This month EPA released its final Nanotechnology White Paper after more than a year-long external peer review period in which the agency took public comment on its draft paper. The final paper is the culmination of almost three years of work by a cross-agency work group charged with identifying key science issues that will allow society to accrue the unique and important benefits offered by nanotechnology, but also to identify and better understand any potential risks nanomaterials and nanoproducts may pose to human health and the environment. EPA's paper makes clear that while much has been learned about nanomaterials in the last few years, much more needs to be learned in regard to their potential for application and risk.
Nanotechnology is the manipulation of matter, at dimensions of 1 to 100 nanometers, for use in a particular application through chemical and/or physical processes to create materials with specific, often beneficial, properties. Nanotechnology has a myriad of potential applications in numerous sectors of the American economy, including consumer products, healthcare, transportation, energy and agriculture. Additionally, EPA's paper recognizes that nanotechnology can and will advance our ability to detect, monitor and clean-up environmental contaminants as well as helping us avoid the creation of pollution. For example, a nanomaterial called zero-valent iron has been used successfully to remediate groundwater by constructing a permeable reactive barrier ( an "iron wall") to intercept and de-chlorinate chlorinated hydrocarbons such as trichloroethylene in groundwater plumes, and a nanocomposite called Silica-titania has been used for elemental mercury removal from vapors such as those that come from combustion sources. Additionally, while nanosensor research and development for environmental applications is relatively uncharted territory, a few near-term research products include enhanced sensors that detect biological and chemical contaminants and offer the potential to improve exposure assessment. Finally, using nanotechnology in what is now commonly called "green manufacturing" improves the process by increasing materials and energy efficiency, reducing the need for solvents and reducing waste products.
On the other hand, EPA's paper recognizes that with great technological advancement comes unknown health and environmental effects associated with exposure to engineered nanomaterials. "Some of the special properties that make nanomaterials useful are also properties that may cause some nanomaterials to pose hazards to humans and the environment." To date, occupational and environmental exposure to only a limited number of engineered nanomaterials has been reported. EPA's paper provides an overview of the key existing information with regard to risk assessment associated with nanomaterials, including chemical identification and physical properties characterization, environmental fate, environmental detection and analysis, human exposure, human health effects and ecological effects. The EPA, however, recognizes that uncertainties with regard to the health and environmental effects of nanomaterials make further risk assessment research imperative to the responsible development of nanotechnology. In addition to its continued effort to undertake, collaborate and support further risk assessment research, EPA also commits in its paper to consider implementation of the following:
- Further explore the environmental applications of nanomaterials
- Develop approaches that promote pollution prevention, sustainable resource use and good product stewardship in the production, use and end life management of nanomaterials
- Continue and expand collaborations regarding potential applications and implications of nanomaterials
- Convene a standing intra-agency group to foster information sharing with regard to nanotechnology science and policy issues
- Continue and expand nanotechnology training activities.
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