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Products containing nanoparticles such as cosmetics, coatings, paints, and catalytic additives can release nanoparticles into the environment in different ways. There are three main ways that nanoparticles enter the environment. The first is emission during the production of raw materials such as mining and refining operations. The second is ...
The environmental impact of nanotechnology is the possible effects that the use of nanotechnological materials and devices will have on the environment. [20] As nanotechnology is an emerging field, there is debate regarding to what extent industrial and commercial use of nanomaterials will affect organisms and ecosystems.
The International Council on Nanotechnology (ICON) is an international, multi-stakeholder group committed to developing and communicating information regarding potential environmental and health risks of nanotechnology, thereby fostering risk reduction while maximizing societal benefit.
Worldwide investment in nanotechnology increased from $432 million in 1997 to about $4.1 billion in 2005. [3]: 1–3 Because nanotechnology is a recent development, the health and safety effects of exposures to nanomaterials, and what levels of exposure may be acceptable, is not yet fully understood.
Regulation of nanotechnology will require a definition of the size, in which particles and processes are recognized as operating at the nano-scale. The size-defining characteristic of nanotechnology is the subject of significant debate, and varies to include particles and materials in the scale of at least 100 to 300 nanometers (nm).
Based on research done by the Environmental Science Pollution Research International, nanotechnology can specifically help to treat carbon-based nanoparticles, greenhouse gases, and volatile organic compounds. There is also work being done to develop antibacterial nanoparticles, metal oxide nanoparticles, and amendment agents for ...
Green chemistry is increasingly seen as a powerful tool that researchers must use to evaluate the environmental impact of nanotechnology. [16] As nano materials are developed, the environmental and human health impacts of both the products themselves and the processes to make them must be considered to ensure their long-term economic viability.
Nanotoxicology is the study of the toxicity of nanomaterials. [1] Because of quantum size effects and large surface area to volume ratio, nanomaterials have unique properties compared with their larger counterparts that affect their toxicity.