The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has extended the comment period for a proposed rule addressing nanoengineered chemicals following concerns voiced by unions. The proposed rule is the first that would require worker protection for a variety of carbon nanotubes. Jaydee Hanson, the policy director for the International Center for Technology Assessment, said, “If it's going to be the first, it's got to be right.” The comment period was supposed to end January 27, 2012, but is likely to be extended to mid-March. Groups that include the AFL-CIO, United Automobile, Aerospace & Agricultural Implement Workers of America (UAW), International Center for Technology Assessment, and Food & Water Watch, all wrote EPA and requested an extension to the comment period. According to the AFL-CIO, the proposed significant new use rule (SNUR), “selected personal protective equipment as the first and only means of protecting workers against exposure to carbon nanotubes…EPA has selected the least effective and last line of defense for worker protection.” Instead, the union argued, personal protective equipment should be the last line of defense, and used only when more effective exposure control methods are being used but have not sufficiently reduced exposures.

Two new carbon-based ultrathin membranes could give a boost to water purification, seawater desalination, gas separations and chemical filtrations. The first, developed at the University of Manchester, United Kingdom, stops everything from passing through except water. The researchers, Rahul R. Nair and Andre K. Geim, stacked graphene oxide, making membranes so thin the water passes through as if they aren’t there. The researchers believe increasing humidity causes hydrophilic channels to expand, allowing water molecules to make their way through empty spaces where the graphene is not oxidized. The channels close when the humidity decreases. The second membrane selectively filters organic solvents, and was created by researchers at the National Institute for Materials Science, Japan. The amorphous carbon nanosheets created by the team allow organic solvents to penetrate the membrane, at rates of up to hundreds of liters per square meter per hour, while rejecting organic dyes and gold nanoparticles. Potential applications include environmental remediation, food oil extraction, and chemical and biofuel production. According to Donald R. Paul, of the University of Texas, Austin, United States, who wrote a commentary in the journal Science that accompanied the papers describing the membranes, these membrane materials “are clearly early-stage research and should stimulate further work. It will be some time before we see actual applications. The real trick will be to make them on a large enough scale, and cheap enough, to be useful in packaged modules.”

Researchers from the Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Israel, have developed an innovation based on nanotechnology that helps to protect beverage nutrients. Healthy drinks tend to lose their nutritional content due to marketing conditions by the time they reach the consumer. The research team developed nanocapsules based on natural food ingredients and “imprisoned” the capsules in vitamins and other ingredients that improve health but are not water-soluble. For example, they captured vitamin D within the capsules and found the vitamin did not break down inside the drink, despite the acidic environment, thus improving shelf life. Additionally, the capsule did not fall apart when exposed to stomach enzymes, allowing it to be absorbed in the small intestine. These nanocapsules can be added to clear beverages, and enrich their health value, without losing the beverage’s transparency. According to the researchers, the innovation could also be used in the pharmaceutical industry to protect drugs as they move from the stomach to absorption in the intestines, or to help fight intestinal cancers.

A joint investment by the Governments of Canada and Quebec has led to the opening of the world’s first commercial-scale production facility for nanocrystalline cellulose (NCC) in Windsor, Quebec. The official opening of the new CelluForce facility was held last week. Speaking at the event, Joe Oliver, the Canadian Minister of Natural Resources, said, “The Government of Canada is investing $23.2 million in the transformation of Canada’s forest sector by encouraging the development and commercialization of state-of-the-art Canadian technology. Supporting innovative projects such as this one is essential to expanding and diversifying markets both at home and abroad and to creating new economic opportunities for forest-dependent communities.” The new facility, which was developed by FPInnovations and Domtar Inc., is expected to produce one ton of nanocrystalline cellulose per day. NCC could be used in the development of such products as paints, coatings, cosmetics, films, barriers, textiles, and advanced materials.

The American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) is hosting a symposium, the “International Symposium on Assessing the Economic Impact of Nanotechnology,” in conjunction with the following sponsors: the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD); and, the U.S. National Nanotechnology Initiative (NNI). The event will be held on March 27 to 28, 2012, in Washington, D.C. The symposium’s objective is to explore the need for and development of a methodology to assess the economic impact of nanotechnology across whole economies, including new and replacement products and materials, markets for raw materials, intermediate and final goods, and employment and other economic impacts. Attendees from a broad spectrum of backgrounds and expertise are being invited, and include technology leaders, key decision makers, economists, investors, policy analysts, and scientists and engineers from industry, business, government, academia and the general public. Registration opens on February 10, 2012, and is on a first-come, first-served basis until capacity is met. The full agenda is available on the symposium website.

