| Posted: February 9, 2007 |
Risk research is part of the U.S. government's 2008 nanotechnology budget |
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(Nanowerk News) We reported on Tuesday that the National Science Foundation's 2008 budget request includes $390 million for nanotechnology.
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Deep inside their budget document the NSF outlines the proposed use of the requested $390 million. One Program Component Area (PCA) called "Societal Dimensions: Environmental Health & Safety (EHS)" sees its funding increase by over 12% (the largest year over year increase of all PCAs in the 2008 NSF budget) to $28.75 million.
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This EHS research will address the sources of nanoparticles and nanostructured materials in the environment (in air, water, soil, biosystems, and working environment), as well as the non-clinical biological implications.
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The safety of manufacturing nanoparticles is investigated in four Nanoscale Science and Engineering Centers (NSEC) and networks:
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NSEC at Rice University (evolution of manufacturing nanoparticles in the wet environment),
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NSEC at Northeastern University (occupational safety during nanomanufacturing),
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NSEC at University of Pennsylvania (interaction between nanomaterials and cells),
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National Nanotechnology Infrastructure Network (with two nanoparticle characterization centers at the University of Minnesota and Arizona State University).
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New measurement methods for nanoparticle characterization and toxicity of nanomaterials will be investigated. Support is requested for a new multidisciplinary center to conduct fundamental research on the interactions between nano-particles and materials and the living world at all scales. An essential element of this will be research on methods and instrumentation for nano-particle detection, characterization, and monitoring, including interactions of nano-materials with cellular constituents, metabolic networks and living tissues, bioaccumulation and its effects on living systems, and the impacts of nanostructures dispersed in the environment.
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This work will support regulatory and mission agencies in developing science-based standards for risk assessments, such as the standards needed by the EPA to regulate nano-materials.
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Just to clarify, though, the U.S government's spending on nanotechnology is much higher than the $390 million going to the NSF. The bulk of it is spent by the Department of Defense (projected spend in 2006: $436 million; DoD 2008 nanotechnology spend not published yet). And almost nothing ($1 million) of that amount goes into EHS research.
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For a detailed look at the U.S. spending on military nanotechnology see our Nanowerk Spotlight "Military nanotechnology - how worried should we be?".
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