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Nora Savage, PhD

US EPA,

Office of Research &

Development

National Center for Environmental Research

Technology and Engineering Division

Nanotechnology, Where Do W

e Go

Nanotechnology, Where Do W

e Go

From Here

From Here --New

Approaches for

New

Approaches for

Regulatory Agencies

Regulatory Agencies

November 3, 2009

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OU

TLIN

E

�Nano –What is it?

�What is it to EPA?

�Opportunities for New

Paradigm

�Activities -Research

�Activities -Collaborations

�Summary

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What Is

Nanote

chnolo

gy?

�Nanoscience -research to discover new behaviors and properties of materials,

from 1 to 100 nm

�Nanotechnology –applications of discoveries made at the nanoscale

�More than throwing together

�nanomaterials—manipulate and

�control of materials

Surgace plasmon Interferometer

H.Ditlbacher, J.R.Krenn, G.Schider, A.Leitner,

F.R.Aussenegg. "Two-dimensional optics with surface

plasmon polaritons" Appl.Phys.Lett. 81, 1762 (2002).

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WHAT is NANO?

Strand of hair ~100 micrometers

Red blood cell ~2 micrometers

Top of pin ~1 micrometer

Virus ~100 nanometers

Bucky Ball ~ 1 nanometer

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Inst

rum

ents

Tunnelin

g

micro

scopy

Food, W

ate

r and the

Environm

ent

Rem

ediation,

Pro

tect

ion

Mate

rials

Science

Lig

htw

eig

ht

and strong

Energ

y

Pro

duct

ion

/ Sto

rage

Hydro

gen

Fuel Cells

Info

rmation

Tech

nolo

gy

GM

R H

ard

Disk

Benefits

: Today &

Tom

orr

ow

Medicin

e

and

Health

Dru

g d

eliv

ery

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ent1 n

mgold NP:

blue

low

reactivity

200°C

3 n

mgold

NP: reddish

catalytic

200°C

Clu

ste

r dia

mete

r (n

m)

Catalytic activity

Bulk

gold:yellow

inert

1

200°C

“Sm

all is h

ard

to p

redic

t”:

nano ≠

bulk

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What Is

Nanote

chnolo

gy?

�How does “uniqueness translate to environment :

�Different impacts on human health and ecosystems

�Alterations in transport/migration capacities

�Unknown exposure potential

�Changes in ultimate fate

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Natural

Particles from:

•Plants, Trees

•Oceans, other

water bodies

•Erosion

•Dust

Incidental

Particles from:

•Combustion

•Industrial

Processes

•Vehicles

•Construction

Anthropogenic

Engineered

•Carbon-based

NTs, Fullerenes

•Metal Oxides

•Quantum Dots

•Nanotubes

•Nanowires

•Dendrimers

EP

A Inte

rest

Mate

rial S

ourc

e

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Curr

ent A

ppro

ach –

Com

pound b

y C

om

pound

•Run suite of toxicological tests

•Assess acute and chronic toxicity

•Assess exposure potential

•Minimize exposure

•Eliminate/reduce hazard

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Risk = f(H), (E), (B)

nn

i.e. cancer…

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detoxification,

protein synthesis

biochemical production

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Tre

nd C

om

parison b

y C

ancer:

All C

ancer

Sites

Priority 3: rising and

below

[none]

Priority 2: rising and

similar

Brown County

Washington County

Priority 1: rising and

above

Newton County

Scott County

Ris

ing

Tre

nd

Belo

wU

S R

ate

Sim

ilar to

US R

ate

Above

US R

ate

Death

Rate

/Tre

nd C

om

parison b

y C

ancer,

death

years

thro

ugh 2

005

India

na C

ounties v

ers

us U

nited S

tate

s

All C

ancer Sites

All R

aces, B

oth

Sexes

24

Sta

ble

Tre

nd

46

1

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Exhibits toxic effect uncoated, unfunctionalized

Coating or surface modification…

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CNTs used in exterior paint formulation

Erosion > surface and ground water

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entReacts w/ other compounds

More bioavailable

More toxic

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��Shape changes

Shape changes

��Size changes

Size changes

��Surface properties change

Surface properties change

Engin

eere

d N

anom

ate

rials

EN

Ms

Toxic

ity C

hanges a

s:

