|
In recent years, nanotechnology has received considerable attention from both science and industry as new information emerges about its uses and potential societal benefits. The term nanotechnology broadly describes the processes and technologies used to produce materials which are purposely engineered through the manipulation of atoms. The central tenet of nanotechnology is that almost any chemically stable structure that does not violate existing physical law can be built. In the next decade, we will have an onslaught of nanotechnology products that hold great promise for revolutionizing how we manufacture products, communicate with each other, and treat disease. With this new technology come a number of uncertainties.
In the twelfth meeting of the Institute of Medicine's Roundtable on Environmental Health Sciences, Research, and Medicine, the Roundtable held a workshop to examine the environmental health issues surrounding the emergence of technology. The workshop summary, titled Implications of Nanotechnology for Environmental Health Research, captures the discussions and presentations by the speakers and participants, who identified the areas in which additional research was needed, the processes by which changes could occur, and the gaps in our knowledge.
Additionally, the workshop summarizes presentations on the benefits and potential negative impacts of nanotechnology, U.S. governmental involvement in ensuring safety, and policy implications of the emerging technology.
|