EPA Nanotechnology White Paper

2,70

MB

132

stron

3412

ID

UNITED STATES ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

2007

rok

Table of Contents

FOREWORD ..VIII

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS IX

ACRONYMS ..X

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY .1

1.0 INTRODUCTION 4

1.1 PURPOSE .4

1.2 NANOTECHNOLOGY DEFINED 5

1.3 WHY NANOTECHNOLOGY IS IMPORTANT TO EPA 13

1.4 NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL CONTEXT .14

1.5 WHAT EPA IS DOING WITH RESPECT TO NANOTECHNOLOGY 18

1.6 OPPORTUNITIES AND CHALLENGES ..21

2.0 ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFITS OF NANOTECHNOLOGY .22

2.1 INTRODUCTION .22

2.2 BENEFITS THROUGH ENVIRONMENTAL TECHNOLOGY APPLICATIONS 22

2.3 BENEFITS THROUGH OTHER APPLICATIONS THAT SUPPORT SUSTAINABILITY 24

3.0 RISK ASSESSMENT OF NANOMATERIALS ..29

3.1 INTRODUCTION .29

3.2 CHEMICAL IDENTIFICATION AND CHARACTERIZATION OF NANOMATERIALS .31

3.3 ENVIRONMENTAL FATE OF NANOMATERIALS .32

3.4 ENVIRONMENTAL DETECTION AND ANALYSIS OF NANOMATERIALS ..40

3.5 HUMAN EXPOSURES AND THEIR MEASUREMENT AND CONTROL .42

3.6 HUMAN HEALTH EFFECTS OF NANOMATERIALS 52

3.7 ECOLOGICAL EFFECTS OF NANOMATERIALS 58

4.0 RESPONSIBLE DEVELOPMENT .63

4.1 RESPONSIBLE DEVELOPMENT OF NANOSCALE MATERIALS .63

4.2 PROGRAM AREAS .65

4.3 ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP ..68

5.0 EPA’S RESEARCH NEEDS FOR NANOMATERIALS ..70

5.1 RESEARCH NEEDS FOR ENVIRONMENTAL APPLICATIONS .70

5.2 RESEARCH NEEDS FOR RISK ASSESSMENT 72

6.0 RECOMMENDATIONS ..82

6.1 RESEARCH RECOMMENDATIONS FOR ENVIRONMENTAL APPLICATIONS 82

6.2 RESEARCH RECOMMENDATIONS FOR RISK ASSESSMENT ..83

6.3 RECOMMENDATIONS FOR POLLUTION PREVENTION AND ENVIRONMENTAL

STEWARDSHIP .89

6.4 RECOMMENDATIONS FOR COLLABORATIONS ..90

6.5 RECOMMENDATION TO CONVENE AN INTRA-AGENCY WORKGROUP ..91

6.6 RECOMMENDATION FOR TRAINING ..91

6.7 SUMMARY OF RECOMMENDATIONS .92

7.0 REFERENCES 93

APPENDIX A: GLOSSARY OF NANOTECHNOLOGY TERMS .107

APPENDIX B: PRINCIPLES OF ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP BEHAVIOR ..110

APPENDIX C: EPA’S NANOTECHNOLOGY RESEARCH FRAMEWORK 111

APPENDIX D: EPA STAR GRANTS FOR APPENDIX E: LIST OF NANOTECHNOLOGY WHITE

PAPER EXTERNAL PEER REVIEWERS AND THEIR AFFILIATIONS .