SAFENANO's Feature articles are written by both SAFENANO team members and invited experts, and provide insight into key and emerging issues across the breadth of nanotechnology EHS research. Please follow the links to access your article of choice, and fon't forget to check back for new articles - we are updating this area regularly!
SAFENANO - January's Feature Articles
In our first feature article for 2010, we provide a summary of key nanoEHS developments from 2009, and consider how these are likely to shape 2010 in nano. Authored by SAFENANO Director Rob Aitken and Editor Bryony Ross, the article provides a personalised account of news, publications and legal developments from 2009 that stood out from the crowd..
In
our second feature article for 2010, SAFENANO's Sheona Peters & Bryony Ross report on the third annual SnIRC Day, an event which brought together some of Scotland's best Nanotechnology Environment, Health & Safety researchers, providing an opportunity for young researchers and respected experts alike to share ideas and exchange opinions, and showing once again that Scotland remains at the cutting-edge of the field.
Feature Archive
Below are SAFENANO's past feature articles. These are all still available to view - click on the one you are interested in to read.
August 2009
In SAFENANO's first feature article for August, we examine a study published in the forthcoming issue of the European Respiratory Journal (ERJ), which for the first time claims a concrete link between exposure to nanoparticles in adhesive paint and development of severe pulmonary fibrosis in a group of young female workers; two of whom went on to suffer fatal lung failure. Bryony Ross, SAFENANO's Editor presents a concise summary and appraisal of the publication and those issues it raises.
In our second feature article for August, we focus on a recently published study by Ma-Hock et. al., which examines inhalation toxicity of multi-wall carbon nanotubes in rats exposed for three months. Importantly, this study not only demonstrates the potential for MWCNTs to induce lung toxicity in exposed rats at low concentrations, but incorporates numerous advances in methodology. SAFENANO's Sheona Peters & Rob Aitken consider what features of the study make it such a significant step forward towards generating suitable data to support regulatory risk assessments.
July 2009
In our first feature article for July, we re-visit the SAFENANO List, and are pleased to present a fully updated compilation of what we feel are some of the most important reports and papers on nanotechnology EHS issues published to date.
In SAFENANO's second July feature article, we re-visit 'the SAFENANO List' - a summary of what we see as the most significant publications in the area of nanotechnology health and safety available - and give the original list a comprehensive update to take into account the considerable advances in nanotechnology risk research that have taken place over the 2 years since its original publication.
In our first feature article for 2009, SAFENANO's Sheona Peters & Bryony Ross report on the second annual SnIRC Day, an event which brought together some of Scotland's best Nanotechnology Environment, Health & Safety researchers, providing an opportunity for young researchers and respected experts alike to share ideas and exchange opinions, and showing once again that Scotland remains at the cutting-edge of the field.
Bryan Ward and Sarah Harley of IOM/SAFENANO the current uncertainties, complexities and limitations in the regulation of nanotechnologies under REACH, and highlights the potential impacts of this new regulation on the rapidly growing nanotechnology industry.
November 2008
SAFENANO focuses for the first time on ecotoxicology as Sarah Harley of IOM/SAFENANO provides her evaluation of Lymnea as a model for nanoecotoxicity testing using microscale and nanoscale Carbon Black particles, and outlines why we need to further investigate the suitability of additional aquatic species in order to represent better the aquatic environment as a whole.
September 2008
Using the example of a meeting held by the SnIRC group during June of this year, SAFENANO's September feature article focusses on strengthening communication in the nanotoxicology community.
May 2008
Professor Ken Donaldson of Edinburgh University provides an exclusive insight into the massively influential Nature Nanotechnology paper released this month relating Carbon Nanotube toxicity to that of Asbestos from the perspective its lead researcher.
February 2008
David Baxter, Lead Researcher on Emerging Risks for Lloyd's of London, introduces the concept of insuring new technologies, and discusses the issues presented to the insurance industry by nanotechnology.
December 2007
SAFENANO's final feature article of 2007 is from Rob Aitken, SAFENANO's Director. In it, Rob reflects on the events of 2007 and discusses what exactly made the year the biggest one yet for nanotech and SAFENANO.
October 2007
SAFENANO's first October Feature Articles is from Dr Andrew Maynard, Chief Science Advisor to the Project on Emerging Nanotechnologies at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars. In this article, Andrew presents and discusses the question 'Is exposure to engineered nanomaterials a myth?'.
SAFENANO's second October Feature is a summary and review of events at the first BOHS Nanotechnology Seminar, held recently at the IOM and co-hosted by SAFENANO. This is reported by Bryony Ross, SAFENANO's editor.
September 2007
Dr Steve Hankin, SAFENANO Expert Consultant and co-author of REFNANO - a report on the UK-led Initiative on Reference Materials for Nanotechnology - discusses the report and what he feels it will offer the wider nanotechnology community in the longer term.
August 2007
August '07's feature articles are from Dr Peter Hatto, Chair of the ISO/TC229 Nanotechnologies Committee and Director of IonBond UK, Bryony Ross, SAFENANO's Editor, and Rob Aitken, Director of SAFENANO.
July 2007
SAFENANO's July '07 features were from Dr Lang Tran, Head of Toxicology for the IOM, and SAFENANO Expert Consultant, and J D Kilgour of Syngenta UK.
SAFENANO's June '07 articles came from Dr John Garrod, Nanotechnology Policy Advisor to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA), UK, Dr Rob Aitken, SAFENANO Director and Dr Steve Hankin, SAFENANO Expert Consultant.