Lorie Sheremeta_ A life cycle approach to understanding and managing risks and benefits of nanotechnology
1. National Institute for Nanotechnology• Institut national de nanotechnologie
A Life-Cycle Approach to
Understanding and Managing
Risks and Benefits of
Nanotechnology
Lori Sheremeta, LL.M.
Counsel, Strategy & Stakeholder Relations
National Institute for Nanotechnology, Edmonton, Alberta, CANADA
NE3LS Network International Conference 2012
November 1-2, 2012, Montreal, Canada
2. Overview
• Definitional Issues
– Nanotechnology
– Nanomaterials
– Nanoparticles
– Nanowaste
• Materials and Products of Interest
– R&D
– Manufacturing
– Product Use
– End of Life
• Challenges
• Towards the future
3. Nanotechnology
Lux Research Inc., Nanomaterials State of the Market Q3 2008: Stealth Success, Broad Impact,
July 2008 at p 13
4. Nanotechnology Includes
• The technologies used to make, manipulate and
characterize nanomaterials and nanostructures.
5. Nanomaterial
• A material having one or more external dimensions in the
nanoscale or a material that is nanostructured.
• Nanoscale materials have always existed.
• BUT, we have only recently been able to intentionally
manufacture, observe and manipulate materials at that
scale.
6. Nanoparticle
• A nanomaterial with size ≤ 100nm in 3 dimensions
Graphene sheets
“Transition Zone
Semi-conductor
nano-crystals
Between Atomic and
C60
Bulk-like State”
Royal Commission on Envir. Pollution, 2008
7. What is important about the nanoscale?
• Materials, known to us in their bulk form, can behave
differently at the nanoscale
• Physico-chemical properties are mutable as size changes
– Size leads to Surface Area
– Potential for increased chemical and biological reactivity and a loss
of predictability
• Small particles can go where larger particles cannot
– Translocation across cell membranes is increased as particle size
decreases
• Key Question: How do these characteristics impact
SAFETY?
8. Nanoscience and Nanotechnologies: Opportunities and
Challenges, July 2004
• Important report published in response to public action group’s call for
moratorium on the commercial production of new nanomaterials (ETC
Group, January 2003).
• Moratorium not feasible; exposure to NMs should be limited insofar as
possible; treat as hazardous and seek to remove them from waste streams.
• The use of free manufactured nanoparticles in environmental applications
such as remediation should be prohibited until appropriate research has
been undertaken to ascertain that the benefits > risks.
• Relevant regulatory bodies should consider whether existing regulations
are appropriate to protect humans and the environment from NMs/NPs.
• Life Cycle Assessment should be used to examine exposure risk from
cradle to grave.
http://www.nanotec.org.uk/finalReport.htm
15. International Coordination: OECD Activities
• Working Party on Nanotechnology - advises on
emerging policy-relevant issues in science, technology
and innovation related to the responsible development
and use of nanotechnology
• Working Party on Manufactured Nanomaterials–
facilitates international cooperation on EHS aspects of
manufactured nanomaterials
• (Working Party on Resource Productivity and Waste)
16. Materials of Particular Interest
Fullerenes (C60) Aluminum Oxide
Single Walled Carbon Nanotubes Cerium Oxide
Multi Walled Carbon Nanotubes Zinc Oxide
Silver Nanoparticles Silicon Dioxide
Iron Nanoparticles Polystyrene
Carbon black Dendrimers
Titanium Dioxide Nanoclays
(Crystalline Nanocellulose)
OECD Working Party on Manufactured Nanomaterials
Priority Testing List
17. Overthe product life cycle, environmental
exposuresbecomeless easily assessed and managed
Level of exposure control
RAW REUSE/
Process RECYCLE END OF
MATERIALS PRODUCT Packaging USE DISPOSAL LIFE
Number of potential receptors
18. Working Party on Resource Productivity and Waste –
May 2012 – First Meeting on “Nanowaste”
• Definition – A term used to describe “by-products,
emissions, fugitive emissions, contaminants and debris
associated with nanomanufacturing processes,
nanoproduct wear and tear, as well as end of lifecycle
products and components containing nanostructured
materials and nano-objects.”
20. Points to Consider
• Nomenclature is important.
• In the big picture, do we care if waste is nanoscale or
not?
• What about nanoscale contaminants, debris and
byproducts associated with manufacturing generally?*
• How do we define the following terms?
– “nanomanufacturing processes”
– “nanoproducts”?
– “nanostructured materials” and “nano-objects”?
• A clear working definition of “nanowaste” is needed.
• Worker safety must be first order priority.
21. Current Activities (from OECD Survey)
Activity CA DK FR FRG SL UK US EU
Basic EHS research ✓ ✓ ? ? ✓ ✓ ✓ ?
Waste specific research ✓ ? ✓ ✓ ?
Survey of academic use of NMs ✗ ✗ ? ? ?
Survey of industrial use of NMs ✗ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✗ ?
“Nano” contemplated in current risk ✓ ? ? ? ✓
assessment and management
Life Cycle Analysis/Nano Release ✓ ? ✓ ✓ ✓ ?
Industrial Guidance ✗ ? ✓ ✓ ?
Policy Framework Assessment ✗ ? ✓ ✓ ?
Applicability of existing laws/regs ✓ ? ✓ ✓ ✓
Government guidance ✗ ? ✓ ✓ ✓
Legal/Regulatory Framework ✓ ? ? ✓ ?
Development
Nano-specific laws/regs ✗ ? ? ✗ ✗ ? ✓ ?
