http://ecowatch.com/2014/08/12/nanoparticles-panacea-or-pandoras-box/  Date: Fri, 15 Aug 2014 09:08:51 -0500 Subject: Science Matters - Nanoparticles: Panacea or Pandora's box?  David Suzuki Foundation Nanoparticles: Panacea or Pandora's box?   Nanoparticles  Nanoparticles can be used to deliver vaccines, treat tumours, clean up oil  spills, preserve food, protect skin from sun and kill bacteria. They're so  useful for purifying, thickening, colouring and keeping food fresh that they're  added to more products every year, with the nanofoods market projected to reach  US$20.4 billion by 2020. Nanoparticles are the new scientific miracle that will  make our lives better! Some people say they'll usher in the next industrial  revolution.  Hold on... Haven't we heard that refrain before?  Nanotechnology commonly refers to materials, systems and processes that exist or  operate at a scale of 100 nanometres or less, according to U.S.-based Friends of  the Earth. A nanometer is a billionth of a metre - about 100,000 times smaller  than the diameter of a human hair. An FoE report finds use of unlabelled,  unregulated nano-ingredients in food has grown substantially since 2008. Because  labelling and disclosure are not required for food and beverage products  containing them, it's difficult to determine how widespread their use is.  Nanoparticles are also used in everything from cutting boards to baby bottles  and toys to toothpaste.  "Major food companies have rapidly introduced nanomaterials into our food with  no labels and scant evidence of their safety, within a regulatory vacuum," says  report author Ian Illuminato, FoE health and environment campaigner.  "Unfortunately, despite a growing body of science calling their safety into  question, our government has made little progress in protecting the public,  workers and the environment from the big risks posed by these tiny ingredients."  Studies show nanoparticles can harm human health and the environment. They can  damage lungs and cause symptoms such as rashes and nasal congestion, and we  don't yet know about long-term effects. Their minute size means they're "more  likely than larger particles to enter cells, tissues and organs" and "can be  more chemically reactive and more bioactive than larger particles of the same  chemicals," FoE says. A Cornell University study found nanoparticle exposure  changed the structure of intestinal-wall lining in chickens.  Like pesticides, they also bioaccumulate. Those that end up in water - from  cosmetics, toothpaste, clothing and more - concentrate and become magnified as  they move up the food chain. And in one experiment, silver nanoparticles in  wastewater runoff killed a third of exposed plants and microbes, according to a  CBC online article.  Their use as antibacterial agents also raises concerns about bacterial  resistance and the spread of superbugs, which already kill tens of thousands of  people every year.  The Wilson Center, an independent research institution in Washington,  D.C.,recently created a database of "manufacturer-identified"  nanoparticle-containing consumer products. It lists 1,628, of which 383 use  silver particles. The second most common is titanium, found in 179 products.  While acknowledging that "nanotechnologies offer tremendous potential benefits"  the Center set up its Project on Emerging Nanotechnologies to "ensure that as  these technologies are developed, potential human health and environmental risks  are anticipated, properly understood, and effectively managed."  As is often the case with such discoveries, widespread application could lead to  unintended consequences. Scientists argue we should follow the precautionary  principle, which states proponents must prove products or materials are safe  before they're put into common use. Before letting loose such technology, we  should also ask who benefits, whether it's necessary and what environmental  consequences are possible.  Friends of the Earth has called on the U.S. government to impose a moratorium on  "further commercial release of food products, food packaging, food contact  materials and agrochemicals that contain manufactured nanomaterials until  nanotechnology-specific safety laws are established and the public is involved  in decision-making."  The group says we can protect ourselves by choosing fresh, organic and local  foods instead of processed and packaged foods and by holding governments  accountable for regulating and labelling products with nanoparticles.  Nanomaterials may well turn out to be a boon to humans, but we don't know enough  about their long-term effects to be adding them so indiscriminately to our food  systems and other products. If we've learned anything from past experience, it's  that although we can speculate about the benefits of new technologies, reality  doesn't always match speculation, and a lack of knowledge can lead to nasty  surprises down the road.  By David Suzuki with contributions from David Suzuki Foundation Senior Editor  Ian Hanington.     Ralph Stuart secretary**At_Symbol_Here**dchas.org Secretary Division of Chemical Health and Safety American Chemical Society