All Knowledge & Insights By Date

The November 1, 2007, issue of Environmental Health Perspectives (EHP) includes a research article and meeting report concerning nanomaterials. The research article, entitled “Nanosize Titanium Dioxide Stimulates Reactive Oxygen Species in Brain Microglia and Damages Neurons in Vitro,” describes the in vitro neurotoxicity of P25, a commercially available titanium dioxide nanomaterial. According to the study, P25 appears to be non-toxic...

We are pleased to announce that the Environmental Law Institute (ELI) has published the Nanotechnology Deskbook, which Lynn L. Bergeson co-authored. ELI provides the following description of the Deskbook: Nanotechnology promises to have far reaching impacts on the economy, including offering technological advances in pollution control. While over 200 products that use nanomaterials are already in the marketplace, minimal data exist on the health and environmental effects of...

On October 31, 2007, the House Committee on Science and Technology’s Research and Science Education Subcommittee held a hearing on the relationship between environmental and health policy and nanotechnology. The Subcommittee examined how the U.S. can stay at the forefront of scientific research and development, while at the same time establishing priorities and a detailed plan for research on the potential environmental and health risks of engineered nanomaterials. The...

Does the nanoscale substance you are producing or using require approval under the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA)? It does if it’s new. But what exactly is “new?” 

On October 25, 2007, the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) requested nominations from a list of proposed substances that it will evaluate for toxicological profile development. The list of proposed substances includes nanomaterials. According to the notice, ATSDR will evaluate all data and information associated with the nominated substances and will determine the final list of substances to be chosen for toxicological profile...

On October 17, 2007, the National Toxicology Program (NTP) announced that the Board of Scientific Counselors (BSC) will meet on December 6, 2007. The notice states that the preliminary agenda topics include review of NTP study nominations and proposed research and testing activities for several substances, including nanoscale gold. Written comments are due November 21, 2007. The deadline for pre-registration is November 29, 2007. NTP will post when...

Last week, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) placed in the docket a report summarizing remarks and public comments made during the August 2, 2007, meeting on the Nanoscale Materials Stewardship Program (NMSP). The purpose of the meeting was to discuss and receive comments on the development of the voluntary NMSP. The intent of the report is to provide an overview of the discussion that occurred. It does not analyze or evaluate any portion of the...

According to the fourth quarterly report for the UK’s Voluntary Reporting Scheme (VRS) for Manufactured Nanomaterials, the Department for Environment, Food, and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) received no new submissions during the most recent quarter. Since the VRS began in September 2006, DEFRA has received a total of nine submissions, seven from industry and two from academia. In late July 2007, the Advisory Committee on Hazardous Substances (ACHS) reported the findings...

On October 23-24, 2007, the Project on Emerging Technologies (PEN), in collaboration with Consumers Union — publisher of Consumer Reports magazine and Consumer Reports Online — will host an online conversation about nanotechnology and consumer products. The event, ConsumersTalkNano, is intended to provide an easily accessible venue for the public to discuss information and share thoughts about the usage and potential benefits and risks of consumer products made with...

The Project on Emerging Nanotechnologies (PEN) has released the findings of a national survey that indicates Americans’ awareness of nanotechnology remains low.  The fact that only 6 percent of Americans say they have “heard a lot” about nanotechnology is surprising, given that approximately $50 billion worth of nano-goods were on the market in 2006 — a number that is growing quickly. Specific survey questions examined opinions on the safety of our food...

The National Nanotechnology Initiative (NNI) recently released a brochure entitled “Big Things from a Tiny World.” The brochure is intended for general readers rather than scientists, and describes what nanotechnology is, what nanotechnology-related products are available now, and the potential contributions of nanotechnology to address issues such as clean, renewable energy, clean water, and medical devices and drugs. The brochure also describes potential technological...

Nanotechnology is now the subject of much excitement and attention, with applications proliferating quickly. Thus, engineered nanoscale materials’ (“ENM”) implications for human health and the environment, and the critical need for governments throughout the world to get the policy and regulatory framework right has garnered much attention. Most would agree that the ultimate goal for society is to enable nanotechnology to realize its potential while effectively addressing the pertinent...

Environment Canada (EC) and Health Canada (HC) have released a document entitled Proposed Regulatory Framework for Nanomaterials Under the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999 (Proposed Framework). EC/HC will hold a public workshop for stakeholders regarding the Proposed Framework on September 27, 2007, in Toronto. At the workshop, EC/HC will gather comments from participating stakeholders through discussion groups and plenary sessions. EC/HC will invite all...

On August 30, 2007, Greenpeace International (Greenpeace) issued a report entitled Navigating REACH: An Activists’ Guide To Using and Improving the New EU Chemicals Legislation (Guide), which is intended to explain how the European Union’s (EU) Registration, Evaluation, Authorization, and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH) regulation will work, what main issues are at stake, and how the law will be implemented. The Guide highlights provisions that non-governmental...

The September 1, 2007, issue of Environmental Health Perspectives includes an article entitled “Persistent Tissue Kinetics and Redistribution of Nanoparticles, Quantum Dot 705, in Mice: ICP-MS Quantitative Assessment.”  The purpose of the study was to assess the tissue disposition and pharmacokinetics of quantum dots (QD705) in mice.  According to the article, the plasma half-life of QD705 in mice was short (18.5 hours), but analyses revealed QD705 persisted and even...

On August 27, 2007, the Antitrust Division of the Department of Justice (DOJ) published a notice in the Federal Register announcing that, pursuant to Section 6(a) of the National Cooperative Research and Production Act of 1993, 15 U.S.C. Sections 4301 et seq., the Nanoparticle Flow Processing Consortium has filed written notifications simultaneously with the Attorney General and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) disclosing (1) the identities of the parties to the venture and (2)...

The European Commission (EC) Directorate General for Health and Consumer Protection retained GreenFacts to summarize the EC’s 2006 report entitled Modified Opinion (After Public Consultation) on the Appropriateness of Existing Methodologies to Assess the Potential Risks Associated with Engineered and Adventitious Products of Nanotechnologies. According to GreenFacts, the EC’s Scientific Committee on Emerging and Newly Identified Health Risks (SCENIHR) wrote its Opinion for a...

Yesterday the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) released a proposed rule that would amend the final monograph for over-the-counter (OTC) sunscreen drug products as part of FDA’s ongoing review of OTC drug products. The proposed rule addresses formulation, labeling, and testing requirements for both ultraviolet B (UVB) and ultraviolet A (UVA) radiation protection, would introduce four-star rating system for the level of UVA protection, and would require a warning...

On August 14, 2007, the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) published a Federal Register notice announcing the 30th meeting of the President’s Council on Bioethics. The agenda items listed in the notice include “continue the exploratory phase of a potential inquiry into ethical issues associated with nanotechnology with expert presentations and Council discussions.” The meeting will be September 6-7, 2007.

On August 3, 2007, EHP-in-Press posted an article entitled “Nanosize Titanium Dioxide Stimulates Reactive Oxygen Species in Brain Microglia and Damages Neurons, In Vitro.” The article describes the in vitro neurotoxicity of P25, a commercially available titanium dioxide nanomaterial. According to the study, P25 appears to be non-toxic to isolated N27 neurons, but stimulates BV2 microglia to produce reactive oxygen species and damages oxidative...