Welcome to HS239 Nanotechnology Awareness

Transcription

1 Welcome to HS239 Nanotechnology Awareness What is Nanotechnology? What exactly is man-made nanotechnology? The Free Online Dictionary defines it as the branch of engineering that deals with things smaller than 100 nanometers (especially with the manipulation of individual molecules). Nanotechnology is centered around the manufacture and/or use of particles with one dimension less than 100 nanometers (nm). A nanometer is a billionth of a meter. This picture shows a functional nano gear set next to a dust mite. A Bit of History of Natural Nanoparticles Nano is Greek for the word dwarf. It means small. Nano-science deals with the study of molecular and atomic particles a world that is measured in nanometers. The earth is to a dime as a meter is to a nanometer. Welcome to a science that has existed since the first fire. Smoke has nanoparticles in it. Years later, early craftsmen used natural nanoparticles to enhance art and make stronger weapons. They had many other uses as well. However, the nanoparticles covered in this course are man-made. This technology is fairly new as you can see from the timeline. For even more information, go to Nano4me.org. This link and more are listed on the home page of this course and on the OH&S website. From the first fire, smoke arose containing nanoparticles. Early natural nanoparticles also existed in iron in the ocean on which the phytoplankton would feed. Nanotechnology Awareness Page 1 Last Updated August 2010

2 In the 9 th century Roman craftsmen learned to add gold, silver, & other precious nanoparticles to their art. Their craftsmanship today still retains the bright colors as it did back then. The steel of Damascus blades had features not found in European steels a characteristic wavy banding pattern and an exceptionally sharp cutting edge. It contained carbon nanotubes as well as cementite nanowires. Little is known about how they were made, but with modern technology in the field of nanoparticles, much can be learned. Renaissance artists use natural nanoparticles in stained glass windows. As you can see from this image, the stained glass still retains its natural beauty today. (German, from the Cloister of Mariawald Abbey - Esau gives up his Birth right Victoria & Albert Museum, London, England) A Bit of History of Man-Made Nanoparticles Gerhard Klimeck (2005), "Quantum Dots," - Definition Quantum Dots are man-made artificial atoms that confine electrons to a small space. As such they have atomic-like behavior and enable the study of quantum mechanical effects on a length scale that is around 100 times larger than the pure atomic scale. me_b.htm - Image Nanotechnology Awareness Page 2 Last Updated August 2010

3 While many disagree exactly when they were discovered or created, the field has exploded since the late 1900 s. Quantum dots now offer application opportunities in optical sensors, lasers, and advanced electronic devices for memory and logic. Nanosized Gold The small size of nanoparticles changes the physical and chemical properties. When gold is nanoscaled or nanosized, studies have shown that their strong electron absorbing properties make them useful in staining samples with poor contrast, such as tissue samples. Studies have also found that gold nanoparticles may be able to serve as carriers for drug and gene delivery. These biologically active molecules adsorbed on the particle surfaces could be guided inside cells and released. Nanoparticle Tendencies Remember that nanoparticles tend to: Have increased reactivity, Have improved conductivity, and Fluoresce We said before, nanoparticles tend to fluoresce. Here are three tubes of nanoparticles. Tubes 1 and 3 contain cadmium selenide quantum dots of different sizes. Tube 2 contains titanium nanoparticles. The first picture shows what they look like under normal lab lighting. The second picture shows how they appear in a darkened room under a UV-light. As you can see, the nanoparticles appear a different color when they fluoresce. Why does this matter? Someday a doctor may be able to inject drugs with nanoparticles into a person with cancer. Because of the nanoparticles ability to fluoresce, the doctor would be able to track the drugs to ensure that they are affecting the cancer cells. The possibilities are endless. Nanotechnology Awareness Page 3 Last Updated August 2010