The United States-based Natural Resource Defense Council (NRDC) this week filed a lawsuit seeking to block the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) from allowing nanoscale silver to be used in consumer products because the health risks of the substance are unknown. NRDC, in the first ever court challenge of an EPA approval of a nanoscale chemical, is aiming to overturn EPA’s decision to conditionally approve nanosilver under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA). EPA had last year conditionally approved a request from HeiQ Materials to sell nanosilver in fabrics. According to Mae Wu of NRDC, "EPA gave this company a four-year free pass to sell an inadequately tested product. EPA's approval of nanosilver is just the most recent example in a long line of decisions that treats humans and our environment as guinea pigs for these untested pesticides."

Researchers in Norway are developing plastics that are based upon nanofibers from trees. The project, NanoBarrier, is a collaboration of Norway and colleagues from 14 other countries. The goal is to develop biodegradable plastic packaging. According to Bjørn Steinar Tanem, a section manager at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), “We plan to use nanofibres from trees to develop new and better packaging solutions.” The project is to begin in March 2012 and run for four years. Åge Larsen, a senior researcher at the SINTEF Group and the project manager, said, “The use of bioplastics may help to promote sustainable development. The overall objective is to create materials and packaging that are climate neutral.” One aspect of the project is to develop packaging that extends the freshness of food, potentially helping people to choose healthier alternatives while reducing the amount of food waste. Sensors integrated into the packaging will provide information about the condition of the food. “We can use sensors to measure the temperatures that food is exposed to or find out whether food is about to spoil,” explained Larsen.

Thailand’s state-run National Nanotechnology Center has used the recent flooding in the country as an opportunity to show how nanotechnology-based products could help mitigate the impact of future natural disasters. One product is the nano-sack, or N-sack, which is similar to a giant, superabsorbent diaper, and could be used as replacements for the sandbags traditionally used for flood control. Sirirurg Songsivilai, the executive director of the center, said, "It is our hope that the nano-sack development will be refined and can be used before the next rainy season...The 2011 flood in Thailand was an eye opener for both the public and the government sector. It provided our research institution with an opportunity to participate in relief efforts." The center also distributed bednets and mosquito-repellant gel and powder, all of which make use of nanotechnology. The nets contain a nanoscale formulation of a chemical that kills mosquitoes within minutes. Nanotechnology-based cleaning solutions, which are locally sourced and consist of biodegradable materials, were distributed to flood victims. In addition, the center showcased a test kit for leptospirosis, a disease spread via contaminated water. Since the flooding, the nanotechnology center has designated disaster prevention and management as one of its priorities.

The United Kingdom-based Guardian newspaper, in association with NanoChannels, is hosting a live-streamed debate on January 31, 2012 at 15:00 GMT. The question to be debated is: “What are the challenges and wider implications of using nanotechnology to prolong life and support a healthier, more independent aging population?” Currently, there are about 10 million people in the United Kingdom over the age of 65, and, by 2050 that number is expected to double to about 19 million. While that changing demographic will place an unprecedented strain on health and social services, more and more people are taking steps to ensure their old age is spent in good health. New medical advances that rely on nanotechnology are increasing, which could allow for better treatments, diagnosis and prevention of diseases associated with old age. Participants can discuss issues with a panel of experts by posting questions in advance, or during the event using Twitter. The science correspondent for the Guardian, Alok Jha, will chair the debate. More information can be found on the Guardian website.

This article, “Paradigms to Assess the Environmental Impact of Manufactured Nanomaterials,” in the journal Environmental Toxicology & Chemistry, seeks to answer several questions: “Where does the science need to provide reliable data that will assist policymakers and regulators develop strategies to manage nanomaterials and instill public confidence regarding the safety of these materials? What are the critical needs that will move us forward safely and intelligently in this promising field? Are the paradigms generally developed to assess the fate and effects of solute contaminants applicable to nanomaterials?” The authors propose a way to answer the posed questions, thus moving nanotechnology environmental, health and safety forward.