Nanotechnology Health and Environmental Concerns

−     Human and the environment come under exposure to nanomaterials at different stages of the product cycle −     Nanomaterials have large surface to volume ratio and novel physical as well as chemical properties which may cause them to pose hazards to humans and the environment −     Health and the environmental impacts associated with the exposure to many of the engineered nanomaterials are still uncertain −     The environmental fate and associated risk of waste nanomaterials should be assessed – e.g. toxic transformation, and interactions with organic and inorganic materials

Nanotechnology Applications

Information Technology •       Smaller, faster, more energy efficient and powerful computing and other IT-based systems Medicine •       Realization of miniaturized devices and systems while providing more functionality •       Cancer treatment •       Bone treatment •       Drug delivery •       Appetite control •       Drug development •       Medical tools •       Diagnostic tests •       Imaging Energy •       More efficient and cost effective technologies for energy production −      Solar cells −      Fuel cells −      Batteries −      Bio fuels Consumer Goods •       Foods and beverages −     Advanced packaging materials, sensors, and lab-on-chips for food quality testing •       Appliances and textiles −     Stain proof, water proof and wrinkle free textiles •       Household and cosmetics −      Self-cleaning and scratch free products, paints, and better cosmetics

Nanoscale Size Effect

•       Realization of miniaturized devices and systems while providing more functionality •       Attainment of high surface area to volume ratio •       Manifestation of novel phenomena and properties, including changes in: -  Physical Properties (e.g. melting point) -  Chemical Properties (e.g. reactivity) -  Electrical Properties (e.g. conductivity) -  Mechanical Properties (e.g. strength) -  Optical Properties (e.g. light emission

History of Nanotechnology

•       2000 Years Ago – Sulfide nanocrystals used by Greeks and          Romans to dye hair            •       1000 Years Ago (Middle Ages) – Gold nanoparticles of different sizes used to produce different colors in stained glass windows •       1974 – “Nanotechnology” - Taniguchi uses the term                      nanotechnology for the first time •       1981 – IBM develops Scanning Tunneling Microscope                   •       1985 – “Buckyball” - Scientists at Rice University and University of Sussex discover C60 •       1986 – “Engines of Creation” - First book on  nanotechnology by K. Eric Drexler.       Atomic Force Microscope  invented by Binnig, Quate and Gerbe   •       1989 – IBM logo made with individual atoms                                                                   •       1991 – Carbon nanotube discovered by S. Iijima                                                              •       1999 – “Nanomedicine” – 1st nanomedicine  book by R. Freitas                                    •       2000 – “National Nanotechnology Initiative” launched