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Risk Assessment –

Life-Cycle Perspective

Raw

Material

Produ

ction

1stProdu

ct

Man

ufac

turin

g

Worker Exposure

Industrial Emissions

Accidental Releases

2ndProdu

ct

Man

ufac

turin

g

Produ

ct

Dev

elop

men

t

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Con

sumer

Use

or Misus

eEnd

of L

ife

General Population

Exposure

Recycle

Industrial Emissions

Releases/Discharges

Man

ufac

turin

g

Proce

ss

Disposal

Abrasion

Direct Contact

Pollution

Secondary Use

Risk Assessment –

Life-Cycle Perspective

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Con

sumer

Use

or Misus

eEnd

of L

ife

Ecosystem

Exposure

Recycle

Industrial Emissions

Releases/Discharges

Man

ufac

turin

g

Proce

ss

Disposal

Abrasion

Env. Application

Land, Air, W

ater Pollution

Incidental Env Debris

Risk Assessment –

Life-Cycle Perspective

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Stu

dy o

f E

NM

s Fir

st S

tep

��Explore interactions b/w nano and bulk materials

Explore interactions b/w nano and bulk materials

��Elucidate mechanisms

Elucidate mechanisms

��Develop predictive tools

Develop predictive tools

��====��complex mixtures

complex mixtures

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EP

A’s

Inte

rest in

Nanote

chnolo

gy

•Provide leadership

-U.S. and global communities -environmental appls and

impls

•Support research

-Enhance collaborations, increase knowledge

base

•Address statutory requirem

ents

-CAA, CWA, FIFRA, RCRA, SDWA, TSCA, etc.

•Encourage proactive approach

-Predictive tools (comp tox), P2, green nano)

•Fulfill mission

-Develop appropriate risk assessm

ent & risk m

anagem

ent approaches

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Center for Environmental Implications of

Nanotechnology

–National Science Foundation (NSF) lead

–Investigating Environmental Effects of Manufactured

Nanomaterials –fate/transport & exposure

–~ 2 Center awards made

»UCLA, $24 million, 5 years

»Duke, $17 million, 5 years

2007

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Environmental Effects of Nanomaterials

–Joint with United Kingdom

–Investigating Environmental Effects of Manufactured

Nanomaterials –fate/transport & exposure

–~ $4 million (US, UK), $2 million each, 4 years

–Consortia teams

–Collaboration required

–Closed August 2009

–13 proposals received

2008

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Increasing Scientific Data on the Fate, Transport and

Behavior of Engineered Nanomaterials in Selected

Environmental and Biological Matrices

–Collaboration with EC

–~ $5 million (EPA, NSF, USDA)

–“Additional consideration”on US side (EC

partnership)

–EC encourages US partner (FW 7 call)

–Open November

2009

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27

Total Funding by Area

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10

10

8

6

6

5

4

4

1

43

2

3

3

2

2

2

2

1

1

3

2

1

1

1

2

1

5

2

1

1

DC

: 1

1

1

Gra

nts

per

sta

te 2

002-2

008

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$4.6

$5.6

$4.5

$8.6

$10.4

$16.5

$17.8

$0

$2

$4

$6

$8

$10

$12

$14

$16

$18

$20

FY 2004

Enacted

FY 2005

Enacted

FY 2006

Enacted

FY 2007

Enacted

FY 2008

Enacted

FY 2009

Enacted

FY 2010

President's

Budget

Millions

Base P

rogra

m

Nanote

chnolo

gy R

esearc

h B

udget H

isto

ry

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Nanotechnology

Factsheet

Solicitations

New

sroom

Research Projects

Publications &

Proceedings

Nan

otec

hnolog

y ha

s bo

th app

lications

and

implications

for

the en

vironm

ent. EPA is

sup

porting rese

arch

in th

is

tech

nology

while eva

luating its reg

ulatory resp

onsibility to

protec

t the

env

ironm

ent a

nd hum

an hea

lth. This site

high

lights EPA’s res

earch in nan

otec

hnolog

y an

d prov

ides

useful in

form

ation on

related

res

earch at EPA and

in other

orga

niza

tions

.

