Posts tagged as:

Nanoparticles

Nano-sunscreens leave their mark

by Andrew Maynard August 19, 2010

Most manufacturers of nanomaterial-based sunscreens try to make sure that the material they use doesn’t generate harmful chemicals in the presence of sunlight.  But the paper this piece was based on suggested that some photoactive materials might be slipping through the net. Originally posted June 21 2008. Painted metal roofs are cheap, convenient, and usually [...]

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I’m breathing in nanoparticles, so why aren’t I dead already?

by Andrew Maynard August 5, 2010

This was based on a piece I originally wrote for Nano Today – the blog was a slightly extended version of what was published.  Although it was written two years ago, it’s still surprising how few people realize that breathing in nanoparticles is an everyday fact of life, and that to make sense of new [...]

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The safety of nanotechnology-based sunscreens – some reflections

by Andrew Maynard July 18, 2010

A few weeks ago, I set Friends of the Earth a challenge – What is your worst case estimate of the human health risk from titanium dioxide and/or zinc oxide nanoparticles in sunscreens? The challenge came out of an article from FoE on nanomaterials and sunscreens, which I subsequently critiqued on 2020 Science.  Georgia Miller [...]

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Just how risky can nanoparticles in sunscreens be? Friends of the Earth respond

by Georgia Miller June 15, 2010

Last week, I posed Friends of the Earth a challenge – “What is your worst case estimate of the human health risk from titanium dioxide and/or zinc oxide nanoparticles in sunscreens?”  Georgia Miller of FoE Australia and Ian Illuminato of FoE in the US have kindly provided a detailed response.  Rather than just keep this [...]

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Just how risky could nanoparticles in sunscreens be?

by Andrew Maynard June 8, 2010

Following up from my previous post, here’s an open question to Friends of the Earth: What is your worst case estimate of the human health risk from titanium dioxide and/or zinc oxide nanoparticles in sunscreens? What I am interested in is a number – a probability of a specific human health impact being caused by [...]

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Friends of the Earth come down hard on nanotechnology – are they right?

by Andrew Maynard June 8, 2010

Friends of the Earth (FoE) do not like nanoparticle-based sunscreens.  This has been evident for some years – back in 2006 the organization published the report Nanomaterials, Sunscreens and Cosmetics: Small Ingredients, Big Risks, and every year since then they have had something to say on the subject. This year’s web-based piece leaves now doubt [...]

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Nanotechnology and cancer treatment: Do we need a reality check?

by Andrew Maynard March 2, 2010

Cancer treatment has been a poster-child for nanotechnology for almost as long as I’ve been involved with the field.  As far back as in 1999, a brochure on nanotechnology published by the US government described future “synthetic anti-body-like nanoscale drugs or devices that might seek out and destroy malignant cells wherever they might be in [...]

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Could some nanoparticles inflict harm across normally tight biological barriers?

by Andrew Maynard November 5, 2009

A new paper published on-line today in Nature Nanotechnology hints that some nanoparticles could cause damage to cells on the other side of normally tight barriers – such as the blood brain barrier or the placenta – without actually crossing the barriers.  It’s a study that could raise concerns over the safe  medical use of [...]

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Sunscreens and Alzheimer’s – solid science or scare-mongering speculation?

by Andrew Maynard August 25, 2009

Could using sunscreen lead to Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, or other neurodegenerative diseases?  The association seems far-fetched – given the amount of sunscreens, creams and lotions used every day, surely someone would noticed a link by now if it existed!  Yet a press release from the University of Ulster suggests the nanoparticles used in some sunscreens could [...]

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New study seeks to link seven cases of occupational lung disease with nanoparticles and nanotechnology

by Andrew Maynard August 18, 2009

A new study about to be published in the European Respiratory Journal links workplace nanoparticle exposure to seven cases of serious and progressive lung disease in China – leading to two patient deaths – and presses a number of “hot” buttons when it comes to the safety of emerging nanotechnologies. To help place the study [...]

