| Posted: Dec 18, 2006 |
Call for papers: Nanotechnology and Industrial Ecology |
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(Nanowerk News) The Journal of Industrial Ecology invites you to submit articles for a special issue on Industrial Ecology and and Nanotechnology by March 1, 2007. Roland Clift, of the Centre for Environmental Strategy at the University of Surrey, and Shannon Lloyd, of Concurrent Technologies Corporation, will serve as co-editors of the special issue. Support for this special issue has been provided by the Educational Foundation of America.
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Nanotechnology is the manipulation of atoms, molecules, and materials with dimensions between 1 and 100 nm. Nanoparticles are characterized by properties which differ from those of the bulk material and depend on size, shape and surface condition. Control of properties at the nanoscale offers opportunities to use materials and energy more efficiently and reduce waste and pollution.
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As a result, nanotechnology has the potential to provide more appealing products while also improving environmental performance and sustainability. However, a technological push towards greater investment in nanotechnology without a commensurate consideration of the possible health and environmental impacts of this new technology could lead to new (and sometimes unforeseen) impacts or to cases where the nanotechnology substitute is inferior to the product or process replaced when evaluated over its full life cycle.
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Efforts have been initiated to develop a fundamental understanding of the behavior of engineered nanoparticles in natural systems and their influence on biological systems. This understanding should eventually improve the ability to evaluate the environmental and health effects of these materials, but there are still many gaps and uncertainties in our scientific understanding of behavior at the nanoscale.
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A holistic industrial ecology perspective is needed to provide a complete picture of the resource use and potential environmental impacts associated with the full life cycle of nanotechnology-based goods and services, and should reveal products and applications where a precautionary approach is needed.
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Suggested Topics for the Special Issue
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The goal of this special issue is to examine the environmental and human health implications – positive and negative – of current and potential applications of nanotechnology. Papers that utilize established industrial ecology tools to analyze the impacts of nanotechnology are particularly welcome. Appropriate topics include, but are not limited to:
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– Life cycle assessment of nanotechnology-based products,
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– Materials/substance flow analysis of nanomaterials,
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– Development of life cycle impact assessment categories and characterization factors for nanoparticles,
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– Application of green nanotechnology (e.g. efficient energy conversion devices, green chemistry, green processing, green manufacturing, etc),
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– End of life management for nanomaterials and nanoengineered products,
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– Informing nanotechnology policy with industrial ecology, and
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– Development of nanotechnologies to address critical environmental issues and natural resource constraints.
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Reviews of relevant recent books and reports, including policy documents, are also sought to enrich the special issue. Reviews of web sites and electronic services will be considered.
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Ancillary data relevant to articles can be posted on the journal's web site in the form of e-supplements.
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How to Submit
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Manuscripts should be original, previously unpublished, in English, and between 3,500 and 6,500 words in length. Submission implies that the manuscript has not been submitted for publication elsewhere and that it will not be submitted elsewhere while the review process is underway. Papers should be submitted electronically (as email file attachments) to [email protected]. There are no special formatting requirements at this stage in the process, but please use a well known file type (MS Word, WordPerfect, PDF, RTF) and put all text, tables and figures into one file.
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Send inquiries and submissions to:
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Reid Lifset
Editor, Journal of Industrial Ecology
Yale University
School of Forestry & Environmental Studies
205 Prospect Street
New Haven, CT, 06511-2189 USA
[email protected]
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