Nanotechnology Home

http://www.epa.gov/ncer/nano

NCER

’s Nano W

eb Page

NOW

…

2009 EPA, NSF, NIEHS, NIOSH, DOE Grantees

Workshop –November 9-10, Las Vegas

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’s Nano W

eb Page

http://www.epa.gov/nanoscience

Types of Nanomaterials

Exposure

Ecological Effects

Health Effects

Green Manufacturing

Risk Assessments

Pollution Management

Fate and Transport

Research Centers Research Grants

Life Cycle Research

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Non-water Soluble Quantum Dots Dissolve in W

ater

A study released in January 2009 by a research team (Dr. Diana S. Aga, Dr. Sarbajit Banerjee,

Divina A. Navarro, and Dr. David F. Watson) from the University at Buffalo showed for the

first time that quantum dots (QD), despite having non-w

ater soluble coating, can transfer from

an organic solvent into an aqueous phase in the presence of natural organic m

atter [1].

Furthermore, there is evidence suggesting that the core m

etals used for QD synthesis (Cd, Se)

can leach out during the “dissolution”of the QDs in water. These metals are considered toxic

to aquatic organisms even at relatively low levels. Therefore, these findings are critical in the

understanding of the fate and transport of QDs in the aquatic and terrestrial system

s, and in

assessing the potential ecological risks that m

ay be associated with QDs entering the

environment. Due to the expected increase in production and commercialization of QDs,

along with other inorganic nanoparticles, development of more robust coatings that could help

to m

aintain the structural integrity of QDs is warranted.

Navarro, D.A.G.; W

atson, D. F.; Aga, D.S.; Banerjee, S. Natural Organic M

atter-Mediated

This figure shows (A

) transfer of 3-nm

TOPO-capped CdSe in hexane (top

layer) to the aqueous phase (bottom

layer) containing 20 ppm humic acids

in comparison with (B) control set-ups

showing no OD transfer to deionized

water (bottom layer) without humic

acids.

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Responses of Lung Cells to M

etals in M

anufactured

Nanoparticles

Human exposure to m

anufactured nanoparticles is increasing

as new

materials are developed and incorporated into

industrial and consumer products. Dr. Veranth’s team tested

nanoparticle powders of SiO

2, TiO

2, Fe 2O

3, ZnO, CeO

2which

represent commercial chem

icals that are currently being

produced as nano-sized powders.

Dr. Veranth’s team found that these nanoparticle powders were toxic to human

lung cells,

but that the potency was sim

ilar to larger particles of the samenominal substance. The lung

contains multiple cell types. Experim

ents used cultured human lung epithelial and vascular

endothelial cells to study the effects on both the lung surface that is directly exposed to inhaled

air and the underlying cells separating the air exchange surfacefrom the blood.

Nanoparticles of metal oxides do not appear to cause cell dam

ageby unusual m

echanisms,

nor are these particles exceptionally dangerous compared to m

ore

common ambient and

environmental particles. Of course, breathing any type of dustis never good for health, and

particle exposure should always be minim

ized.

JM Veranth, EG Kaser, MM Veranth, M Koch, GS Yost, Cytokine responses of human lung cells

(BEAS-2B) treated with m

icron-sized and nanoparticles of metal oxides compared to soil dusts,

Particle and Fibre Toxicology 4:2 (2007).

Patents or other steps toward commercialization: ______________________

Supporting/Contributing Agency:

US EPA-STAR Grant R8317230

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Nanomaterials –

Applications & Implications

Cross blood-brain barrier –

drug delivery

Placed in subsurface areas -

remediation

Small, real-time sensors –

detection &

protection

Sam

e compound, different

properties –

novel uses

Different disciplines –

increased collaboration

Cross blood-brain barrier –

impair health

Placed in subsurface areas –

impair ecosystem

Small, real-time sensors –

privacy concerns

Sam

e compound, different

properties –

reg. concerns

Different disciplines –

limited understanding

The Goo

d…

The Bad

…

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Nanomaterials –

Applications & Implications

The U

gly?

?

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MM

AR

Y

•Support research (externally, nationally, internationally) to

provide improved public health and environmental

protection

•Provide data for proactive policy and regulatory decisions

on emerging contaminants

•Lay foundation for understanding transformations of enms

in various environmental media

•Understand mechanisms of nano-bulk interactions

•Develop a systematic and integrated approach to assess,

manage and communicate risks associated with enms

•Work nationally and internationally to support research

that improves quality of life.