7
lation of genes associated with cholesterol synthesis, insulin regulation, cell signaling, and
protein formation, and changes in the liver, kidney, spleen and gastrointestinal system. (The
Thom Hartmann Program 2016)
The following are a list of genetically modified foods (The Thom Hartmann
Program 2016): corn, canola, soybeans, cottonseed, sugar beets, Hawaiian papaya,
zucchini, yellow squash, sugar derived from genetically modified sugar beets, dairy,
and unless labeled “no artificial hormones, recombinant bovine growth hormone, or
recombinant bovine somatotropin.”
Recently, the U.S. Regulation of Genetically Modified Crops have been divided
among three regulatory agencies, although they all have a different stance, and their
genetically modified organisms perspectives are different: U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency, U.S. Food and Drug Administration, and U.S. Department of
Agriculture. Genetically modified crops have some human welfare applications
(Weil 2005; Guleria et al. 2017). Thus, like genetically modified organisms, nanomaterials also have advantages and disadvantages. Nanotoxicity and nanoecotoxicity evaluation helps in selecting the correct form of nanomaterials for safe human
and environmental use.
1.3.2 Environmental
Exposure of the population and ecosystems to nanomaterials has increased drastically over the past couple of decades due to the demand for better, faster, and smaller
technology. Although nanomaterials offer an obvious benefit, many questions
regarding their impact on humans and the environment have not been answered.
One of the crucial questions that is being addressed along with a plethora of research
has been the toxicity and impact of nanomaterials on the environment, although
research is still lacking because of the considerable amount of debate over different
methodologies. Researchers must understand the properties and biodegradation
characteristics of nanomaterials, which will permit a better understanding of the
cellular, atomic, and molecular impact of each material. The accumulation of these
materials within cells could modify or manipulate cells in an adverse way, which is
why an ideology of the nanotoxicology must be known so that the undesirable properties can be avoided before nanomaterials are used. Before nanomaterials are produced, researchers and large companies need to ask vital questions: What is the
toxicity of the material? What are the impacts if used? Are non-nano counterparts
less toxic? Is there an alternative. Manufactured nanoparticles exhibit physicochemical characteristics that have exceptional electrical, thermal, and mechanical properties, which make them extremely attractive for applications in the commercial,
medical, and environmental sectors (National Research Council 2002;
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency 2003; Masciangioli and Zhang 2003; Dreher
2004). At present, information defining the relative health and environmental risk
assessment of manufactured nanoparticles or nanomaterials has been very limited
1 Nanotoxicity and Nanoecotoxicity: Introduction, Principles, and Concepts
lation of genes associated with cholesterol synthesis, insulin regulation, cell signaling, and
protein formation, and changes in the liver, kidney, spleen and gastrointestinal system. (The
Thom Hartmann Program 2016)
The following are a list of genetically modified foods (The Thom Hartmann
Program 2016): corn, canola, soybeans, cottonseed, sugar beets, Hawaiian papaya,
zucchini, yellow squash, sugar derived from genetically modified sugar beets, dairy,
and unless labeled “no artificial hormones, recombinant bovine growth hormone, or
recombinant bovine somatotropin.”
Recently, the U.S. Regulation of Genetically Modified Crops have been divided
among three regulatory agencies, although they all have a different stance, and their
genetically modified organisms perspectives are different: U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency, U.S. Food and Drug Administration, and U.S. Department of
Agriculture. Genetically modified crops have some human welfare applications
(Weil 2005; Guleria et al. 2017). Thus, like genetically modified organisms, nanomaterials also have advantages and disadvantages. Nanotoxicity and nanoecotoxicity evaluation helps in selecting the correct form of nanomaterials for safe human
and environmental use.
1.3.2 Environmental
Exposure of the population and ecosystems to nanomaterials has increased drastically over the past couple of decades due to the demand for better, faster, and smaller
technology. Although nanomaterials offer an obvious benefit, many questions
regarding their impact on humans and the environment have not been answered.
One of the crucial questions that is being addressed along with a plethora of research
has been the toxicity and impact of nanomaterials on the environment, although
research is still lacking because of the considerable amount of debate over different
methodologies. Researchers must understand the properties and biodegradation
characteristics of nanomaterials, which will permit a better understanding of the
cellular, atomic, and molecular impact of each material. The accumulation of these
materials within cells could modify or manipulate cells in an adverse way, which is
why an ideology of the nanotoxicology must be known so that the undesirable properties can be avoided before nanomaterials are used. Before nanomaterials are produced, researchers and large companies need to ask vital questions: What is the
toxicity of the material? What are the impacts if used? Are non-nano counterparts
less toxic? Is there an alternative. Manufactured nanoparticles exhibit physicochemical characteristics that have exceptional electrical, thermal, and mechanical properties, which make them extremely attractive for applications in the commercial,
medical, and environmental sectors (National Research Council 2002;
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency 2003; Masciangioli and Zhang 2003; Dreher
2004). At present, information defining the relative health and environmental risk
assessment of manufactured nanoparticles or nanomaterials has been very limited
1 Nanotoxicity and Nanoecotoxicity: Introduction, Principles, and Concepts