NNI Environmental, Health, and Safety Issues

Nanotechnology encompasses an increasing number of activities based on the ability to measure, see, and control matter at the scale of nanometers. Nanoscale circuitry is already in cell phones and other electronic products on the market today. Many applications that are envisioned will take advantage of the fact that, at the nanoscale materials have different chemical and physical properties than materials at larger scales. Also, there is potential for nanosized particles to be transported through cell walls and other biological barriers in ways that are different from their macroscale counterparts. These properties can be used to make better batteries, to deliver drugs where they are needed, and to clean contaminated soil and groundwater. The ability to control matter at the nanometer scale is leading to technological advances in many areas, including energy, medicine, and the environment.

Responsible development of nanotechnology includes supporting fundamental discovery-based research as well as targeted research and other activities to understand potential risks associated with the manufacture and use of engineered nanoscale materials. Since the inception of the National Nanotechnology Initiative, the participating agencies have supported research to safely develop and apply nanotechnology for societal benefit and economic growth as well as research to better protect public health and the environment. By integrating the results of such research, the NNI aims to ensure the benefits of this new technology are maximized within a coordinated research framework that emphasizes understanding and prioritizing potential risks as well as the means to manage such risks.

Nanotechnology-related environmental, health, and safety (EHS) research is an essential component of the NNI's coordinated research framework. EHS research is focused in particular on understanding general mechanisms of biological interaction with nanomaterials and on developing broadly useful tools and tests for characterizing and measuring nanomaterials in various environments, including in the body. This research is to understand the effects of address the potential implications of engineered, incidental, and natural nanomaterials; remove contaminants from soil and water; and prepare for a new generation of nanoproducts. Nanotechnology-related EHS research is also informed and influenced by all other components of the broader NNI research portfolio, including research on fundamental nanoscale phenomena and processes; nanomaterials; nanoscale devices and systems; instrumentation, metrology, and standards; nanomanufacturing; and societal dimensions (ethical, legal, and other societal issues).

Funding

NNI research on environmental, health and safety (EHS) aspects of nanomaterials has increased steadily. Between fiscal year (FY) 2005, the first year for which estimates are available, and the President's request for 2009, the NNI will invest an estimated $256 million in research that is primarily aimed at understanding the risks posed by nanomaterials. This funding and corresponding effort to advance understanding of nanotechnology-related environmental, health, and safety issues is leveraged by a significant amount of additional investment in instrumentation, metrology, facilities, and fundamental materials research. This research and other NNI activities are coordinated by the Nanotechnology Environmental and Health Implications (NEHI) Working Group under the Nanoscale Science, Engineering, and Technology (NSET) Subcommittee of the National Science and Technology Council.

In FY 2009 EHS R&D funding ($76 million) is over double the level of actual funding in 2005 ($35 million), the first year this data was collected. The steady growth in EHS R&D spending follows the NNI strategy of expanding the capacity to do high-quality research in this field. The proposed $76 million for 2009 does not include substantial research in instrumentation and metrology and on fundamental interactions between biosystems and engineered nanoscale materials, both of which are important in the performance and interpretation of toxicological research. An indication of the level of funding for these broader categories of nanotechnology-related EHS research may be deduced from the detailed 2006 data collected and analyzed specifically for this purpose. This data showed that the total funding for nanotechnology-related EHS research in 2006 was about $68 million, 80% higher than that reported for "primary purpose research."

See: NEHI • Societal Dimensions • What is Nanotechnology? • Frequently Asked Questions • Education