W1 PM Overview of Manufactured Nanomaterials and the Environment
Wednesday, 16 November 2005: 1:50 PM - 5:30 PM in Ballroom 1

(SAV-1122-319827) Nanotechnology - Emerging Issues for Environmental Protection.

Savage, N¹, ¹ US EPA, ORD

ABSTRACT- The mission of the United States Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA) is to protect human health and the environment. EPA conducts and supports research to ensure that there is a sound scientific basis for its actions to carry out this mission. Agency scientists at laboratories and centers located throughout the country conduct intramural research. The EPA’s Office of Research and Development (ORD) sponsors extramural research through awarding of grants and contracts. The National Center for Environmental Research (NCER) handles these as part of the Science to Achieve Results (STAR) and Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) programs. Research on human health, environmental effects, exposure, and risk assessment is utilized to inform decisions on risk management. As one of the few federal agencies that focuses on the environment, the EPA is interested in nanotechnologies that will assist in the remediation and treatment of pollutants, improve detection and monitoring capabilities, and enable manufacturing and synthesis techniques that result in a reduction or elimination of wastes. In addition, the Agency is interested in the environmental implications of nanotechnology and of the convergence of technologies (nano, info, bio and cogno). Nanotechnology may offer the promise of improved characterization of environmental problems, significantly reduced environmental impacts from “cleaner” manufacturing approaches, and reduced material and energy use. However, the potential impact on human health and the environment of nanoparticles that are manufactured for and utilized in various applications must also be evaluated. The development and use of nanotechnology could have a dramatic impact on modern society, as a result of its potential to substantially improve the characteristics and/or performance of a number of commercial product applications including, but certainly not limited to, cosmetics, microelectronics, energy generation and distribution, food processing, and building construction. Government agencies around the world are supporting the use of this technology in a number of ways to improve environmental and public health protection, as well as to increase economic benefits and enhance quality of life. This presentation will focus on the nanotechnology extramural research sponsored by the Agency, several coordinated activities and meetings, and critical issues and perspectives of nanotechnology within the Agency.

Key words: Nanotechnology