.S. nanoproduct industry.  See my May 12, 2010 post for more about the series. 
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“A mounting body of research shows nanoparticles can cause disease and death. But regulators are doing little to respond.”

Strong words.  They are the opening sentence in Part 1 of a recent Special Report series of articles by Andrew Schneider, an investigative reporter, two-time Pulitzer winner, and Senior Public Health Correspondent for AOL News.  In his series, "The Nanotech Gamble: Bold Science, Big Money, Growing Risks,” which ran in AOL News beginning March 24, 2010, Schneider is harshly critical of federal government’s nanotech safety research efforts so far, asserting that federal funding actually “skimps on safety.”

The AOL Special Report series is a "must read" for anyone keeping abreast of the ongoing debate and discussion of nanotechnology safety. 

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Because nanoscale sunscreen and cosmetics ingredients currently are in relatively widespread consumer use – both zinc oxide and titanium dioxide – there has been an early focus on the health and safety of those specific nanoparticles. I have written about that research in several posts in the past few months (March 3, February 18). That research focused on whether dermal absorption of either TiO2 or ZnO resulted in the nanoparticles entering the bloodstream. It looks like that can happen. But what happens then?
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Friends,

An online seminar, "Understanding Nanotechnology Safety", will be webcast on May 27, 2010, at 1:00 U.S. EDT and is intended for anyone concerned about the potential health hazards of exposure to nanoengineered materials.

The seminar, sponsored by Small Times (note: Small Times is a leading source of business information and analysis about nanotechnology), will educate about: 

    -  trends in nanotechnology and how it is used in manufacturing;

    -  risks of nanotechnology;

    -  what can happen to the body when exposed to hazardous nanomaterials;

    -  how to minimize the risk of exposure; and

    -  government safety regulation.

Presenters include: Mark Bünger Research Director, Lux Research; Walt Trybula, Director of the Nanomaterials Application Center, Texas State University-San Marcos; Dr. Kristen Kulinowski, Department of Chemistry, Rice University; Nina Horne, Invited Expert; and, Dr. Antonietta M. Gatti Ph.D., Experimental Physics University of Bologna, Italy.

Cost is $129.00 ($99.00 for registration by May 10, 2010). Seminar length is 2 hours.

Registration information can be viewed online at the link below.
http://downloads.pennnet.com/digitalmedia/st/stwebcast2.html

For those of you hungry for an opportunity to learn more about the current state of nanotechnology risk, in a compact 2 hours for a modest fee, this looks like a great opportunity.

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