4 Nanotechnology in the Fashion Industry Science fiction or fact? Are there really Socks that are antiperspirant, deodorized, and clean themselves? All weather pants that are light, stain-resistant, water-repellant, and capable of cooling or warming the body? Clothes that change color or reflect a personal message? Eddie Bauer offers these pants with the 3XDry finish on high-tech Swiss fabrics. The material repels moisture from the outside, wicks moisture to the surface from the inside, and dries quickly. It s also stain-resistant and highly breathable. Scientists in China and Australia have developed a new method of cleaning fabric using nanotechnology. This avoids dunking clothes in soapy water, before scrubbing and rinsing. The titanium dioxidebased coating bonds to silk and wool. It uses sunlight to automatically decompose dirt, stains, and microorganisms. This means smelly socks could be a thing of the past. Currently, manufacturers believe that these products are relatively safe and harmless. Nanotechnology in Cosmetics L'Oréal s anti-wrinkle cream was introduced as its first nanotechnology product in Plenitude works much like other anti-wrinkle creams. Their nanotechnology incorporates vitamin A inside a polymer capsule." The capsule acts like a sponge, soaking up and holding the cream inside until the outer shell dissolves under your skin. Hate sun screens or tanning lotion that turns white? You may be happier with the latest versions that are colorless. These contain nanoparticles that enable the lotion to sink into the skin supposedly offering better protection. But are these claims true? And what are the long term effects of these products? For more information, Google the phrase nanotechnology in cosmetics. Nanotechnology Awareness Page 4 Last Updated August 2010

5 Nanotechnology in the World of Finance and High Tech Move over MasterCard and Visa! Make room for the smart card. The smart card is already available in Japan, Germany, France, Malaysia, and Hong Kong. Because it can store substantial information, it is used by doctors, pharmacists and even paramedics in an emergency to keep medical information on the person. It is also used to store banking records, transportation information (for example parking and toll roads), and even personal id information such as fingerprints. Since the chip is imbedded, it won t wear out. In the future, PCs will be even smaller, and simulation games, like those used with Sony s PlayStation 2 and 3, will be even more realistic thanks to nanotechnology. Nanotechnology in Agriculture Let s face it. The best of noses don t always detect everything, but a future product called the E-nose or Electronic Nose will. The E-nose will be small, thanks to nanotechnology, and will be able to detect not only drugs, but poisonous substances in foods. It will be able to detect foods that could be old or out-of-date whether they are raw or cooked. We could have nanoparticles that might be able to invade and attack just the bacteria that cause diseases in both animals and harvests. This would produce more food for the world without salmonella or e-coli. Nanotechnology in the Medical Field Endoscopy techniques have improved thanks to the development of a camera capsule that a patient can swallow instead of the doctor having to use the scope. The camera can see things much better and get into areas that a scope couldn t. More people will live longer and better lives thanks to nanotechnology. But how will this affect our future? Will it be economically feasible? Will it really be safe? Terminator-Like Limbs? Research is being conducted to create artificial muscles using carbon nanotubes. This means amputees could have limbs that more closely resemble the actual thing. Eventually, these artificial limbs could be Nanotechnology Awareness Page 5 Last Updated August 2010

6 designed so that they are directly connected to the individual s nervous system. This would allow an individual to have much more precise control over their artificial limb. No More Finger Sticks for Diabetics? Thanks to nanotechnology these finger rings may soon replace the finger sticks needed to monitor blood sugar in diabetics. The ability of the nanoparticles to fluorescence in the rings would allow a diabetic to quickly check their blood sugar by the color. No More Stents Researchers at MIT and Harvard Medical School have built targeted nanoparticles to help cure some heart problems. These particles are dubbed "nanoburrs." They are coated with tiny protein fragments that allow them to stick to target proteins. Then they release their drug payload over several days. This could potentially provide an alternative to drug-releasing stents. Futuristic Voyage On the home page under Resources is the movie that is shown here in the Flash file. It is called Futuristic Voyage. Nanotechnology at UAB Total knee and hip joint replacement devices that last a lifetime are closer to reality thanks to recent breakthroughs in the Department of Physics laboratories at UAB. This involves specialized nanodiamonds a billionth of a meter in size. "Imagine taking an engagement ring and shrinking it to a point where it is one 10-thousandth of your human hair, yet it is still a perfect crystal. That is what we are talking about," says physicist Yogesh Vohra, Ph.D., director of the UAB Center for Nanoscale Materials and Biointegration. Working with him is Aaron Catledge, Ph.D., a research assistant professor of physics at UAB. Around 700,000 hips and knees are replaced in the United States each year, but most devices last only a little longer than 10 years on average. This leads to repeat procedures, whereas the nanodiamond coated devices may last 30 years or longer. This is only one of the nanotechnology projects being conducted at UAB. More are on the way. Nanotechnology Awareness Page 6 Last Updated August 2010

