IPEN Nanomaterials Library

 

nanomaterials:

 

health & safety, equity, ECOTOXICITY and policy

 

 

This library provides links to websites containing nanotechnology studies, white papers, discussions, and other materials that address health, safety, environmental impacts, equity and policy options.  Sites were recommended by people working on nanotechnology and range from basic to highly technical. 

 

All website below contain some useful information, but analyses and recommendations vary and are not universally supported by participants in this initiative.  Websites often provide information on multiple topics and so are listed under multiple headings below.  Factors such as financial interests can impact objectivity and so readers must evaluate evidence and conclusions judiciously.  

 

 

New information

  

Resolution on nanotechnologies and manufactured nanomaterials by participants in the African regional meeting on implementation of the Strategic Approach to International Chemicals Management

http://www.sciencecorps.org/nano_resolution_from_African_region.doc

  

General information: Definition & standardiZation

  

Sixth Session of Intergovernmental Forum on Chemical Safety, Dakar, Senegal September 2008 (IFCS Forum VI)

http://www.who.int/ifcs/forums/six/en/index.html

 

Friends of the Earth (FOE) Australia, Europe and United States   Nanotechnology standardisation & nomenclature issues

http://www.ecostandard.org/downloads_a/2008-10-06_foea_nanotechnology.pdf  

 

Swiss Re: Nanotechnology - Small matter, many unknowns,

http://www.swissre.com/resources/31598080455c7a3fb154bb80a45d76a0-Publ04_Nano_en.pdf

 

The Royal Society and The Royal Academy of Engineering, UK (2004). Nanoscience and nanotechnologies: opportunities and uncerntainties; 2004, page 8 http://www.royalsoc.ac.uk/

 

Nanotechnology Citizens Engagement Organization - definitions and standardization

http://www.nanoceo.net

 

Basic definitions, images and links from Wikipedia:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nanotechnology

A 2007 review of international standards:  http://www.ecostandard.org/downloads_a/cen-overview-std-nanotech-sept07.pdf 

Shand H and Wetter K (2006). “Shrinking Science: an introduction to nanotechnology”. Chapter 5 In State of the World 2006: Special focus: China and India”. The Worldwatch Institute. WW Norton & Company, New York, USA.

Health and Safety

 

EC: Scientific Committee on Emerging & Newly Identified Health Risks (SCENIHR),  Risk assessment of products of nanotechnologies January 2009, http://ec.europa.eu/health/ph_risk/committees/04_scenihr/docs/scenihr_o_023.pdf

 

Friends of the Earth  (FOE)

          Many briefing papers and publications:  http://nano.foe.org.au/node/26

 

          Mounting evidence that carbon nanotubes may be the next asbestos http://nano.foe.org.au/node/265

 

          Out of the laboratory and on to our plates

          http://www.foeeurope.org/activities/nanotechnology/Documents/Nano_food_report.pdf

 

          Nanosilver, A threat to soil, water and human health ?  

www.foeeurope.org/activities/nanotechnology/Documents/FoE_Nanosilver_report.pdf

  

European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) - Resolution on nanotechnologies and nanomaterials,
http://www.etuc.org/IMG/pdf_ETUC_resolution_on_nano_-_EN_-_25_June_08.pdf

 

Vivagora - multiple articles in French: 

http://www.vivagora.org/

 

Rel-UITA, Agriculture and Food Workers Challenge Nanotechnologies by G. Foladori & N. Invernizzi, 2007,  

http://www.rel-uita.org/nanotecnologia/trabajadores_cuestionan_nano-eng.htm

 

Worker health and safety: need for medical monitoring asserted by unions and NGOs

http://legacy.usw.org/usw/program/adminlinks/docs//NIOSH%20Interim%20Nano%20Guidance%20Comments%205-7-09%20.pdf

 

Nanotechnology Citizens Engagement Organization - definitions and standardization

http://www.nanoceo.net

 

ETC Group: Medical applications, other commodities, and food. http://www.etcgroup.org/en/issues/nanotechnology.html

 

          Size Matters: The Case for a Global Moratorium http://www.etcgroup.org/en/materials/publications.html?pub_id=165

 

EFSA. 2009. Scientific Opinion: The Potential Risks Arising from Nanoscience and Nanotechnologies on Food and Feed Safety. Scientific Opinion of the Scientific Committee.  Adopted February 2009.  EFSA Journal (2009) 958, 1-39  http://www.efsa.europa.eu/EFSA/efsa_locale-1178620753812_1211902361968.htm

 

France – Afsset, Les nanomatériaux–Sécurité au travai : http://www.afsset.fr/upload/bibliotheque/258113599692706655310496991596/afsset-nanomateriaux-2-avis-rapport-annexes-vdef.pdf

       

           Afsset, Nanomatériaux : exposition et risques pour la santé. L’Afsset est saisie par ses trois tutelles pour évaluer les risques pour la population générale  http://www.afsset.fr/upload/bibliotheque/707587797463045494102824770797/CP_afsset_saisine_nanomateriaux_              28072008.pdf

 

