Nanomaterials
What are they?
Nanomaterials are materials that are extremely small in size.
There is currently no internationally agreed definition for “nanomaterial”. AICIS, the Australian industrial chemicals regulator, uses the working definition of “a material having at least one dimension 100 nanometres or less”. Currently, the range of 1-100 nanometres is in general use, one nanometre being one billionth of a metre. For some perspective – a human hair is 80,000 nanometres in width.
Nanomaterials can come in many forms, e.g. nanoparticles (on the nanoscale in 3 dimensions), nanotubes or fibres (nanoscale in 2 dimensions) or layers (nanoscale in 1 dimension).
Nanomaterials are nothing new – they occur naturally and have been around for millions of years. We consume nanoparticles every day in our food and drink, for example naturally occurring casein protein in milk, and carbohydrates in beer. We inhale them from natural sources, for example volcanoes, forest fires, plants and algae; and man-made sources, for example nanoparticles created as products of combustion and cooking. They underpin life, e.g. the DNA double helix is approximately 2.5nm in diameter[1]. Minerals can also exist on the nano-scale.
Nanomaterials can also be engineered by man. There are two main ways to form nanomaterials: to build them up chemically from the molecular level, or to mill them down mechanically from substances of larger size.
There is considerable interest in nanomaterials because their size often gives rise to novel properties compared with the conventional, bulk material. This gives rise to many potential opportunities for new technologies based on nanomaterials; one of the most appealing areas of nanotechnology research is in medical applications such as targeted drug delivery, diagnostics, implants and chemotherapy. However, the presence of novel properties also raises questions regarding the safety of nanomaterials for humans and the environment.
FACT: Nanomaterials vary greatly in properties
When considering the benefits and the risks of new nanomaterials, it is important to remember that all nanomaterials are not the same. Just as all ‘materials’ are not the same!
‘Nano’ simply indicates a scale of particle size; particles within this range will vary greatly in terms of their properties, applications and hazard profiles. There is no set of properties that will be common to all nanomaterials, nor will a set of common risks pertain to all nanomaterials. Each nanomaterial is an individual type of substance.
FACT: Australia has a National Strategy and existing regulatory system to manage the balance between benefits and risks of nanomaterials
Australia’s National Enabling Technology Strategy provides a framework to support the responsible development of technologies, including nanotechnologies. The Strategy considers the management and regulation of nanotechnology in order to maximise benefits, community confidence and industry growth, whilst ensuring that processes are in place to identify and address any associated risks.
Nanomaterials used in cosmetics and personal care products are regulated by the Australian Industrial Chemicals Introduction Scheme (AICIS). Sun protection products with SPF15+ or higher are regulated by the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA). Both of these agencies sit under the Federal Department of Health and independently assess the safety of product ingredients. It should be noted that, with the exception of nano-scale titanium dioxide and zinc oxide in some sun protection products, nanotechnology and nanomaterials are not widely used in the cosmetics and personal care products available in Australia.
Click here for more information on nanoparticles in sunscreen products.
Source
[1] The Royal Society & The Royal Academy of Engineering 2004, ‘Nanoscience and nanotechnologies: opportunities and uncertainties’
Nanomaterials are materials that are extremely small in size.
There is currently no internationally agreed definition for “nanomaterial”. AICIS, the Australian industrial chemicals regulator, uses the working definition of “a material having at least one dimension 100 nanometres or less”. Currently, the range of 1-100 nanometres is in general use, one nanometre being one billionth of a metre. For some perspective – a human hair is 80,000 nanometres in width.
Nanomaterials can come in many forms, e.g. nanoparticles (on the nanoscale in 3 dimensions), nanotubes or fibres (nanoscale in 2 dimensions) or layers (nanoscale in 1 dimension).
Nanomaterials are nothing new – they occur naturally and have been around for millions of years. We consume nanoparticles every day in our food and drink, for example naturally occurring casein protein in milk, and carbohydrates in beer. We inhale them from natural sources, for example volcanoes, forest fires, plants and algae; and man-made sources, for example nanoparticles created as products of combustion and cooking. They underpin life, e.g. the DNA double helix is approximately 2.5nm in diameter[1]. Minerals can also exist on the nano-scale.
Nanomaterials can also be engineered by man. There are two main ways to form nanomaterials: to build them up chemically from the molecular level, or to mill them down mechanically from substances of larger size.
There is considerable interest in nanomaterials because their size often gives rise to novel properties compared with the conventional, bulk material. This gives rise to many potential opportunities for new technologies based on nanomaterials; one of the most appealing areas of nanotechnology research is in medical applications such as targeted drug delivery, diagnostics, implants and chemotherapy. However, the presence of novel properties also raises questions regarding the safety of nanomaterials for humans and the environment.
FACT: Nanomaterials vary greatly in properties
When considering the benefits and the risks of new nanomaterials, it is important to remember that all nanomaterials are not the same. Just as all ‘materials’ are not the same!
‘Nano’ simply indicates a scale of particle size; particles within this range will vary greatly in terms of their properties, applications and hazard profiles. There is no set of properties that will be common to all nanomaterials, nor will a set of common risks pertain to all nanomaterials. Each nanomaterial is an individual type of substance.
FACT: Australia has a National Strategy and existing regulatory system to manage the balance between benefits and risks of nanomaterials
Australia’s National Enabling Technology Strategy provides a framework to support the responsible development of technologies, including nanotechnologies. The Strategy considers the management and regulation of nanotechnology in order to maximise benefits, community confidence and industry growth, whilst ensuring that processes are in place to identify and address any associated risks.
Nanomaterials used in cosmetics and personal care products are regulated by the Australian Industrial Chemicals Introduction Scheme (AICIS). Sun protection products with SPF15+ or higher are regulated by the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA). Both of these agencies sit under the Federal Department of Health and independently assess the safety of product ingredients. It should be noted that, with the exception of nano-scale titanium dioxide and zinc oxide in some sun protection products, nanotechnology and nanomaterials are not widely used in the cosmetics and personal care products available in Australia.
Click here for more information on nanoparticles in sunscreen products.
Source
[1] The Royal Society & The Royal Academy of Engineering 2004, ‘Nanoscience and nanotechnologies: opportunities and uncertainties’