Nanotechnology - Safety Concerns?

jfelbab

jfelbab

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I was discussing nano tech products with a few friends recently and the discussion turned to how to handle these products safely. Seems really an unknown. I did a simple google search for "nanotechnology safety issues." I didn't need to look far to find a slew of issues. Think I'll be waiting before jumping onto the Nano bandwagon until more is known about their safety.

Discussion:
 
It all depends on the chemical compounds being used. Many polymers and nano materials are absolutely harmless, many solvents are harmless, and many can be harmful. There are very few products available to consumers that aren't at least marginally safe for use. Just follow the precautions by the manufacturer and you will be just fine. If you are worried about it, just wear a dust mask, goggles, and some gloves and the health effect will be minimized.

Chemical engineers and chemists are very good about determining what is safe for consumers and a product not deemed safe will be put back on the drawing board until it meets the company and regulatory guidelines.

Just ask the manufacturer for the MSDS and look at the information for health hazards, odds are that it is minimal if any.
 
maybe harmful to humans like man chemicals, but harmless to paint
 
The argument that I've heard for their safety revolved around the particles being so small that it was unknown how they could affect the body. This was due to the fact that their smaller size would allow them to enter where larger particles couldn't get through (like stomach linings, lungs, skin & etc).

I haven't actually looked into it much myself (will have to now) but if there was a real danger then I would hope that some action would be taken.
 
I remember years ago while repossessing cars for a living, driving through the night looking for "the metal" as repo guys call it. Some nights I'd have been working for 30 straight hours picking up the cars and it was so hard to stay alert and awake that talk radio was the only thing that would stimulate my brain long after coffee stopped working. I often listened to the radio talk show called "Coast to Coast AM" with (back then) host "Art Bell". Art did a 4 hour show with a chemist that was involved in doing research and development studies on nano technology.

They repeatedly brought up and discussed the fact that these nano particles were so small that they could be absorbed into the human body through the skin and discussed the possible dangers of that happening. Of course being an "Art Bell" presentation, they discussed the possibility of aliens introducing nano sized transmitters into our culture so that "we humans" could be closely monitored by the mother ship. :laughing: I am sure that they weren't discussing car care products but I would imagine that "Nano is Nano" and if one type of nano particle could be absorbed through the skin of humans so could another.

Here's some food for thought. At my day job I handle a lot of acids, typically acetic or peroxyacetic acid and the stuff can leach right through vinyl examination gloves but not nitrile gloves. The reason that I bring that up is that it suggests to me that vinyl gloves may actually be porous and if the acid gets through them then I'd think that nano particles could too. I'd be wearing nitrile gloves if I were handling nano particles.

Maybe this has just been useless blabber but it might be helpful in the eyes of someone concerned with handling nano particles. TD
 
Interesting posts, I saw a show on nano tech that echoed what Matt is saying. The fear being that nano sized particles could fit through the membrane of cell walls. I asked one of the manufacturers of nano tech in car care about safety and he said being that the particles are immersed they can't just go running around willy nilly. So wear nitrile gloves, and if it makes you feel better wear a face mask. I try to use both.

Food for thought, nano tech has already been introduced into our sunscreen lotions.... Among many other things...

I'm not trying to disregard anyone's fears because it is logical thought not to trust the government or companies to protect you....but I'm just saying if the nano bots are sneaking into my skin in the form of whatever sun tan lotion Trojan horse or other product we all use on a regular basis I better get some of it on my car too! :buffing: :laughing:
 
I think its safe and logical to use as many protections as possible when working with any chemical. Good gloves is likely the best start since our hands often touch most. I remember some suggesting a mask, but cumbersome and hot. Dressing well but comfortable is another key.
 
There are a lot of auto products that soak through your skin. If you wear some latex or nitrile exam gloves when you use whatever you are worried about, you should be safe handling it, at least until the gloves start to disintegrate (which they do with car wax).

If you have ever used Gummout carb cleaner or CRC Brakeclean, you have inhaled more carcinogenic chemicals than you likely will get in a lifetime of exposure to nano detailing products.
 
I don't think anyone really knows at this point. There has not been a whole lot of scientific study done on the subject, which is typically the case. A new breed of product comes out and its years before the medical community is aware of all the dangers.

There seems to no shortage of folks that are willing to dole out the conjecture though.
 
yakky said:
A new breed of product comes out and its years before the medical community is aware of all the dangers.

There seems to no shortage of folks that are willing to dole out the conjecture though.
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This is very true. New drugs are approved by the FDA all the time that are supposedly safe based on the short term studies done for approval. It may take a few years and a few thousand people being exposed before the long term effects are known. A perfect example is what happened with the arthritis drug Vioxx and people dying from heart attacks. If after reviewing the available information out there (Google is your friend!) you have reason to believe that a product isn't safe, don't use it or take adequate precautions when using it.
 
I'd be worried if the nano particles were not in a colloidal suspension and were smaller than 40nm.

Because the product is in a suspension, it is not going to be readily inhaled and i'd assume with very high certainty that the particles are larger than 40 nm which is the average tolerance for human skin. Particles smaller than 40 nm can get through, larger can't.
 
JonMiles said:
I'd be worried if the nano particles were not in a colloidal suspension and were smaller than 40nm.

Because the product is in a suspension, it is not going to be readily inhaled and i'd assume with very high certainty that the particles are larger than 40 nm which is the average tolerance for human skin. Particles smaller than 40 nm can get through, larger can't.
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:wow:(not kidding) Thanks for the information.
 
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