Nanotechnology and Health: Is Nano Safe

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Nanotechnology and Health Is Nano Safe?

• Seán Barry,
• Carleton University

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The Scale of Nanoscale
1 100 nm 1x10-9 1x10-7 m across
Canada ? a centimetre
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What Nanotechnology is Not
Modern nanotechnology is not the fabrication of
tiny mechanical devices that can and will enter
human systems to repair or damage cells.
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History of Nanotechnology
As early as 500 AD, glass artisans weremaking
stained glass windows withvibrant reds and
yellows. These colours were much moreluminous
and durable than dyes couldproduce, and were the
products ofcoinage metal nanoparticles
imbeddedin the glass. As these nanoparticles
get smaller, the colours shift from red,
through yellow and green, to blue.
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Modern Nanotechnology - Investment
Investments in nanotechnology are on the
rise. These advances are in both basic
university-basedresearch, as well as
industry. Many of these advances use
nanoparticles in some form or other.
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Modern Nanotech - Hard Drive Read Heads
Recording heads are miniature (about 1mm2) and
read and write information to and from a
hard-drive disk or another storage medium. They
have a supermagnetic layer that is nanometres
thick. (typically Ni80Fe20, Ni45Fe55 or FeAlN)
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Modern Nanotechnology - Microchips
Intel is incorporating nanotechnology into its
microchip. New chips are being made on the sub
45 nm node, which means that the feature size is
45 nm, or less.
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Modern Nanotechnology - Shapes
Adapted from J. Nanosci. Nanotechnol. 2007, 7,
3048.
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Nanoparticles in Medicine
To use nanoparticles in vivo, one often selects
polymers known to be non-toxic.
Polyglycolic-lactic acid (PGLA) is a good
example. Nanoparticles of this materialcan be
dosed with specifictherapeutic agents and
injectedinto biological systems. Drug release
from a nanoparticle is slow and steady over time.
PNAS 2006, 103(16), 6315.
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Targeting a Tumour
The polymer nanoparticle can be modified with a
bio-nanosensor to chemically recognise a cancer
cell. The surface of the particle is decorated
with aptamers. An aptamer is a small piece of
DNA that is developed to specifically bind to a
cancer cell. With the aptamer in place, the
nanoparticles adhere to the cancer cell, and
release the drug at the site where it is required.
PNAS 2006, 103(16), 6315.
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Specific Uptake
Specific uptake occurs when a nanoparticle has
surface chemistry that binds to specific sites
on the cell walls. Mostly, this is engineered.
Nature Mater. 2009, 8, 543.
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Nonspecific Uptake
Non-specific uptakeis due to the
characteristics of thenanoparticle, but will
be taken up by any cell wall. This is a
general toxicity.
Nature Mater. 2009, 8, 543.
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Nanotoxicity
The toxicity, like many properties of
nanomaterials, differ from their macroscale
characteristics.
J. Nanosci. Nanotechnol. 2007, 7, 3048.
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Specific Toxicity Cell Apoptosis
Superparamagnetic iron oxide (SPION) was shown to
enhance medical magnetic imaging. However,
normal SPION is toxic. When coated with a sugar
derivative (Pullulan), it was found to be
non-toxic.
Biomaterials 2005, 26, 1565.
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Modification and Study
Healthy cells. Cells incubated with iron
oxide nanoparticles. Cells incubated with
pullulan-coated iron oxide nanoparticles.
Biomaterials 2005, 26, 1565.
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Carbon Nanotubes An Asbestos Debate
There is presently debate about whether they
have health risks akin to asbestos Our data
demonstrate that asbestos-like pathogenic
behaviour associated with CNTs conforms to a
structureactivity relationship based on length,
to which asbestos and other pathogenic ?bres
conform. Nature Nano. 2008, 3, 423. The recent
findings are quite specific for this particular
subclass of long, unfunctionalized MWNTs and it
is difficult to extrapolate to other nanotube
types. Nature Nano. 2008, 3, 378.
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Nanomaterials in Biological Systems
recycling
consumer exposure
worker exposure
Production(raw)
