2
nations. Finally, we summarize the preferable nanomaterials for different applications, their health effects, and safe handling techniques.
Keywords Nanotechnology · Market · Toxicity · Environmental Health and Safety
1.1 Introduction
Throughout history, scientists have made vast improvements in technology and
nanotechnology without concern for the environmental, health, social, and economic impacts of the research. Over the past decade, there has been rising concern
about the impacts of nanotoxicology and nanoecotoxicology, which represent innovative and promising research areas in the biological field of toxicology.
Nanotoxicology has been defined as the study of the toxicity and impact resulting
from the production of nanomaterials (IUPAC 2007). Nanoecotoxicology has been
defined as the scientific study of the impending danger to living organisms and ecosystems resulting from the harmful consequences of exposure to nanoparticles; the
mechanisms of their action; and the diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of nanoparticle intoxication (Buzea et al. 2007; Asmatulu et al. 2014). These new research
fields deal with the assessment and procedures involving the toxicological properties of nanoparticles, with the purpose of influentially discovering the degree of
environmental or biological threat they pose. Researchers further characterize the
properties of nanoparticles by their size, shape, surface area, surface charge, crystal
structure, coating, as well as solubility/dissolution. The most important factors in
their consideration are the environmental factors of temperature, pH, ionic strength,
salinity, and organic matter, which together influence the development and properties of nanoparticle behavior and eventually their toxicity (Walters et al. 2016).
Nanomaterials have been defined by the scientific community as materials with an
external dimension in the nanoscale distribution size of 1–100 nanometers (nm)
(10
−9
m), and with an internal arrangement or surface structure measured in the
nanoscale range (Buzea et al. 2007; ISO 2008). Nanomaterials are considered to be
natural occurring, incidental, or manufactured. They are comprised of 50% or more
of particles at nanometer size and distributed in an unbound state, such as an aggregate or agglomerate (IUPAC 2007).
Naturally occurring nanomaterials are made as secondary by-products of volcanic ash, soot from fires, or combustion processes. These by-products are normally
physically and chemically heterogeneous and can be defined as ultrafine particles.
Researchers and manufacturing companies have always engineered nanomaterials
with a specific design and purpose in mind, which has been accomplished through
their physiochemical properties, material characterization, and function (Safenano
2018). The ideology of nanotechnology cannot be invented by one individual.
However, Richard Feynman hypothesized the idea of manipulating particles, atoms,
and molecules in 1959 which was proven by Professor Norio Taniguchi in 1974.
These new methodologies of nanomaterials have evolved into a vast variety of
S. Hughes and E. Asmatulu
nations. Finally, we summarize the preferable nanomaterials for different applications, their health effects, and safe handling techniques.
Keywords Nanotechnology · Market · Toxicity · Environmental Health and Safety
1.1 Introduction
Throughout history, scientists have made vast improvements in technology and
nanotechnology without concern for the environmental, health, social, and economic impacts of the research. Over the past decade, there has been rising concern
about the impacts of nanotoxicology and nanoecotoxicology, which represent innovative and promising research areas in the biological field of toxicology.
Nanotoxicology has been defined as the study of the toxicity and impact resulting
from the production of nanomaterials (IUPAC 2007). Nanoecotoxicology has been
defined as the scientific study of the impending danger to living organisms and ecosystems resulting from the harmful consequences of exposure to nanoparticles; the
mechanisms of their action; and the diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of nanoparticle intoxication (Buzea et al. 2007; Asmatulu et al. 2014). These new research
fields deal with the assessment and procedures involving the toxicological properties of nanoparticles, with the purpose of influentially discovering the degree of
environmental or biological threat they pose. Researchers further characterize the
properties of nanoparticles by their size, shape, surface area, surface charge, crystal
structure, coating, as well as solubility/dissolution. The most important factors in
their consideration are the environmental factors of temperature, pH, ionic strength,
salinity, and organic matter, which together influence the development and properties of nanoparticle behavior and eventually their toxicity (Walters et al. 2016).
Nanomaterials have been defined by the scientific community as materials with an
external dimension in the nanoscale distribution size of 1–100 nanometers (nm)
(10
−9
m), and with an internal arrangement or surface structure measured in the
nanoscale range (Buzea et al. 2007; ISO 2008). Nanomaterials are considered to be
natural occurring, incidental, or manufactured. They are comprised of 50% or more
of particles at nanometer size and distributed in an unbound state, such as an aggregate or agglomerate (IUPAC 2007).
Naturally occurring nanomaterials are made as secondary by-products of volcanic ash, soot from fires, or combustion processes. These by-products are normally
physically and chemically heterogeneous and can be defined as ultrafine particles.
Researchers and manufacturing companies have always engineered nanomaterials
with a specific design and purpose in mind, which has been accomplished through
their physiochemical properties, material characterization, and function (Safenano
2018). The ideology of nanotechnology cannot be invented by one individual.
However, Richard Feynman hypothesized the idea of manipulating particles, atoms,
and molecules in 1959 which was proven by Professor Norio Taniguchi in 1974.
These new methodologies of nanomaterials have evolved into a vast variety of
S. Hughes and E. Asmatulu