Steps for Environmentally Safe Implementation of Nanotechnology

Increasing numbers of commercial, industrial and environmental products and processes are using nano-enabled systems. This 3rd GRC on Environmental Nanotechnology will focus on safe use of these nano-enabled systems, framing discussions around potential "steps" or considerations required. For example, one step in the manufacturing process often involves purification of nanomaterials prior to incorporation into macroscale nano-enabled systems. The efficiency of this purification step, and tracking disposition of "off-spec" material is critical. Product use, recycling, and disposal of nano-enabled systems represent other critical steps where methodologies to understand nanomaterial release to the air, water, soil are critical to understand. Other nano-enabled systems may intentionally disperse colloidal-scale objects directly into the air, water or soil. Increasing interest in development and use of nano-enabled systems for water, air and soil treatment, ranging from desalination to anti-bacterial surface coatings, are rapidly emerging – and will be a special focus at this GRC. These, and other means by which nanomaterials, may result in intentional or unintentional exposure by humans and the ecosystem and pose hazard. Consequently, advances in nano-metrology is critical to track, quantify exposures, understand transformations and model nanomaterials in various matrices, and perhaps the prerequisite for using nanomaterials in nano-enabled systems should include the ability to assess their presence prior to product sales. This GRC will seek to introduce and discuss fundamental science assumptions required to assess human and environmental exposures. Likewise, another critical step prior to safely using nano-enabled products should include the availability to test for direct toxicity, ranging from acute toxicity to genetic or other risks. A final step is to create a framework for understanding the indirect consequences of nanomaterial releases, whether it is from lawsuits seeking damages from a yet to be diagnosed disease to effects like those associated with CFC release which damaged the ozone layer.