As nanotech goes mainstream, 'toxic socks' raise concernsApril
7th, 2008 in Nanotechnology / Bio & Medicine A biosensor made
from an array of silver nanoparticles deposited on glass.
Credit: Courtesy of the National Science Foundation
Nanotechnology is now available in a store near you. Valued for
it’s antibacterial and odor-fighting properties, nanoparticle
silver is becoming the star attraction in a range of products
from socks to bandages to washing machines. But as silver’s
benefits propel it to the forefront of consumer nanomaterials,
scientists are recommending a closer examination of the
unforeseen environmental and health consequences of nanosilver.
“The general public needs to be aware that there are unknown
risks associated with the products they buy containing
nanomaterials,” researchers Paul Westerhoff and Troy M. Benn
said in a report scheduled for the 235th national meeting of the
American Chemical Society (ACS). Westerhoff and Benn report that
ordinary laundering can wash off substantial amount