Nov. 15, 2006 — Completing five grand challenges concerning nanotechnology over the next 15 years could help alleviate concerns about its safety, according to a new report by a team of experts.

The group was led by Andrew Maynard of the Woodrow Wilson Institute Project for Emerging Nanotechnologies, and included co-authors from the Institute of Occupational Medicine (IOM) and the SnIRC initiative (Safety of nanoparticles Interdisciplinary Research Center).

In a commentary appearing in the November 16 Nature, the team proposes five challenges to promote systematic research into nanotechnology risks. Programs that meet these challenges would help smooth out any bumps on the road to nanotechnology development raised by concerns of unforeseen health or environmental hazards.

“If the public loses confidence in the commitment — of governments, business, and the science community — to conduct sound and systematic research into possible risks, then the enormous potential of nanotechnology will be squandered. We cannot let that happen,” Maynard said.

The challenges include the development of:

1. Instruments to assess environmental exposure to nanomaterials. These include portable, inexpensive aerosol samplers in the next three years, detectors for waterborne nanomaterials within the next five years, and smart sensors that can indicate potential harm to human health within the next 10 years.

2. Methods to evaluate the toxicity of nanomaterials. These include an international agreement on a battery of in vitro screening tests for toxicity within the next two years to be validated in the next five years, and validated alternatives to in vivo toxicity testing of engineered nanomaterials over the next 15 years. Specifically, the researchers suggest the potential health impact of nanotubes, nanowires and nanofibers be investigated within the next five years.

3. Models for predicting the potential health and environmental impact of new, engineered nanomaterials within 10 years.

4. Ways of evaluating the health and environmental impact of nanomaterials across their life cycle within the next five years.

5. Strategic programs to enable risk-focused research over the next 12 months. These include international and interdisciplinary collaborations and methods for communicating findings on nanotechnology risks and benefits to the wider public.

“This paper should be a landmark in the history of nanotechnology research. It lays out a clear, reasonable, prioritized, consensus-based set of priorities for examining the potential environmental and health consequences of nanotechnology over the next decade and a half. This paper should eliminate any remaining excuses for inaction in this vitally important area,” said House science committee chairman Sherwood Boehlert (R-NY) and ranking Democrat Bart Gordon (D-TN) in a joint statement.

– Charles Choi