Review abstract
Nature Nanotechnology 4, 634 - 641 (2009)
Published online: 13 September 2009 | doi:10.1038/nnano.2009.242
Subject Categories: Nanoparticles | Environmental, health and safety issues
Towards a definition of inorganic nanoparticles from an environmental, health and safety perspective
Mélanie Auffan1,3, Jérôme Rose1,2,3, Jean-Yves Bottero1,2,3, Gregory V. Lowry1,3,4, Jean-Pierre Jolivet1,3,5 & Mark R. Wiesner1,3
Abstract
The regulation of engineered nanoparticles requires a widely agreed definition of such particles. Nanoparticles are routinely defined as particles with sizes between about 1 and 100 nm that show properties that are not found in bulk samples of the same material. Here we argue that evidence for novel size-dependent properties alone, rather than particle size, should be the primary criterion in any definition of nanoparticles when making decisions about their regulation for environmental, health and safety reasons. We review the size-dependent properties of a variety of inorganic nanoparticles and find that particles larger than about 30 nm do not in general show properties that would require regulatory scrutiny beyond that required for their bulk counterparts.
- Center for the Environmental Implications of NanoTechnology CEINT, Duke University, 121 Hudson Hall, Durham, North Carolina 27707, USA
- CEREGE, UMR 6635 CNRS/Aix-Marseille Université, Europôle de l'Arbois, 13545 Aix-en-Provence, France
- International Consortium for the Environmental Implications of Nanotechnology iCEINT, Europôle de l'Arbois, 13545 Aix-en-Provence, France
- Carnegie Mellon University, Civil and Environmental Engineering Department, 119 Porter Hall, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213, USA
- Laboratoire de Chimie de la Matière Condensée de Paris, UMR 7574 CNRS/UPMC, Jussieu, 75252 Paris, France.
Correspondence to: Mark R. Wiesner1,3 e-mail: wiesner@duke.edu
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