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Is nanotechnology poised for the ride of its life?

by Andrew Maynard August 18, 2009

In the wake of a new study linking “nanotechnology” to two deaths and five additional cases of lung disease, the emerging technology of the ultra-small could be in for a rough ride.  Yet the real risk is that in the rush to use or even abuse the findings, the science and it’s true relevance are [...]

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Industry critics give nanotechnology sunscreens the thumbs up

by Andrew Maynard July 3, 2009

The Environmental Working Group (EWG) – a US-based non-profit organization committed to using public information to protect public health and the environment – has just released what is probably the most comprehensive evaluation to date of the safety and effectiveness of using titanium dioxide and zinc oxide nanoparticles in sunscreens.  And their conclusion? On balance, [...]

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Nanotechnology: From nano-novice to nano-genius in 13 steps

by Andrew Maynard May 26, 2009

Back in April, the folks at the PBS station THIRTEEN asked me to answer 13 questions on nanotechnology and the environment for their website feature Green Thirteen.   The questions ended up covering most of nanotechnology – what it is, what it’s good for, what the downsides might be, and how we might overcome potential problems [...]

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Control at the nanoscale: Smallness, strangeness and sophistication

by Andrew Maynard April 29, 2009

Part 5 of a series on rethinking science and technology for the 21st century Last time in this series of occasional blogs, I made the rather bold statement that while science and technology are going to have a highly visible impact on our lives over the next few decades, progress is going to be underpinned [...]

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What Nanotechnology Can Do for Your Average Donut

by Andrew Maynard March 30, 2009

A guest blog by Dr. Frans Kampers, director of the Wageningen biotechnology center for food and health innovation (BioNT) at the Wageningen University and Research Center in the Netherlands. Using nanotechnology to make food better—it seems like a good idea, but does it have its downsides?  Questions over the safety and wisdom of using nanotech [...]

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Nanotechnology risk research, ten years on

by Andrew Maynard March 2, 2009

Ten years ago to the month, one of the first research reports detailing the challenges of ensuring the safe use of engineered nanomaterials was delivered to the UK Health and Safety Executive.  The report wasn’t for general release, and you’ll be hard pressed to find a copy of it in the public domain.  But as [...]

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Managing the small stuff – a visual nanotechnology primer

by Andrew Maynard February 2, 2009

Nanotechnology: What is it, what can it do, what are the downsides, and how can we ensure it reaches its full potential? Managing the Small Stuff. Also available in High Definition on Vimeo The promise and challenges of nanotechnology is something I lecture on a lot.  And when I do, I’m inevitably asked for a [...]

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All you wanted to know about nanotechnology, from a pack of Mentos and a bottle of Coke

by Andrew Maynard January 25, 2009

I spend quite a bit of my time talking to different groups about nanotechnology, including its potential and its challenges. And as a result, I’m constantly on the prowl for new ways of illustrating why nanotechnology is important. In particular, I’ve been keeping my eyes peeled for a quick and dirty (and fun) demonstration to [...]

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Asbestos-like nanomaterials – should we be concerned?

by Andrew Maynard January 23, 2009

I’m afraid the “A” word just won’t go away.  It seems that every time people start thinking about the possible health effects of long, thin, fibrous nanomaterials, the question pops up “is this the next asbestos?”  You’d have thought that the issue would have been resolved by now—after all, nanomaterials like carbon nanotubes have been [...]

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Getting to grips with nanomaterial toxicity

by Andrew Maynard December 15, 2008

Introducing MINChar—a new community initiative to support effective material characterization in nanotoxicity studies. Here’s a tough one:  Imagine you have a new substance—call it substance X—and you run some tests to see how toxic it is.  But you’re not quite sure what substance X is. You know that it is a powder, and it is [...]

