Differential toxicity of carbon nanomaterials in fruit flies

According to a new study carried out on Drosophila melanogaster fruit flies and published in Environmental Science & Technology :
- Larval fruit flies showed no physical or reproductive effects from consuming carbon nanoparticles (fullerene C60, carbon black, or single-walled or multiwalled nanotubes) in their food, “despite evidence that the nanomaterials are taken up and become sequestered in tissue“
- [...]

EPA draft report : “Nanomaterial case studies : nanoscale titanium dioxide in water treatment and in topical sunscreen”

The EPA released this July for review and public comment a draft version of a (rather huge) report entitled “Nanomaterial case studies : nanoscale titanium dioxide in water treatment and in topical sunscreen” (222 p).
According to the preamble (p 14) : ” (…) This document is a starting point to determine what is known and what [...]

Nano review papers for environmental NGOs by the EEB

The European Environmental Bureau is producing a series of four papers “meant to serve as a capacity building tool empowering environmental NGOs to work actively in the field of sustainable governance and use of nanotechnologies and nanomaterials.”  Already two are available online :
Challenges and opportunities to green nanotechnologies (April 2009 ; 13 p)
Nanomaterials – health and [...]

Nanoparticles & ecotoxicity : volumetry in biomedical publications since 2000

This chart was built by searching PubMed for publications mentionning nanoparticles and ecotoxicity in their title or abstract.

NGOs challenge claims about environmental benefits of nanotechnologies

IPEN (International POPs Elimination Network) and EEB (European Environmental Bureau), two international coalitions of NGOs, recently pointed out in a press release a “mismatch between claims and reality” concerning potential environmental benefits of nanotechnologies. According to them, ” (…) early evidence of the much greater energy demands of producing nanoparticles, the significant quantities of potentially toxic [...]

Scope of the French public nanotech debate

According to the official document signed in late February 2009 (see also corresponding press release), the French public nanotech debate forecasted for next autumn will be focused on general orientations of development and regulation of nanotechnologies. The debate will be based on a benefit/risk analysis (especially health and environmental benefits and risks) of the various nanotech applications and [...]

Nano & biocidal silver – Friends Of the Earth report

Friends of the Earth (FoE) released yesterday a report entitled   “Nano & biocidal silver - extreme germ killers present a growing threat to public health” (press release).
In the frame of this document, the NGO calls for “immediate moratorium on the commercial release of products that contain manufactured nanosilver until nanotechnology-specific regulation is introduced to protect the public, [...]

Environmental Defense Fund – Nanotechnology Notes

The Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) proposes a blog entitled Nanotechnology Notes where “Science, health, and business experts at Environmental Defense comment on nano issues of the day“.  Have also a look on the dedicated page of their website to find out about the main objectives of their work concerning nanotechnology.

The French Afsset recommends application of the principle of precaution

The French Agency for Environmental and Occupational Health Safety (Afsset/Agence Française de Sécurité Sanitaire de l’Environnement et du Travail) reported on Friday (10/10/2008) about its work on the assessment of potential risks linked to manufactured nanomaterials (see for example 1,2). According to the experts from the Agency, it is at present impossible to exclude the [...]

Environmental Nanoparticles: Science, Ethics, and Policy

The University of Delaware will host a conference entitled ”Environmental Nanoparticles: Science, Ethics, and Policy” on November 10-11, 2008. Among others, the two cofounders of the Nanoethics Group – Dr. Fritz Allhoff and Dr. Patrick Lin – will participate to the conference and give presentations.