The safety of nanotechnology, the science of “engineering systems at a molecular scale”, has been paid little attention until recently, as more and more applications for the technology are being found. The main focus is on the safety of nanomedicine, the application of nanotechnology to the field of medicine. The concern is that materials behave differently on a tiny scale than they do at the size we normally use them. For example, gold can become a liquid at room temperature, copper becomes transparent, and silicon gains the ability to conduct electricity. Gold is used in nanomedicine to produce “nanoshells”, which can be used to improve diagnosis and imaging techniques, as well as having the capability to destroy damaged tissue when heated. However, there is no need to worry, because nanomedicine is closely regulated and rigorously tested before any application makes it into mainstream use. Most other uses of nanotechnology are widely regarded as completely safe. Once the nanomaterials that are used to make enhanced tennis racquets are in the product, they stay in the product and cause no harm to the user or the environment. However, the concern is that the manufacture of these products can harm us and the planet, as free nanoparticles are thought to cause damage to fish and also humans, as they get stuck in the lungs, similar to asbestos. So yes, there are some risks to nanotechnology, but there are also great benefits, and as the industry grows, safety procedures will become stronger and stronger. Some companies are already pushing to develop a safety standard for these products, and it is thought that a collaborative effort between such companies will produce a mechanism that makes it perfectly safe to manufacture and use products based on nanotechnology.

Leave Comment