Production(consumer)
Use
Disposal(end of life)
Human and ecological systems
EPA Nanotechnology White Paper 2007
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Government Response
Policy and Science interconnect on many planes,
and nanoscience is becoming one of them. An
excellent summary of the different responses of
governments to nanoscience regulation has been
compiled by Jennifer Pelley and Marc Saner.
http//www.regulatorygovernance.ca/
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United States of America Policy Statement
The U.S.A. is investing 1.5 billion in
nanoscience in 2009. This includes the
responsible development of nanoscience, but no
Federal regulation yet exists. Existing
statutory authorities are adequate to address
oversight of nanotechnology and its
applications. Where possible, regulatory
approaches should enable rather than hinder
innovation Benefits of regulation should
justify their costs.
Joint memorandum by the Director of the Office of
Science and Technology Policy and the Chairman
of the Council on Environmental Quality
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United States of America Regulation
The Environmental Protection Agency issued a
White Paper, and has a voluntary Nanoscale
Materials Stewardship Program The Food and Drug
Administration have a task force, but feel that
existing regulations can govern
nanomaterials. California and Massachusetts both
have State and Municipal regulations of nano
health and safety.
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European Union Policy Statement
The European Union is more inclined to
precaution. Where the full extent of a
risk is unknown, but concerns are so high
that risk management measures are considered
necessary,measures must be based on the
Precautionary Principle The regulatory
challenge is therefore to ensure that
society can benefit from novel applications
of nanotechnology, whilst a high level of
protection of health, safety and the environment
is maintained
The European Commission Regulatory Aspects of
Nanomaterials.
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European Union Regulation
The Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and
Restriction of Chemical Substances (REACH)
regulation has no specific statement on nano
materials, except to differentiate carbon
nanotubes from bulk carbon. The Cosmetics
Directive and Novel Food Regulation both
mention specific assessment for nanomaterials,
defining such as having one or more dimension on
the scale of 1 to 100 nm.
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Canada Policy Statement
Canada adopted a mediated outlook in
2007 strong science and effective regulation
to protect human health and the environment while
supporting Canadian competitiveness. an
effective, forward-looking, and responsive
regulatory environment that promotes a
competitive marketplace and protects the health
and safety of Canadians and the
environment.
Government of Canada, Comprehensive Science
Technology (ST) Strategy Mobilizing Science
Technology to Canada?s Advantage
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Canada Regulation
Canada is focused on international cooperation,
but has made some regulatory changes Canadian
Environmental Protection Act 1999 governs new
material and its regulation in Canada.
Environment Canada issued an advisory note in
2007 stating that it considered a material new if
it possesses unique structures or molecular
arrangements and proposed an amendment to the
Act. This covers nanomaterials, and was included
specifically for nanotubes.
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Summary

• Nanotechnology is not very new.
• but our ability to image it (and so, modify it)
  has increased.
• Nanotechnology will modify existing technologies,
  and enable new ones.
• Free nanomaterials are a real health concern.
  Nanoparticles and nanotubes are a strong
  focus of toxicity.
• Governments range from trusting their existing
  regulations (U.S.A.) to defining and amending new
  regulations (E.U)
• Canada is intermediate in its efforts, and is
  focusing its attention on international
  cooperation.

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Reading List

• EPA White Paper, 2007
• http//www.epa.gov/OSA/pdfs/nanotech/epa-nanotechn
  ology-whitepaper-0207.pdf
• Or Google EPA nanotech white paper 2007
• Pelley and Saner summary on governance, 2009
• http//www.carleton.ca/regulation/publications/Nan
  otechnology_Regulation_Paper_April2009.pdf
• Or Google Carleton nanotech regulatory
• Nature Materials review of the nano-bio
  interface, 2009
• http//www.nature.com/nmat/journal/v8/n7/full/nmat
  2442.html
• Or Google Nature Materials nanobio interface
• This requires a subscription