Abstract
The use of nanotechnology in consumer and industrial applications will likely have a profound impact on the quality and utility of a number of commercial products from a variety of industrial sectors. Nanomaterials exhibit unique physical/chemical properties and impart enhancements to engineered materials, including better magnetic properties, improved electrical activity, and increased optical properties. In addition, these materials are much more reactive than their bulk material counterparts as a result of their higher surface area. Consequently, the use of nanotechnology has the potential to facilitate substantial improvements in several critical societal functions such as energy generation and distribution, food processing, and building construction. Nanomaterials are already being used in a variety of commercial products, including computer components, textiles, cosmetics, glass technology, and photovoltaic systems. Given the impending widespread use of nanotechnology, a systematic approach needs to be developed for evaluating the risk to human health and the environment from exposure to nanomaterials. Some of the uncertainties associated with exposure to nanomaterials include the extent to which these materials interact with cellular organelles and the biological impact of those interactions, and the long-term health effects from acute and chronic exposure. There is also very little known about the environmental implications of the use of nanomaterials. Accordingly, the ILSI Health and Environmental Sciences Institute (HESI) has formed a subcommittee to improve the science associated with developing toxicological and safety evaluations for engineered nanomaterials and to improve the fundamental understanding of the behavior of these materials in biological systems and the environment. The broad goal of the effort is to develop a systematic approach to conducting a comprehensive toxicological and safety evaluation for nanomaterials. The specific project areas that form the basis of the subcommittee's activities, and that are the focus of this poster presentation, include nanomaterial characterization, toxicity, solubility, and life-cycle analysis.
