EPA May Give 1st Approval of Nanosilver for Fabrics AOL News

(By Andrew Schneider) - A Swiss chemical producer may soon be the first company to receive approval by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to use nanosilver to make clothing smell better, stay cleaner and destroy germs.

However, health scientists say the nanoparticles will wash out with the rinse water and could cause unknown environmental and health problems downstream.

The EPA said that it may issue "conditional approval" to HeiQ Materials AG, a producer of nanosized additives, for the use of a nanosilver pesticide as a new active ingredient in fabrics.

Nano-Cars Are Coming, Along With Regulation New Haven Independent

(By Jim Motavalli). The auto industry is preparing to electrify the automobile, the biggest change in a century. And it’s using cutting-edge materials to do it—including nanotechnology, the science of working with very, very small materials that take on new super-properties.

Using nanotech, auto manufacturers are looking to roll out tires that last longer, electric car batteries with more range, and cars that pollute less.

Wisconsin Says: “Know Nano” New Haven Independent

(By David Funkhauser) - When Wisconsin lawmaker Terese Berceau first learned about nanomaterials a few years ago, she found there were many nano-based products on the market, but little research into their possible health effects. “The horse was already out of the barn,” she said, but she found it hard to get anyone interested. “It is a difficult subject to get people feeling that, ‘Geez, we should do something now.’ ”

Full Steam Ahead! ... & Hit The Brakes New Haven Independent

(By David Funkhauser) - You may already be carrying quantum dots, carbon nanotubes and nano-silver around in your pocket: They’re all around us, part of a new industrial revolution that feeds a market for products like cell phones and bug-repellent clothing that could reach $2.6 trillion worldwide by 2015.

The federal government is trying to drive this runaway train with one hand on the throttle and another on the brakes. One agency is calling for a greater push to get nano-based products to market, while another says the government needs to put more emphasis on developing health and environmental standards.

Exposed to Nano? Exhale New Haven Independent

(By Melissa Bailey) — As more workers get exposed on the job to tiny new nanomaterials with unknown medical risks, government watchdogs are looking at ways to keep tabs on their health. One solution may lie in the breath.

Emerging technology, still under development, examines exhaled breath to look for indicators of early stage lung problems – problems that scientists think could be caused by exposure to nanomaterials.

The idea elicited a few gasps of excitement at a nanotechnology conference convened here last week by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), a federal agency that conducts research and makes recommendations in occupational safety and health.

Feds Look To 9/11 For Nano Health Clues New Haven Independent

(By Mellisa Bailey) — After the World Trade Center collapsed on 9/11, the City of New York kept track of tens of thousands of people who breathed in the toxic dust that billowed out through city streets.

By tracking over 70,000 rescue workers and passersby over the course of nine years, the city’s health department discovered new cases of asthma and post-traumatic stress disorder linked to the air pollution.

Super Chewing Gum? Not So Fast New Haven Independent

(By Thomas MacMillan)—Food companies are working on ways to concoct a fluid that acts like oil but is made of water, and a food coating that changes color in the presence of E. Coli bacteria. But without a definition of “nanotechnology” from the Federal Department of Agriculture (FDA), we may not be frying potatoes in water anytime soon.

That state of affairs came to light at the fifth International Food Nanoscience Conference at the Institute of Food Technologists’ annual meeting and food expo in Chicago.

Using nanotechnology to unlock a fountain of bull Nanowerk News

(By Michael Berger) Here is a perfect example of how someone, who apparently doesn't understand or care much about the science, writes a sensational press release hyping nanotechnology by cherry-picking information and distorting issues. And all that to sell a product that doesn't even have to do with nanotechnology.

Two days ago we ran a press release from Thomson Reuters about a brief report they compiled on patent data relating to nanotechnology in the cosmetics industry. Now, Thomson Reuters is in the business of selling information and information services products and applications. Their press release basically is advertising for their IP Market Reports. There is nothing wrong with that.

Nanomaterials in the construction industry and resulting health and safety issues Nanowerk News

(By Michael Berger) Tailing after emerging nanotechnology applications in biomedical and electronic industries, the construction industry recently started seeking out a way to advance conventional construction materials using a variety of manufactured nanomaterials. The use of nanotechnology materials and applications in the construction industry should be considered not only for enhancing material properties and functions but also in the context of energy conservation. This is a particularly important prospect since a high percentage of all energy used (e.g., 41% in the United States) is consumed by commercial buildings and residential houses by applications such as heating, lighting, and air conditioning. A recent review by scientists at Rice University has looked at the benefits of using nanomaterials in construction materials but also highlights the potentially harmful aspects of releasing nanomaterials into the environment.

Nano Food: European Parliament Puts Safety First Nanotech Wire

The European Environmental Bureau, Europe’s largest federation of environmental citizens’ organisations, welcomes the outcome of today’s vote in European Parliament, endorsing strong safety and labelling measures for food containing nanomaterials. This was decided during the second reading of the Novel Foods Regulation.

The European Parliament has demanded mandatory labelling of all products containing nano ingredients and acknowledged that specific methods to test the safety of nanomaterials are needed. Until these methods are available, food containing nanomaterials should not enter the EU market.