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Nano Products

Nanotechnology – which allows manufacturers to make products ranging from antiaging skin creams to sophisticated golf equipment and medical devices – refers to the science of working with particles on a scale as small as single atoms or molecules.

While research into nanotechnology has been around for roughly 20 years, little is known about the safety of products employing particles this tiny, and some are concerned about how the minute particles could affect human health if they are inhaled or enter the body through the skin -- especially since sunscreen manufacturers are leaders in this emerging field.

Research into the safety of products using nanotechnology has begun: In March, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced it had awarded 14 grants totaling $5 million to investigate the effects upon human health and the environment. However, numerous products are already on the market. There are 126 companies using nanotechnology in the United States to make products including cosmetics and sunscreens, home and garden wares, food and beverages, automotive accessories, electronics and appliances.

Other countries -- such as China, the UK and France -- are also making use of the new technology. The National Science Foundation predicts it will have a $1 trillion impact on the global economy by 2015.

For an inventory of nanotechnology products on the market, click here.

To learn more about the safety of nanotechnology and what the U.S. government is doing about it, click here.

To read more about this and other environmental health issues, go to: www.environmentalhealthnews.org, www.ourstolenfuture.org, or www.healthandenvironment.org