Nanotoxicity

Occupational Hazards is running an article on a recent presentation at the Second International Symposium on Nanotechnology and Occupational Health, which suggested that asbestos has a lot to teach about the potential toxicity of nanotechnology. Asbestos was initially thought to be a miracle -- benign, and quite useful. Yet, it turned out to be not so miraculous, when it was found that asbestos, once in the air, made its way into the body and played havoc with organic tissue. Like asbestos, nanotechnology has the potential for widespread application -- a day doesn't seem to go by without another news announcement of some other application of nanotechnology -- and widespread application means the stuff will make it into the air whether we like it or not. Will it pose the same danger as asbestos? Truth is, no one really knows. Nanoparticles fill our biosphere, and we breathe them in with every breath. Some are probably harmful, some not. One thing for sure, evolution has brought us along this far with nanoparticles -- yet, how different will the artificial stuff be? Have we just been lucky? If we need to adapt to nanotechnology, we're going to be in serious trouble, as evolution is a slow one for changes.