Nanotechnology and the Environment: a European Perspective

David Rickerby
Institute for Environment and Sustainability, European Commission Joint Research Centre, 21020 Ispra VA, Italy

Mark Morrison
Institute of Nanotechnology, Garscube Estate, Bearsden Road, Glasgow G61 1QH, UK

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     Last modified: December 23, 2005

Abstract
Nanotechnology is expected to be a major economic driver for this century, impacting virtually all industries including medicine, agrifood, transport, energy, electronics and information technology. It also has promise for the environment, in reducing waste and the dependence on non-renewable natural resources, and for cleaning up existing pollution. This paper considers some of the potential positive and negative impacts of nanotechnology on the environment and what measures are required now to ensure the safe and responsible development of future nanotechnologies.
The ability to detect the presence of infectious or toxic agents in the environment is the first step towards taking remedial action. While monitoring devices for different agents are available, these are often expensive, bulky or relatively insensitive. Advances in nanotechnology may be able to address these shortcomings, allowing simultaneous monitoring of multiple environmental parameters and real time response. Sensor and biosensor technology have, for example, potential applications for microbial detection in water, air, soil and food. Novel nanomaterials and nanostructures with high surface area to volume ratios are being developed for use in these applications to allow increased sensitivity.
Our reliance on fossil fuels for energy and transport, and the by-products and waste from manufacturing industries all have a major impact on the environment, leaving land and bodies of water unsuitable for any other use, and in the worst cases destroying whole ecosystems. Nanotechnology offers resource saving through improvements in efficiency for renewable energy sources, reduced material consumption, and the possibility of using alternative materials. Nanoparticles of titanium dioxide become potent oxidising agents when exposed to UV light, breaking down volatile organic compounds and nitrous oxides emitted from vehicle exhausts into less harmful species. They have been incorporated into paints and building materials and prove effective in reducing pollution levels. Iron oxide nanoparticles are being studied for their ability to adsorb arsenic, while fullerenes have been found to be an even more efficient photocatalyst than titanium dioxide. Nanocatalysts (e.g. platinum nanocomposites and titanium dioxide) are increasingly used in the automobile industry to increase the efficiency of catalytic converters, and reduce cost.
Nanotechnology offers resource saving and improvements in efficiency for renewable energy, reduced material consumption, and the possibility of using alternative materials. This will result in a reduction in emissions, less waste, and a lower demand on limited resources. Carbon nanotubes could be used in vehicle components to reduce weight and fuel consumption and are also being investigated as potential hydrogen storage containers for fuel cells. Nanoparticles of certain materials have similar catalytic activities to those of precious metals such as platinum, so that their use would eliminate inefficient mining operations requiring several tonnes of ore to be processed to make a single gram of platinum.
Nanotechnology can provide solutions for monitoring and remediation of pollution in the environment, but little is known about the environmental fate and impact of nanoparticles themselves. For example, nanoparticles of titanium dioxide are excellent photocatalysts for the breakdown of organic molecules and hence pollution remediation, but in the event of accidental spillage could destroy soil bacteria with grave consequences for the entire ecosystem. In many cases the chemical composition, size and shape of nanoparticles have been shown to contribute to their physiological and toxicological effects. As yet the majority of nanomaterials are covered by health and safety criteria developed for their micro- and macroscale counterparts, despite the fact that these new materials are being utilised precisely for their different properties at the nanoscale. While developments should not be prevented by unnecessary re-evaluation of all materials in nanoparticle form, in some cases further investigation of environmental and health effects and the establishment of appropriate safeguards for containment are required.