An increased understanding of the environmental and human health impacts of engineered nanoparticles is essential for the responsible development of nanotechnology and appropriate evidence-based policy and guidelines for risk assessment. Presenting the latest advances in the field from a variety of scientific disciplines, this book offers a comprehensive overview of this challenging, inter-disciplinary research area. Topics covered include: The properties, preparation and applications of nanomaterials Characterization and analysis of manufactured nanoparticles The fate and behaviour of nanomaterials in aquatic, terrestrial and atmospheric environments Ecotoxicology and human toxicology of manufactured nanoparticles Occupational health and exposure of nanomaterials Risk assessment and global regulatory and policy responses Understanding the behaviour and impacts of nanotechnology in the environment and in human health is a daunting task and many questions remain to be answered. Environmental and Human Health Impacts of Nanotechnology will serve as a valuable resource for academic researchers in nanoscience and nanotechnology, environmental science, materials science and biology, as well as for scientists in industry, regulators and policy makers.

This book is divided into four main sections thoroughly analyzing the use of nanomaterials for water, air and soil solutions, and emphasizing environmental risks. Providing background on nanomaterials' two-decade study, it discusses the characterization and application of unconventional disinfectants, called antimicrobial nanomaterials, which fall into three categories and, while seemingly harmless, have potential hazards if applied improperly. Special attention is given to the process of remediation, synthetics techniques, and properties of nanomaterials, with examples to which new and trained readers in the field can relate and understand. an interdisciplinary approach, aimed at scientists in physical chemistry, nanotechnology, and environmental sciences includes applications of non-conventional techniques in environmental protection furthers the development of applied nanoscience and nanotechnology suggests new industrial projects and university courses addressing nanotechnology in and for the environment includes applications for water, air and soil protection

Should you adopt nanotechnology? If you have already adopted it, what do you need to know? What are the risks? Nanomaterials and nanotechnologies are revolutionizing the ways we treat disease, produce energy, manufacture products, and attend to our daily wants and needs. To continue to capture the promise of these transformative products, however, we need to ask critical questions about the broader impacts of nanotechnology on society and the environment. Exploring these questions, the second edition of Nanotechnology: Health and Environmental Risks gives you the latest tools to understand the risks of nanotechnology and make better decisions about using it. Examining the state of the science, the book discusses what is known, and what still needs to be understood, about nanotechnology risk. It looks at the uses of nanotechnology for energy, industry, medicine, technology, and consumer applications and explains how to determine whether there is risk—even when there is little reliable evidence—and how to manage it. Contributors cover a wide range of topics, including: Current concerns, among them perceived risks and the challenges of evaluating emerging technology A historical perspective on product safety and chemicals policy The importance of being proactive about identifying and managing health and environmental risks during product development How the concepts of sustainability and life cycle assessment can guide nanotechnology product development Methods for evaluating nanotechnology risks, including screening approaches and research How to manage risk when working with nanoscale materials at the research stage and in occupational environments What international organizations are doing to address risk issues How risk assessment can inform environmental decision making Written in easy-to-understand language, without sacrificing complexity or scientific accuracy, this book offers a wide-angle view of nanotechnology and risk. Supplying cutting-edge approaches and insight, it explains what types of risks could exist and what you can do to address them. What’s New in This Edition Updates throughout, reflecting advances in the field, new literature, and policy developments A new chapter on nanotechnology risk communication, including insights into risk perceptions and the mental models people use to evaluate technological risks An emphasis on developing nanotechnology products that are sustainable in the long term Advances in the understanding of nanomaterials toxicity Cutting-edge research on occupational exposure to nanoparticles Changes in the international landscape of organizations working on the environmental, health, and safety aspects of nanotechnologies

Explore the Properties of Today's Widely Used Nanomaterials— and Assess Their Potentially Harmful Effects on the Environment Environmental Nanotechnology is the first book to assist you in both understanding the properties of new nanomaterial-centered technology and assessing the potentially harmful effects these materials may have on the environment. Written by a team of 29 leading experts from around the world, this comprehensive book presents cutting-edge coverage of the fabrication, characterization, and measurement of nanomaterials...emerging markets for nanomaterials...nanotechnologies in the energy industry...nanotechnologies for environmental quality...nanotechnology transport and fate in the environment...toxicological impacts of nanomaterials...and much more. Filled with detailed illustrations, Environmental Nanotechnology features: State-of-the-art techniques for the characterization and measurement of nanomaterials The latest findings on the transport and fate of nanomaterials in the environment Nanotechnologies for energy production, storage, and distribution In-depth analyses of the ecotoxicological impacts of nanomaterials New methods for developing nanomaterials with less environmental risk Inside This Landmark Environmental Engineering Guide _ • Nanomaterials: New Challenges and Opportunities • Fabrication of Nanomaterials • Characterization and Measurement of Nanomaterials • Emerging Markets for Nanomaterials • Nanomaterial-Enabled Technologies for Energy Production, Storage, and Distribution • Nanomaterial-Enabled Technologies for Environmental Quality • Nanomaterial Transport and Fate in the Environment • Ecotoxicological Impacts of Nanomaterials • Toxicological Impacts of Nanomaterials

This comprehensive book covers various aspects of nanoscience and nanotechnology and what is known about the potential environmental and health impacts. Divided into three main sections, the book addresses the toxicity of nanomaterials, fate and transport of nanomaterials in the environment, and occupational health aspects of nanotechonology.

The nanotechnology sector, which generated about $225 billion in product sales in 2009, is predicted to expand rapidly over the next decade with the development of new technologies that have new capabilities. The increasing production and use of engineered nanomaterials (ENMs) may lead to greater exposures of workers, consumers, and the environment, and the unique scale-specific and novel properties of the materials raise questions about their potential effects on human health and the environment. Over the last decade, government agencies, academic institutions, industry, and others have conducted many assessments of the environmental, health, and safety (EHS) aspects of nanotechnology. The results of those efforts have helped to direct research on the EHS aspects of ENMs. However, despite the progress in assessing research needs and despite the research that has been funded and conducted, developers, regulators, and consumers of nanotechnology-enabled products remain uncertain about the types and quantities of nanomaterials in commerce or in development, their possible applications, and their associated risks. A Research Strategy for Environmental, Health, and Safety Aspects of Engineered Nanomaterials presents a strategic approach for developing the science and research infrastructure needed to address uncertainties regarding the potential EHS risks of ENMs. The report summarizes the current state of the science and high-priority data gaps on the potential EHS risks posed by ENMs and describes the fundamental tools and approaches needed to pursue an EHS risk research strategy. The report also presents a proposed research agenda, short-term and long-term research priorities, and estimates of needed resources and concludes by focusing on implementation of the research strategy and evaluation of its progress, elements that the committee considered integral to its charge.

This text presents the most current knowledge on the environmental impact of materials and products developed using nanotechnology. Although nanomaterials are revolutionising electronics, medicine, transportation and many other industries, they pose risks to living beings and ecosystems that are barely understood. Leading researchers here consider the science of nanomaterials, their behaviour in the environment, risk assessment and toxicology, and the future of nanomaterials.