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Richard Denison, Ph.D., is a Senior Scientist.
In some nanotechnology circles, it is almost a mantra that, once released to the environment, nanoparticles will inevitably aggregate or agglomerate into larger masses and thereby lose their nanoscale-related properties and, by implication at least, any associated risks.
But can we count on nanoparticles released to the environment to self-regulate their own risk so conveniently? (more…)
John Balbus, M.D., M.P.H., is Chief Health Scientist.
Some 216 delegates representing 26 countries converged on the largest city in China last week for the 7th meeting of the International Standards Organization (ISO) Technical Committee (TC 229) on Nanotechnologies.
In China, the turtle symbolizes cosmic order, strength, endurance and wisdom. In the US, the turtle has come to symbolize slow progress and not keeping up with the times. Which representation better captures what’s going on in ISO’s TC 229? Maybe a little of both. (more…)
Cal Baier-Anderson, Ph.D., is a Health Scientist.
Can nanoparticles get into our drinking water and if so, what’s the harm?
Nanoparticles are being used in cosmetics and other personal care products with increasing frequency. Carbon fullerenes, also known as buckyballs, have recently been touted as imparting age-defying antioxidant benefits when added to skin cream. And there are some studies that seem to support these claims. But even if such claimed benefits turn out to be true, this is by no means the end of the story. (more…)
Richard Denison, Ph.D., is a Senior Scientist.
My last post identified two Section 8(e) “substantial risk” notices pertaining to carbon nanotubes, one submitted by BASF, the other by Arkema. I have in my files one additional Section 8(e) notice for a single-walled carbon nanotube (SWCNT), submitted by DuPont. With three Section 8(e) notices submitted for different rat pulmonary toxicity studies on carbon nanotubes, it’s interesting to compare their results. (more…)
Richard Denison, Ph.D., is a Senior Scientist.
Section 8(e) of the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) requires any company that manufactures, imports, processes or distributes chemicals in the U.S. to notify EPA within 30 days if it obtains new information that “reasonably supports the conclusion that such substance or mixture presents a substantial risk of injury to health or the environment.” Are there Section 8(e) notices for nanomaterials? (more…)
Cal Baier-Anderson, Ph.D., is a Health Scientist.
The manufacture of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) is a very complicated business. Different production processes leave behind different kinds of metal catalysts, which yield differences in physical and chemical – as well as toxicological – properties of the CNTs. (more…)
