ApocaDocuments (3) matching "unintended consequences" from this week
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Sun, Apr 17, 2011
from Popular Science:
Study Finds Commonly Used Silver Nanoparticles Are Deadly to Microbes, Plants
Nanotech is looked upon by many as the next great enabling technology that will revolutionize (and is revolutionizing) everything from materials science to disease therapies to game-changing new energy technologies. But, according to a new study by Queen's University researchers, some commonly used nanoparticles found in everything from sunscreen to cosmetics to socks could be destroying soil systems, and by extension the very ecosystems upon which we rely for life.
Among the millions of tons of nanoparticles manufactured annually, silver nanoparticles are a particular favorite as they work as antibacterial agents in surgical tools, water treatment, wound dressings, and in a variety of other roles. They've even been used in the cathodes of batteries....
The researchers had begun to wonder what the impact of nanoparticles were on the environment, and having received a chunk of Arctic soil as part of the International Polar Year they decided to experiment on this piece of uncontaminated earth. They first studied the sample to see what kind of microbe communities were living in the soil, and identified a certain beneficial and prevalent microbe that helps fix nitrogen to plants. Plants can't do this on their own and nitrogen is critical to their growth, so this particular microbe is essential to plant life.
The researchers then added three different kinds of nanoparticles to the soil and let it sit for six months. When they re-examined it, they found that this microbe had largely been extinguished, and laboratory analysis showed that silver nanoparticles were the culprit. Given the high number of silver nanoparticles slipping into the environment on a daily basis, such findings are concerning.
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Should there be a warning label that reads "Antithetical to life itself"?
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Wed, Apr 13, 2011
from Basque Research:
In recent decades, the number of alien species in Navarre has tripled
In concrete, the experts involved are focusing on endemic freshwater species - euryhalines and diadromes - fish that can live in both fresh and salty water (such as salmon and eels)....
In this sense, it is striving to increase awareness of and interest in autochthonous fish species under threat due to a number of factors. Amongst the most serious, points out Mr Miranda, is the alteration of the habitat caused by hydraulic works, water extraction, industrial waste dumping, the extraction of sand or the canalisation of riverbeds. "Moreover, particularly serious is the introduction of alien species, which causes the greatest impact", he stressed.
According to the expert, invasive fish fed into our lakes and rivers put the survival of autochthonous Iberian Ichthyofauna in danger: "In fact, biological invasions are the second great cause of loss of biodiversity in the world, being especially damaging to freshwater systems". This is the case of predatory species such as black bass, pike or catfish, all of which are present in rivers in Navarre....
"This is the case of bleak (alburon) - possibly introduced as bait from France - and which in 20 years has become the dominant species over all the middle-range and lower stretches of the Ebro river basin and which, on competing with the nose fish (madrilla), has made the latter's numbers plummet throughout the zone". ...
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Ironically, this English is written by a non-native speaker.
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Tue, Apr 12, 2011
from North Carolina State University:
Study Finds Public Relatively Unconcerned About Nanotechnology Risks
A new study finds that the general public thinks getting a suntan poses a greater public health risk than nanotechnology or other nanoparticle applications. The study, from North Carolina State University, compared survey respondents' perceived risk of nanoparticles with 23 other public-health risks.
The study is the first to compare the public's perception of the risks associated with nanoparticles to other environmental and health safety risks. Researchers found that nanoparticles are perceived as being a relatively low risk.
"For example, 19 of the other public-health risks were perceived as more hazardous, including suntanning and drinking alcohol," says Dr. Andrew Binder, an assistant professor of communication at NC State and co-author of a paper describing the study. "The only things viewed as less risky were cell-phone use, blood transfusions, commercial air travel and medical X-rays."
In fact, 60 percent of respondents felt that nanoparticles posed either no health risk or only a slight health risk....
“While it remains unclear whether nanoparticles are safe, they are not a major concern among the general public.”
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I'm concerned just a really really tiny amount.
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