23. Proposed Criteria for Selection of Priority
Materials for Nanowaste Risk Assessment
• Current industrial use
– Need to balance:
• Method of production
• Mass quantity produced
• Perceived potential toxic effect(s) of process and product
• Degree to which the material is free or bound in final product(s)
• Anticipated life cycle of products into which the materials are
expected to be incorporated
• Current research focus + high potential for widespread
industrial use
24. Nanotechnology holds promise in key areas
relevant to waste issues
• Precision manufacturing
• Environmental remediation
• Fundamental understanding of chemical and material
interactions
25. Nanotools for Environmental
Remediation
• Nanoscale iron particles (and other tailored nanoscale
materials) can provide cost-effective solutions to some of
most challenging environmental challenges.
• Large surface area and high surface reactivity
• Provide flexibility for in situ application
• Can be mounted on a solid matrix such as activated carbon
and used to treat wastewater or gaseous process streams.
• Effective transformation and detoxification of chlorinated
organic solvents, pesticides and PCBs
26. Environmental Remediation
W. Zhang “Nanoscale Iron Particles for Environmental Remediation: An
Overview” (2003) 5 J. Nanoparticle Res. 323-332.
28. Main Policy Challenge
• Maintaining public trust
• Expect that something will go wrong
• Public trust is not unconditional
• Strive to ensure that societal benefits are maximized and
risks minimized in accordance with societal values.
• To do this, education, engagement and communication
strategies around EHS and the responsible development of
nanotechnology are needed.
29. Looking Ahead
• Gaps exist in our understanding of the health, safety and
environmental impacts ofnanomaterials but the gaps are narrowing.
• It is important to remember that nanomaterial challenges are not
distinct from the general challenges associated with chemicals.
• Coordinated, strategic research is essential to develop the
foundational knowledge that will empower the responsible
development of key technologies.
• Public trust in the scientific enterprise depends on a coherent and
rational approach to stewardship.
• National and international dialogue, cooperation and coordination is
necessary to ensure that risks and benefits nanotechnology
development are equitably shared.
30. Acknowledgements
• National Institute for Nanotechnology/University of Alberta
• Alberta Innovates – Technology Futures
• Environment Canada
• Health Canada
• OECD
Editor's Notes
Nanostructured – a material that has a structure comprising contiguous elements with one or more dimensions in the nanoscale (excluding any primary structure associated with component atoms or molecules)EU – 2011“Nanomaterials” were defined as:Natural, incidental or manufactured material containing particles,Where the particles are in an unbound state or in an aggregate or agglomerate, andWhere 50% or more of the particles in the material have one or more external dimensions in the size range 1 nm – 100 nm.The definition also includes fullerenes, graphene flakes and single wall carbon nanotubes, although they often exist in size ranges less than 1 nm.Canada – Working Definition
Find points on remediationSpecifically, in relation to two main sources ofcurrent and potential releases of free nanoparticlesand nanotubes to the environment, we recommend:(i) that factories and research laboratories treatmanufactured nanoparticles and nanotubes asif they were hazardous, and seek to reduce orremove them from waste streams. (Section 5.4:paragraph 41)(ii) that the use of free (that is, not fixed in amatrix) manufactured nanoparticles inenvironmental applications such as remediationbe prohibited until appropriate research hasbeen undertaken and it can be demonstratedthat the potential benefits outweigh thepotential risks. (Section 5.4: paragraph 44)
the approaches for the testing and assessment of traditional chemicals are in general appropriate for assessing the safety of nanomaterials, but may have to be adapted to the specificities of nanomaterials
Cadmiumselenide – Gallium arsenide - The toxicological properties of gallium arsenide have not been thoroughly investigated. On one hand, due to its arsenic content, it is considered highly toxic and carcinogenic. On the other hand, the crystal is stable enough that ingested pieces may be passed with negligible absorption by the body. When ground into very fine particles, such as in wafer-polishing processes, the high surface area enables more reaction with water releasing some arsine and/or dissolved arsenic. The environment, health and safety aspects of gallium arsenide sources (such as trimethylgallium and arsine) and industrial hygiene monitoring studies of metalorganic precursors have been reported.[14] California lists gallium arsenide as a carcinogenThere are five widely known methods to produce nanomaterials, and they are as follows: • Sol-gel synthesis, • Inert gas condensation, • Mechanical alloying or high-energy ball milling, • Plasma synthesis, and • Electrodeposition.
Fugitive emissions are emissions of gases or vapors from pressurized equipment due to leaks and various other unintended or irregular releases of gases, mostly from industrial activities.
Quite sure but cannot prove that the vast majority of “nanowaste” comes from conventional industrial tools and practices: e.g. diesel trucks, automobiles, cement factories, coal plants
W. Zhang “Nanoscale Iron Particles for Environmental Remediation: AnOverview” (2003) 5 J. Nanoparticle Res. 323-332In situ field research performed on contaminated sites hasdemonstrated promising results using nanoscale bimetallic particles for treating avariety of common environmental contaminants in groundwater.48 Field studiesundertaken in New Jersey and North Carolina have shown nanoscale iron particles tobe both effective and adaptable for the treatment of environmental contamination.Iron particles can be injected into the ground subsurface or deployed in off-site slurryreactors for treating contaminated soil, sediment and solid wastes. Alternatively, theycan be mounted a solid matrix such as activated carbon for treatment of water,wastewater or gaseous process streams.
Iron nps – strong reductant. Can be used to remediate any contaminants that can be downgraded or transformed through reduction – pcbs, ddt, dioxin – encouragning resultsDirect application of nps suspended in slurry and injected into the contaminated site –avoid digging up soil to treat itHigh Surface areaEnhanced ReactivityUse much less materialFast reaction timeLess potential for unwanted intermediates to formBut, potential for downstream problems of not knowing the latent effects on the ecosystem in which they are released.
