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Nanohazards: Knowledge is our first defence

There is no doubt that the possible hazards associated with nanomaterials are significant, and that concern is valid; but how do we begin to address the challenges that lie ahead? Expanding our scope and increasing the diversity of subject matter is the key to attaining the knowledge we will need to protect against the new range of nanohazards.

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Figure 1
Figure 2: As nanoscience and nanotechnology come of age, the time for actively addressing the hazards associated with nanomaterials has arrived.
Figure 3: How much do we really know about the stability of nanoparticles?

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Acknowledgements

Thanks to George Smith, Oxford University, for critical reading.

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Barnard, A. Nanohazards: Knowledge is our first defence. Nature Mater 5, 245–248 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1038/nmat1615

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