     Afsset, Nanomatériaux : concilier l’innovation et la sécurité sanitaire : 
     http://www.afsset.fr/upload/bibliotheque/511821750834000786123519684814/dp_afsset_nanomateriaux.pdf

 

German Federal Institute of Occupational Safety & Health, Federal Institute for Risk Assessment & Environment Agency joint German research strategy:   http://www.umweltbundesamt.de/technik-verfahren-sicherheit/nanotechnologie/index.htm

 

UK– Nanotechnologies at Defra

http://www.defra.gov.uk/environment/nanotech/index.htm

Swiss Action Plan Synthetic Nanomaterials

http://www.environment-switzerland.ch/div-4002-e

 

EU Commis DG Sancowebsite on nanotechnologies http:// ec.europa.eu/health/ph_risk/nanotechnologynanotechnology_en.htm

Modified Opinion on the appropriateness of existing methodologies to assess the potential risks associated with engineered & adventitious products of nanotechnologies, (SCENIHR /002/05), http://ec.europa.eu/health/ph_risk/committees/04_scenihr/docs/scenihr_o_003b.pdf

 

International Risk Governance Council, Risk Governance of Nanotech Applications in Food & Cosmetics”, Sept 08, http://www.irgc.org/IMG/pdf/IRGC_Report_FINAL_For_Web.pdf

 

Institute of Occupational Medicine in the UK. 2009. EMERGNANO: Health and safety research on nanomaterials & nanotechnology: Defra Project CB0409, report TM/09/01, March 2009  http://www.safenano.org

 

World Health Organization (WHO) Institute of Medicine “Activities on Nanotechnologies in the IOMC Organizations”, http://www.who.int/entity/ifcs/documents/forums/forum6/f6_05inf.doc

 

FAO/ WHO: Expert Meeting on Application of Nanotechnologies in Food and Agriculture Sectors: Potential Food Safety Implications http://www.who.int/foodsafety/fs_management/meetings/nano_june09/en/ AND:   http://www.fao.org/ag/agn/agns/index_en.asp

 

OECD Working Party on Manufactured Nanomaterials (WPMN): www.oecd.org/env/nanosafety

 

NATO Parliamentary Assembly Committee (2005) 179 STCMT 05 E  Security Implications of Nanotechnology.  http://www.nato-pa.int/default.Asp?SHORTCUT=677

 

 

Individual Studies: Toxicology, Pharmacokinetics, Exposure Assessment, and Related Information

 

To conduct a scientific literature search for worldwide publications with access to most abstracts: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez 

 

 

Websites Serving as Portals to Many Individual Studies

 

Nanoceo - links to many important scientific studies by topic:  http://www.nanoceo.net/nanorisks

 

FOE - links to many important scientific studies:  http://nano.foe.org.au/node/78

 

 

Select Individual Studies

Tsuchiya T, Oguri I, Yamakoshi Y and Miyata N. 1996. Novel harmful effects of [60] fullerene on mouse embryos in vitro & in vivo. FEBS Lett 393(1):139-45 http://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/els/00145793/1996/00000393/00000001/art00812

 

Takeda K, Suzuki K, Ishihara A, et al 2009. Nanoparticles transferred from pregnant mice to their offspring can damage the genital & cranial nerve systems. J Health Sci 55(1):95-102  http://jhs.pharm.or.jp/data/55(1)/55_95.pdf

 

 

Recommended scientific articles on nanoparticles asbestos-like effects - not currently free online.

Poland C, Duffin R, Kinloch I, et al,  2008. Carbon nanotubes introduced into the abdominal cavity display asbestos-like pathogenic behaviour in a pilot study. Nat Nanotechnol, 20 May 2008 (doi:10.1038/nnano.2008.111)

  

Takagi A, Hirose A, Nishimura T, et al,  2008. Induction of mesothelioma in p53+/- mouse by intraperitoneal application of multi-wall carbon nanotube. J Toxicol Sci 33: 105-116.

  

Social equity issues

 

ETC Group:  addreses a number of social eqity issues  

http://www.etcgroup.org/en/issues/nanotechnology.html

         

ETC:  "Nanotech's "Second Nature" Patents: Implications for the Global South:  The potential impact of nanotechnologies on commodity markets: implications for commodity dependent developing countries” Trade-Related Agenda, Development & Equity” (T.R.A.D.E.) Research Paper 4.      http://www.etcgroup.org/en/materials/publications.html?pub_id=45 

         

ETC:  "Size Matters: The Case for a Global Moratorium"  http://www.etcgroup.org/en/materials/publications.html?pub_id=165

 

The Loka Institute  http://www.loka.org/FedNanoPolicy.html

 

National Citizens Technology Forum Report: Nanotechnology and Human Enhancement http://cns.asu.edu/files/NCTFSummaryReportFinalFormat08.pdf

 

Meridian on nanotechnology and the poor, opportunities and risks, January 2005 

http://www.meridian-nano.org/gdnp/NanoandPoor.pdf

 

Nanotechnology Citizens Engagement Organization:  http://www.nanoceo.net/nanorisks

 

Nyéléni 2007- Forum for Food Sovereignty. (2007). Peoples’ Food Sovereignty Statement. http://www.nyeleni2007.org/IMG/pdf/Peoples_Food_Sovereignty_Statement.pdf

 

Invernizzi N, Foladori G, Maclurcan D. (2008). Nanotechnology's Controversial Role for the South. Science Technology Society 13: 123-148 (unavailable via open access).

