All Articles Tagged As: environment

Study shows how carbon nanotubes can affect lining of the lungs (10/31/2009)

Carbon nanotubes are being considered for use in everything from sports equipment to medical applications, but a great deal remains unknown about whether these materials cause respiratory or other health problems. Now a collaborative study from North Carolina State University, the Hamner Institutes for Health Sciences, and the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences shows that inhaling these nanotubes can affect the outer lining of the lung, though the effects of long-term exposure remain unclear. ...> Full Article

EPA announces research strategy to study nanomaterials (10/3/2009)

The US Environmental Protection Agency today outlined a new research strategy to better understand how manufactured nanomaterials may harm human health and the environment. The strategy outlines what research EPA will support over the next several years to generate information about the safe use of nanotechnology and products that contain nano-scale materials. ...> Full Article

Contaminated site remediation: Are nanomaterials the answer? (7/12/2009)

A new review article appearing in Environmental Health Perspectives focuses on the use of nanomaterials for environmental cleanup. The authors conclude that the technology could be an effective and economically viable alternative for some current site cleanup practices, but potential risks remain poorly understood.To coincide with the article's release, the Project on Emerging Nanotechnologies has made publicly available an interactive, online map of global nanoremediation sites available. ...> Full Article

Canadian researchers set to study impact of nanomaterials on aquatic ecosystems (7/8/2009)

A team of Canadian scientists and engineers, led by the University of Alberta and the National Research Council of Canada, will collaborate on a $3.39 million, three-year study to assess the potential effects of nanoparticles in specific water environments. ...> Full Article

First 'nanorust' field test slated in Mexico (5/30/2009)

Rice University researchers today announced that the first field tests of "nanorust," the University's revolutionary, low-cost technology for removing arsenic from drinking water, will begin later this year in Guanajuato, Mexico. In the tests, tiny particles of rust will be added to sand in large filters and used to remove arsenic from groundwater. ...> Full Article

Novel approach estimates nanoparticles in environment (5/21/2009)

Without knowing how much of an industrial chemical is being produced, it is almost impossible for scientists to determine if it poses any threat to the environment or human health. Civil engineers at Duke University believe they have come up with a novel way of estimating how much of one such material -- titanium dioxide -- is being generated, laying the groundwork for future studies to assess any possible risks. ...> Full Article