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Nanotechnology for Waste and Cleanup News
Nanotechnology and Office of Solid Waste and Emergency Response (OSWER) Symposium took place in July 2006. Presentation slides, biographies of the presenters, and session highlights are now available online.
Nanotechnology has potential applications in many areas, including consumer products, health care, transportation, energy, and agriculture. In addition, nanotechnology presents new opportunities to improve our ability to detect, monitor, and clean up environmental contaminants and to help us avoid creating pollution in the first place.
EPA also has an interest in ensuring that waste materials, including those at the nanoscale, do not pose unacceptable risks to humans or the environment. In assessing the potential hazards and risks that might result from the release or disposal of waste containing nanoscale materials, an understanding is needed of the environmental fate and transport and toxicology of nanoscale materials.
This site provides information on the unique issues associated with nanotechnology in waste and cleanup.
What is nanotechnology?
The term nanotechnology refers to research and technology development conducted with particles and materials in the size range of approximately one to one hundred nanometers in any dimension (a nanometer is one billionth of a meter). A nanometer is approximately one hundred thousand times smaller than the diameter of a human hair, a thousand times smaller than a red blood cell, or about half the size of the diameter of DNA.
Nanotechnology refers to the intentional engineering or manufacture of nanoscale particles. However, nanoscale materials can also be produced unintentionally, from various human and natural processes (e.g., particulates produced from fuel combustion, volcanic ash, viruses).
| Basic Information - Provides a brief introduction to nanotechnology and the potential impact of this technology on human health and the environment. | Events - Recent events and workshops focused on nanotechnology and the environment. |
| Related Links - Contains links to EPA hosted and external sites pertinent to nanotechnology and waste cleanup. |