Nanotechnology & Health

"The physical, chemical, and biological characteristics of ENMs that make them useful for so many applications also make them potentially hazardous for living systems. The unique properties stemming from their small dimensions, such as high reactivity, large surface area, and the tunable nature of their optical, electrical, and magnetic properties, differentiate them from other materials in fundamental ways. The vast and expanding array of ENMs entering the environment could present health risks to researchers, workers, and consumers. Although researchers have made progress in understanding biological responses to nanomaterials, the risks of exposure are not sufficiently understood to allow development of science-based risk assessment guidelines to support regulatory decision making (Maynard et al. 2006). There is a need to examine nanomaterial exposure, absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion and to relate ENM properties to biological responses at the cellular, tissue, and whole-organism level."

"“In light of published research, the Obama administration should institute an immediate moratorium on fertilizing with biosolids from sewage treatment plants near nanomaterial fabrication facilities. A moratorium would give researchers time to determine whether nanomaterials in soil can be made safe and to research alternatives to building soil heath, rather than depending on fertilization with biosolids.” says IATP’s Dr. Steve Suppan.

Over time, the report explains, nanomaterials in these agricultural inputs can accumulate and harm soil health. More research is urgently needed to adequately understand possible long-term impacts of nanotechnology.

“As agri-nanotechnology rapidly enters the market, can soil health and everything that depends on it can be sustained without regulation?” asks Suppan. “That’s the question regulators, researchers and anyone involved in our food system should be asking themselves.”

The report also details risks specific to farmers and farmworkers applying dried biosolids that incorporate nanomaterials, including inflammation of the lungs, fibrosis and other toxicological impacts."

"These results indicate that MWCNT can increase the risk of cancer in mice exposed to a known carcinogen. The study did not indicate that MWCNTs alone cause cancer in mice. This research is an important step in our understanding of the hazards associated with MWCNT, but before we can determine whether MWCNT pose an occupational cancer risk, we need more information about workplace exposures, the types and nature of MWCNT being used in the workplace, and how that compares to the material used in this study. Research is underway at NIOSH to learn more about worker exposures and the potential occupational health risks associated with exposure to MWCNT and other types of CNTs and CNFs. As results from ongoing research become available, NIOSH will reassess its recommendations for CNT and CNF and make appropriate revisions as needed. NIOSH urges employers to share this information with workers and customers. NIOSH also requests that professional and trade associations and labor organizations inform their members about the potential hazards of CNT and CNF."

"Prenatal exposure to nanoparticles may adversely affect sperm production in offspring, according to a Danish study on mice. ... Meanwhile, an Indian study on mice suggests a link between daily oral exposure to silver nanoparticles and weight loss. Scientists from Utter Pradesh used transmission electron microscopy to reveal that the nanoparticles may have damaged cells in the intestine as well as intestinal glands. The study is published in Toxicology Mechanisms and Methods."

"The review says that nanomaterials may be implicitly covered in insurance policies, and recommends that liability insurers check their portfolios to assess which kind of nano-related risks they covered."

"Here we review a small part of the rapidly growing scientific literature that raises questions about how ENMs might affect soil health and soil biodiversity in field trials and subsequently the commercial and chronic application of ENMs in agricultural soil. The questions concern not only the intentional use of ENMs in fertilizers, but the incidental presence of ENMs in “biosolids,” defined by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as “treated residuals from wastewater treatment that can be used beneficially.”11 Biosolids are often used to fertilize agricultural fields. As a Purdue University researcher recently noted, “Land application of biosolids is standard procedure now [at least in the United States] . . . If any of that [biosolid] contains nanotubes, that could be a problem.”"

"Because of their small size, nanoparticles can to go places in the body that larger particles cannot.  Nanoparticles in food or food packaging can gain access via ingestion, inhalation, or skin penetration.  Once inside our bodies, nanoparticles can penetrate cell walls and pass into the blood and lymph system.

From there, the particles can circulate through the body and reach potentially sensitive target sites such as the bone marrow, lymph nodes, spleen, liver, and heart, and may also cross the blood‐brain barrier.  As You Sow’s survey results indicate that food, food packaging, and supplement companies are not being transparent about their use of nanomaterials.

The survey was sent to 2,500 companies in the food industry, including the 100 largest food processing companies, the 50 largest food distributors, the 75 largest food retailers, the 25 top packaging companies, the 50 top fast food companies, and 187 supplement companies. It yielded only 26 responses and a third of those companies admitted they did not know if nanomaterials are present in their products or supply chains. Only two companies had formal policies on the use of this new food additive that has undergone little or no safety testing."

ROBERT SALMON: I think what we need to look at under these circumstances is the precautionary principle. If we want to introduce new technology into sun blocks, the people that are attempting to do that, or the manufacturers, need to prove that they don't cause problems.

I would want the labelling such that the people knew whether there were nanoparticles in these preparations or not so that the consumers could make some sort of informed choice by themselves.

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Professor of toxicology at the Australian Catholic University, Chris Winder, says further studies are critical.

CHRIS WINDER: Well this is a major policy problem. We can't just say 'Well the big sized particles are okay and therefore the small ones are as well'. This needs work.

I think that the nanoparticles may have some toxicity that we've yet to find. So I think we should be prudent and at least warn people that cosmetic products contain nanoparticles."

Cerium dioxide nanoparticles in soil can migrate into crop plants, according to a US study on soya bean plants funded by the National Science Foundation and the US EPA.