 

ENVIRONMENTAL  IMPACTS

Damage to Ecosystems, Food Supplies, and Dispersion of Nanomaterials in the Environment         

 

New Research – Fullerenes and carbon nanotubes damage rice and other plants, with ecosystems implications:

Nanomaterials and Damage to Essential Food Crops: Is Rice in Jeopardy?   An analytical brief available from Sciencecorps, Friends of the Earth Australia and USA, and the National Toxic Network, Australia.

 
Original rice study at: http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/journal/122211012/abstract
 

Friends of the Earth Australia article on this: http://nano.foe.org.au/node/330

 
Nanowerk article on the topic http://www.nanowerk.com/spotlight/spotid=9516.php
 

 

Nanotechnology & the Global Challenge of Access to Clean Water: Workshop at the Nanotechnology Northern Europe in Copenhagen, Denmark September 2008  http://www.nanotech.net

 

FOE Australia - Nanosilver, A threat to soil, water and human health ?

 www.foeeurope.org/activities/nanotechnology/Documents/FoE_Nanosilver_report.pdf

 

Project on Emerging Nanotechnologies (PEN) - Where does the nano goe?, http://www.nanotechproject.org/mint/pepper/tillkruess/downloads/tracker.php?url=http%3A//www.nanotechproject.org/process/assets/files/2699/208_nanoend_of_life_pen10.pdf                                                 

Policy                                               

 

Government Actions, Regulatory issues, & Societal Controls

 

International Organizations

Sixth Session of the Intergovernmental Forum on Chemical Safety, Dakar, Senegal September 2008 (IFCS Forum VI)

http://www.who.int/ifcs/forums/six/en/index.html

 

Dakar Statement on Manufactured Nanomaterials (Final report of IFCS Forum VI)

http://www.who.int/ifcs/documents/forums/forum6/report/en/index.html

 

European Commission – REACH & nanomaterials

http://ec.europa.eu/enterprise/reach/reach/more_info/nanomaterials/index_en.htm

 

UNESCO The Ethics and Politics of Nanotechnology

http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0014/001459/145951e.pdf

http://portal.unesco.org/shs/en/ev.php-URL_ID=10581&URL_DO=DO_TOPIC&URL_SECTION=201.html

http://portal.unesco.org/shs/en/ev.phpURL_ID=10883&URL_DO=DO_TOPIC&URL_SECTION=201.html

                                                                                                                            

United Nations Environmental Program Global Environmental Outlook, 2007, p61 to 70 http://www.unep.org/geo/yearbook/yb2007/PDF/GYB2007_English_Full.pdf

 

  

NGOs and Trade Unions 

Labellign:  May, 2009 http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/national/nsw-pushes-for-nano-risk-labels-20090504-asmk.html

 

European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) - Resolution on nanotechnologies and nanomaterials,
http://www.etuc.org/IMG/pdf_ETUC_resolution_on_nano_-_EN_-_25_June_08.pdf

 

FOE Australia nano website

http://nano.foe.org.au/

 

ETC Group:  "Size Matters: The Case for a Global Moratorium" http://www.etcgroup.org/en/materials/publications.html?pub_id=165

 

The Royal Society and The Royal Academy of Engineering, UK (2004). Nanoscience and nanotechnologies: opportunities and uncerntainties; 2004  http://www.royalsoc.ac.uk/

 

The Environmental Law Institute. Governing Uncertainty: The Nanotechnology Environmental, Health, & Safety Challenge, www.eli.org/pdf/research/nanotech/nanocolumbiaarticel%20final.pdf

 

NGO International Concensus Statement 2007

http://www.icta.org/pubs/index.cfm

 

 

 Private Sector

Swiss Re - Nanotechnology - Small matter, many unknowns, http://www.swissre.com/resources/31598080455c7a3fb154bb80a45d76a0-Publ04_Nano_en.pdf

 

Nanotechnologies at the OECD http://www.who.int/entity/ifcs/documents/standingcommittee/f6_04inf.en.doc

 

 

OTHER TOPICS:   Products, Converging Technologies, and Legal Issues

 

Products Containing Nanomaterials (for food applications please see Health and Safety heading above)

 

Woodrow Wilson Center for Scholars, http://www.nanotechproject.org/inventories/consumer/

 

Nanoceo - Nanotechnology Citizens Engagement Organizaton - http://www.nanoceo.net/nanoproducts

 

Converging Technologies

The Big Down: Atomtech: Technologies Converging at Nano-Scale, http://www.etcgroup.org/en/materials/publications.html?pub_id=171

 

Legal Issues

German Federal Environment Agency-Legal appraisal  http://www.umweltbundesamt.de/technik-verfahren-sicherheit/nanotechnologie/index.htm

 

 

 

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