Hidden dangers
There are particular concerns about manufactured nanoparticles which are loose, rather than fixed in a material. If they get into the environment, they could be hard to get rid of. They may be toxic and cause damage in living organisms. This damage might also take place over a long period of time if nanoparticles turned out to accumulate in the fatty tissues of animal and human bodies.
'We must be careful about injecting loose nanoparticles into the human body and the environment. Exposure to large numbers of these particles could be harmful.' explains Anthony Seaton, professor, Aberdeen University
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Research has shown that nanoparticles can damage the brains of large mouth bass.
Image: Eve Oberdorster |
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