3. ENVIRONMENTAL DEFENSE
Nanotechnology Project
Research is beginning to
accumulate…
Scientific Journal Articles on Nanotechnology and Toxicity,
1982-2007
0
50
100
150
200
250
300
1
9
8
2
-
1
9
9
5
1
9
9
6
1
9
9
7
1
9
9
8
1
9
9
9
2
0
0
0
2
0
0
1
2
0
0
2
2
0
0
3
2
0
0
4
2
0
0
5
2
0
0
6
2
0
0
7
*
Year of Publication
Number
of
Articles
4. ENVIRONMENTAL DEFENSE
Nanotechnology Project
And the budget for research is
growing…
0
250
500
750
1000
1250
1500
'00 '01 '02 '03 '04 '05 '06 07E 08P
0
25
50
75
100
125
NIOSH
OTHER
EPA
USDA
NASA
NIST
NIH
DOE
DOD
NSF
EH&S
Total
research
funding
($M)
EH&S
research
funding
($M)
Sources: National Science Foundation, National Science and Technology Council; NNI 2008 Budget (http://www.nano.gov/NNI_08Budget.pdf); NNI
2007 Budget (http://www.nano.gov/NNI_07Budget.pdf)
Fiscal Year
5. ENVIRONMENTAL DEFENSE
Nanotechnology Project
Why have special concerns with
nanoparticles?
• Analogy to fine particle
pollution
– Ability to move around the
body
– Possible shared mechanisms
of toxicity
• Size is uniquely suited to
interact with biological
machinery
www.nanowerk.com/spotlight/spotid=2019.php
http://www.transportation.anl.gov/research/engine/diesel_structure.html
6. ENVIRONMENTAL DEFENSE
Nanotechnology Project
What we need to assure safety
• Reliable ways to detect and measure
nanoparticles in air, water, food
• Understanding of distribution and persistence of
nanomaterials in the body
• Reliable testing methods for both acute and
chronic toxicity
• Test results for range of materials and endpoints
• Assurance that protective technologies work for
nanoparticles
7. ENVIRONMENTAL DEFENSE
Nanotechnology Project
Early findings of a young
science…
• What properties affect
the transport and
toxicity of a
nanoparticle?
• Do nanoparticles
accumulate in the
body?
• How do nanoparticles
behave in the natural
environment?
13. ENVIRONMENTAL DEFENSE
Nanotechnology Project
Early data on key questions
• What properties affect the transport and
toxicity of a nanoparticle?
– Surface treatment, size critical
• Do nanoparticles accumulate in the
body?
– Some do, some don’t; percent retained
tends to be low, no long term studies
16. ENVIRONMENTAL DEFENSE
Nanotechnology Project
Early surprises in carbon
nanoparticle environmental fate
• Conventional wisdom:
– Carbon nanoparticles just stick to soil
• Studies show:
– Carbon nanotubes dissolve in Georgia river water
– Buckyballs form soluble, toxic nano-crystals
–Hyung et al. 2007
19. ENVIRONMENTAL DEFENSE
Nanotechnology Project
What do early studies show?
• Nanoparticles poorly cleared by white blood cells
(macrophages) in the lung
• Carbon nanotubes cause short-term inflammation
– Iron contaminants lead to much greater inflammation
• Two CNT studies show surprising lung fibrosis or
growths
– Appeared in the absence of ongoing inflammation
• No study has looked for effects longer than 90 days
20. ENVIRONMENTAL DEFENSE
Nanotechnology Project
Hypothetical: nanoparticles harm the
heart like fine particle air pollution
• Nanoparticles are
small enough to
go through the
lungs
• Early lab and
mouse studies
show similar
types of damage
21. ENVIRONMENTAL DEFENSE
Nanotechnology Project
Carbon nanotubes caused aortic
plaques in mice
• Instilled SWCNTs damaged
lung, aorta, and heart tissue
• Mice developed aortic DNA
damage at 7, 28, and 60
days after exposure
• Repeated exposure to
SWCNTs resulted in
accelerated plaque
formation in mice fed high
fat diet
Li et al. 2007
23. ENVIRONMENTAL DEFENSE
Nanotechnology Project
Quantum dots vary in toxicity
• Studies have shown cellular
toxicity, DNA damage
(Hardman, 2007,Green 2005 )
– Longer exposure times
more likely to show toxicity
• Use of cadmium raises
concerns
– Long-term stability of caps
not certain
– Widespread applications
may lead to environmental
loading
26. ENVIRONMENTAL DEFENSE
Nanotechnology Project
Early studies suggest importance
of protein binding
• Serum protein binding
facilitated uptake in the
liver and spleen
• Two different types of
nanoparticles sped up the
creation of Alzheimer-like
protein fibrillation
– Study used extreme
conditions- needs to be
replicated in more life-like
conditions
Linse et al., 2007
27. ENVIRONMENTAL DEFENSE
Nanotechnology Project
More than quantum leaps
• Enormous gaps remain
– Chronic toxicity-virtually no long-term test
results available
– Effects on development, nervous system,
immune system, etc., largely untested
– Very few data on environmental fate and
transport, ecotoxicity
28. ENVIRONMENTAL DEFENSE
Nanotechnology Project
Temporary bridges
• Using the best available information to
make decisions
• Increasing the budget and focus of
governmental funded research
• Protecting workers and the environment
in the face of uncertainty
29. ENVIRONMENTAL DEFENSE
Nanotechnology Project
Four Keys to Getting Nano Right
I. Significant increase in
government risk-
research investment
II. Close nano-loopholes in
regulations
III. Voluntary interim
standards
IV. Meaningful stakeholder
engagement
31. ENVIRONMENTAL DEFENSE
Nanotechnology Project
Conclusions
• Nanoparticles defy generalization
• Surface properties determine behavior and
toxicity
• Few nanoparticles show significant short-term
toxicity
• Early studies suggest some novel and some
known toxic mechanisms
• Very little known about long-term effects
• Risk management guidance is available
