Nanomaterials, how toxic are they?

Thursday, February 23, 2006

Nanotubes can be very toxic and left scar tissue in the lungs. 15% of rats inhalated with carbon nanotubes dies within 24 hour.
 
How are nanomaterials regulated? No specific regulation, EPA and other researches planned to categorize them mainly under Toxic Substance Control Act as "Chemicals" which has "A New Use" (SNUR ).
 
Is that sufficient? Probably not as toxicity of nanomaterials might depend on its shape or substance and a material's behavior at its nanoscale differs from its normal scale.