Changing people’s attitude is not an easy task. It is depending on the media content,
frequency, influence, and above all public exposure to it; hence the government
should be proactive.
9.3.1 Protocols for Risk Assessment/Safety
of Nanotechnology
There are so many risk perception that researcher are assuming as a result of
hazardous nanoparticles. Nanoparticles can go into the human body through ingestion, dermal exposure, and inhalation; and due to high bioavailability, they can
pierce the bloodstream, blood–brain barrier, and digestive tract. During regulation
development, it should be taken into consideration that nanomaterials exhibit dissimilar chemical properties from their bulk counterparts (Lewinski 2005). Coming to
agriculture, nanoparticles can also facilitate deposition of toxins deep into the soil.
Because of the larger surface area, nanoparticles can bond with other pollutants and
carry them through the soil resulting nano-pollutants to be adsorbed and absorbed
deeper and quicker than normal, though many studies didn’t find any toxic effect of
nanoparticles on soil microbial community (Maity et al. 2016; Srinivasan et al. 2017;
Shah and Belozerova 2009). Furthermore, nanoparticles are commonly reactive and
may catalyze physical or chemical reactions with the pollutants, which can possibly
lead to new toxic compounds. It is still not understandable whether the available
alternative approaches are useful at the nanoscale or how much of them have so far
been validated for nanomaterials. Before any regulatory decision is brought into
effect, some basic questions should be asked addressing the concern dilemma: is the
existing regulatory structure adequate? If not, where should the attention be focused
for regulating nanotechnology? Therefore, proper risk assessment and safety measures should be taken. In this process science-based policy decisions will help in
formulating proper risk assessment protocol. Science helps to take informed policy
decisions by availing information of risk and benefit of a technology or a product
made out of that.
Risk assessment is required to understand potential hazards, chances of exposure,
and its consequent risks to humans and other animals due to nanomaterials. There is
a need to determine the level possible risks and implications to the environment.
Nanomaterial for mammalian and ecological safety should be characterized and
tested properly. Interpretations about potential risk should be made based on scientific evidence and not on speculations. Even though queries exist about the environment, health, and safety consequences of nanomaterials, governments around the
globe comprehend that nanomaterials can have significant well-being applications:
technologies with improved solar technologies, self-cleaning surfaces, energy efficiency, possibility for application of fewer amounts of a given chemical, substitute to
highly toxic chemicals, and the remediation of contaminated sites. It makes a puzzle
for regulators or controllers who on the one side may desire to see beneficial
9 Application of Nanotechnology in Agriculture
337
frequency, influence, and above all public exposure to it; hence the government
should be proactive.
9.3.1 Protocols for Risk Assessment/Safety
of Nanotechnology
There are so many risk perception that researcher are assuming as a result of
hazardous nanoparticles. Nanoparticles can go into the human body through ingestion, dermal exposure, and inhalation; and due to high bioavailability, they can
pierce the bloodstream, blood–brain barrier, and digestive tract. During regulation
development, it should be taken into consideration that nanomaterials exhibit dissimilar chemical properties from their bulk counterparts (Lewinski 2005). Coming to
agriculture, nanoparticles can also facilitate deposition of toxins deep into the soil.
Because of the larger surface area, nanoparticles can bond with other pollutants and
carry them through the soil resulting nano-pollutants to be adsorbed and absorbed
deeper and quicker than normal, though many studies didn’t find any toxic effect of
nanoparticles on soil microbial community (Maity et al. 2016; Srinivasan et al. 2017;
Shah and Belozerova 2009). Furthermore, nanoparticles are commonly reactive and
may catalyze physical or chemical reactions with the pollutants, which can possibly
lead to new toxic compounds. It is still not understandable whether the available
alternative approaches are useful at the nanoscale or how much of them have so far
been validated for nanomaterials. Before any regulatory decision is brought into
effect, some basic questions should be asked addressing the concern dilemma: is the
existing regulatory structure adequate? If not, where should the attention be focused
for regulating nanotechnology? Therefore, proper risk assessment and safety measures should be taken. In this process science-based policy decisions will help in
formulating proper risk assessment protocol. Science helps to take informed policy
decisions by availing information of risk and benefit of a technology or a product
made out of that.
Risk assessment is required to understand potential hazards, chances of exposure,
and its consequent risks to humans and other animals due to nanomaterials. There is
a need to determine the level possible risks and implications to the environment.
Nanomaterial for mammalian and ecological safety should be characterized and
tested properly. Interpretations about potential risk should be made based on scientific evidence and not on speculations. Even though queries exist about the environment, health, and safety consequences of nanomaterials, governments around the
globe comprehend that nanomaterials can have significant well-being applications:
technologies with improved solar technologies, self-cleaning surfaces, energy efficiency, possibility for application of fewer amounts of a given chemical, substitute to
highly toxic chemicals, and the remediation of contaminated sites. It makes a puzzle
for regulators or controllers who on the one side may desire to see beneficial
9 Application of Nanotechnology in Agriculture
337