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Nanotechnology—working with materials that are 100 nanometers or smaller—has potential applications in many facets of human life, from consumer products to medicine. It allows scientists to work with completely new materials by controlling matter at the atomic level, where the properties of matter change in ways researchers are just beginning to understand. While the potential benefits of nanotechnology are known, researchers and concerned consumers alike have raised questions about the potential risks. For example:

A buckyball - a spherical fullerene structure that has potential uses as a superconductor, drug delivery vehicle, light-activated antimicrobial agent, and structural reinforcer.

• Consumer products ranging from socks to toothbrushes have been developed with small deposits of silver, or nanosilver, for antibacterial protection. If the silver is released into the environment during usage or disposal, what will happen to surrounding ecosystems?
• Considering the role manufacturing plays in greenhouse gas emissions, how will the mass production of nanomaterials impact the environment?
• How should the benefits of nanotechnology be weighed against the environmental hazards?

Scientists in the National Risk Management Research Laboratory's (NRMRL) Sustainable Technology Division (STD) have developed comprehensive assessment tools to help to answer these questions.

Life-Cycle Assessment

Currently, STD's Systems Analysis Branch is using life-cycle assessment (LCA) methodology to address the sustainability issues of nanotechnology. LCA is an effective scientific tool for gauging the environmental impacts of products, materials, and processes. It assesses all phases—production, manufacture, distribution, use, and disposal—to establish a comprehensive understanding of potential environmental harm.

Although it is a well-established method, the application of LCA to nanotechnology is challenging due to several factors. The collection of necessary data is difficult because most processes are proprietary in nature. Toxicity assessment of nanomaterials is currently inconclusive because of the lack of a unified testing protocol. Furthermore, LCA methodology does not account for socioeconomic impacts/benefits when accessing nanoproducts.

Process

STD's project aims to address the concerns of nanotechnology through the development of a comprehensive integrated decision-making framework. The goal is to provide stakeholders (e.g., companies, consumer groups, government agencies, etc.) with a tool to evaluate processes and products to ensure the safety of both the environment and the general public.

The first step in the process is to make contacts within the nanotechnology industry to compile a database of accurate manufacturing data reflecting the production of nanomaterials. The data is then used to perform representative LCA studies and identify areas of the methodology that can be strengthened and/or clarified. The final step, and perhaps the biggest challenge, is offering guidance on how to incorporate the potential economic and life-changing benefits that various nanotechnologies can offer to society. The resulting lessons learned will culminate in the creation of a versatile decision-support tool that can be used to make informed choices regarding the use of nanotechnology.

For additional information, contact Jane Ice, NRMRL Office of Public Affairs, (513) 569-7311.