7 What DO We Know (and What We Don t) Learning phase Increased growth Increased awareness Some of these materials have been created within the last 5 years no long term exposure or health data Some more familiar types of nanoparticles are being synthesized in greater amounts Previously unknown health concerns are emerging as more nanomaterials are created Increased concern for environmental impact of nanomaterials as use increases Even though natural nanomaterials have been present for centuries, we are still learning about man-made nanoparticles. Therefore, we still don t have enough data to tell us the long term effect on the health and safety of using these products. Meanwhile, researchers continue to grow, generate, and/or build new materials using nanoparticles. A substantial growth is expected in this area within the next 5 years. Health and Safety Issues When Working with or Around Nanoparticles BUT since we don t know all of the health and safety concerns, it is our job and yours to properly prepare yourself when working around and/or using nanoparticles. For example, if nanoparticles are accidently spilled onto a table, it is not like a biosafety or chemical spill. The nanoparticles may bond with the table. They will not be able to be easily removed. The table will have to go to a landfill for disposal. Then what happens? These nanoparticles could feasibly accumulate in the environment where fish, chicken, or cows could ingest them. When we eat those animals, we could ingest the nanoparticles. At this time we are not sure what effect those nanoparticles could have on our environment, animals, or us. Nanotechnology Awareness Page 7 Last Updated August 2010

8 What we do know at this stage of the game is that Things that would not normally be toxic may become highly toxic at this level. Powder nanomaterials could become extremely flammable and should be handled with great care. Some nanoparticles cause lung fibrosis in mice. Carbon nanotubes may cause cancer. There is concern that nanoparticles might be able penetrate and damage cells. Protecting Yourself and Others When Working with or Around Nanoparticles Since little is known about the health and safety hazards regarding nanotechnology, it is up to you to protect yourself as much as possible. This can be done in a number of ways. Wear the appropriate personal protective equipment. If you are working with or around nanoparticles, take personal responsibility by using the appropriate PPE and by donning and doffing appropriately. Use engineering controls examples include working in a biosafety cabinet, fume hood, dry box, or glove box. Another example is to work with the nanoparticles in suspension rather than dry form. Know the hazards or concerns when working with or around nanomaterials. These include: o the chemical and physical hazards, o the physical form of the nanomaterials (such as powder, liquid, in suspension, or fixed to a surface), and o the environmental concerns in case of a spill or even normal use. Know how to remove the nanoparticles from an area or encapsulate them to prevent them from escaping. This information will be provided in the next course. Regulations The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (or NIOSH) is the leading federal agency conducting research and providing guidance on the occupational safety and health implications and applications of nanotechnology. Nanotechnology Awareness Page 8 Last Updated August 2010

9 NIOSH's research focuses its scientific expertise, and its efforts, on answering the questions that are essential to understanding these implications and applications. How might workers be exposed to nano-scaled (or nanosized) particles in the manufacturing or industrial use of nanomaterials? How do nanoparticles interact with the body s systems? What effects might nanoparticles have on the body s systems? This concludes the OH&S Nanotechnology Awareness course. Please go to the home page of this course to take the quiz. 80% or higher is required to pass. Nanotechnology Awareness Page 9 Last Updated August 2010