ABSTRACT
The emergence and growing use of nanotechnology is expected to have a signicant impact on consumer products in the United States and across the globe. Proponents of this technology point to benets and improvements in product function and performance and the commercialization of nanotechnology has become a strategic goal for the U.S. government through the National Nanotechnology Initiative.1 Nanotechnology is dened by the ability to manipulate matter at the nanoscale,
6.1 Introduction.....................................................................................................97 6.2 Commercialization of Nanotechnology ..........................................................98 6.3 Use of Nanomaterials in Products ..................................................................99 6.4 Consumer Perception of Nanomaterials ....................................................... 101 6.5 Nanomaterial Use and Release across the Product Life Cycle ...................................................................................................... 102 6.6 Health Implications of Nanomaterials .......................................................... 103 6.7 Approaches for Assessing Nanomaterial Release and Exposure ................. 105 6.8 Developing Reliable Exposure Limits .......................................................... 105 6.9 Quantifying Nanomaterial Release, Exposure, and Uptake from
Product Use ................................................................................................... 106 6.10 Estimating Route-Specic Exposure Potential............................................. 107 6.11 Airborne Concentrations of Nanomaterials.................................................. 107 6.12 Dermal Exposures ........................................................................................ 108 6.13 Conclusions ................................................................................................... 109 Disclaimer ..............................................................................................................109 References ..............................................................................................................110
where materials of approximately 1-100 nm in at least one dimension may possess unique physicochemical properties that are not expected based on size alone. The unique physicochemical properties, such as increased strength, reactivity, or conductivity, can be exploited by incorporating these materials into a wide range of matrices and nished products. Thus, a critical feature of nanotechnology is the development of new materials (nanomaterials) that may have fundamentally different properties from their non-nanoscale counterparts. These materials can be used in a wide range of products to improve their performance and provide benets to the consumer. The introduction of any new technological innovation into the public domain will inevitably raise questions regarding the potential health implications for those that use the product, the general public, and the environment. Understanding the role of potential stressors, like new chemicals in the environment, is a key factor that impacts the health and well-being of the individual. The need may be more pronounced for new classes of materials such as those produced through nanotechnology. As nanotechnology has developed as a science and nanomaterials are introduced into commerce, stakeholders, including consumer and environmental organizations, have emphasized the importance of understanding the potential health and safety impacts of nanomaterials to avoid any unintended health consequences for the public, especially sensitive receptors such as young children. Decision-makers including regulators and industry health scientists have also acknowledged the need for responsible development of nanotechnology.2 Because consumer products are an important potential source of exposure to nanomaterials for the public, it is important critical to understand the types of materials the public is most likely to encounter, the factors that are likely to impact consumer exposures, and approaches to understanding and quantifying the potential health impacts of these exposures.