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Toxic particles and trivial pursuits*

by Andrew Maynard November 23, 2008

First impressions of the ICON EHS Database Analysis Tool What do you do this holiday season when the turkey’s lost its appeal, you’ve seen every movie worth watching ten times over, and conversational déjà-vu sets in?  If you are really desperate, you could play “nano-trivia”—and thanks to the fine folks at the International Council On [...]

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Shaking up the nano-food debate

by Andrew Maynard October 20, 2008

Is the RBC Life Sciences® nanotechnology product Slim Shake approved for use by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA)?  According to the BBC Radio 4 science program Frontiers—broadcast on Monday evening—there may be some doubt.  But I get ahead of myself. The US-based company RBC Life Sciences® sells a range of dietary supplements and [...]

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Alphabet soup hides the secrets of safe nanotech!

by Andrew Maynard October 14, 2008

After three years of hard work, International Standards Organization (ISO) Technical Committee TC229—set up in 2005 to develop nanotechnology-related standards—has finally begun delivering the goods.  And the first documents off of the blocks tackle head-on the challenges of working safely with engineered nanomaterials. September saw the publication of the Technical Specification 27687—“Nanotechnologies—Terminology and definitions for [...]

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Nano-silver: Old problems or new challenges?

by Andrew Maynard September 9, 2008

The blogging community is no stranger to the use (and possible abuse) of nanometre-scale silver—products ranging from silver-enhanced socks and toothpaste to plush toys and cure-alls have all appeared in the spotlight recently. With each passing month, the number of nano-silver gizmos on the market is growing.

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Nanotoxicologists self-assemble

by Andrew Maynard September 9, 2008

If you evaluate the toxicity of an engineered nanomaterial, how far can you trust your results?  If someone else repeats your tests and gets a different answer, did they do it wrong? Did you?  Or was the material used different in some subtle but nevertheless important way? These are questions that have dogged nanotoxicologists for [...]

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A consumer’s guide to nanotechnology

by Andrew Maynard August 21, 2008

  How cool is this: A nanotech-enabled labcoat to protect the user against… well, nanomaterials presumably, amongst other things!   The labcoat—which uses Nanotex technology to make it stain resistant—is part of a major update to the Project on Emerging Nanotechnologies Consumer Products Inventory that tracks manufacture-identified nano-products.  Other eye-catchers in the update include a hunting shirt that resists bloodstains, [...]

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Nano-sunscreens leave their mark

by Andrew Maynard June 21, 2008

Painted metal roofs are cheap, convenient, and usually very durable.  But over the past two years, a rash of accelerated ageing has blighted pre-painted steel roofing in Australia.  And intriguingly the ageing—which affects the coating—seems to be localized to small patches, taking on the form of fingerprints, handprints and even footprints. The culprit it seems [...]

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Nanotechnology—in bed with Madonna?

by Andrew Maynard April 25, 2008

If you want proof that nano is mainstream, just pick up the U.S. May edition of fashion magazine “Elle.”   Sharing cover-space with Madonna is the latest article on nanotech and the beauty business. Elle might not be your first choice of reading for cutting edge science, but Joanne Chen’s article “Small Wonders” is no slouch when it [...]

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I’m breathing in nanoparticles, so why aren’t I dead already?

by Andrew Maynard April 5, 2008

Read some accounts of nanotechnology risks, and you might be forgiven for concluding that a single engineered nanoparticle can kill you.  Of course, a little critical thinking soon dispels this notion—we are constantly bombarded with incidental nanoparticles from sources that include cars, incinerators and fires; we have been since birth.  And as critics of “risk [...]

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People breathing in nanoparticles? Surely you’re joking Mr. Feynman!

by Andrew Maynard October 8, 2007

Admit it-deep down, your don’t really believe people will be exposed to engineered nanomaterials.  After all, most nanomaterials will be made in enclosed reactors, handled as precious commodities where not a particle can be spared, and irreversibly incorporated into a bewildering array of products.  And those that do start their life as nanoparticles will clump [...]

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