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The report explores potentially beneficial links
between nanotechnology – essentially, science and engineering
practiced on the molecular scale – and green chemistry and engineering,
which aim to minimize environmental impacts through
resource-conserving and waste-eliminating improvements in processes
and products. It concludes with recommendations for proactive federal
policy measures to help the fast developing field of nanotechnology to
"grow up" green.
The report cites examples of research progress
toward using nanotechnology to accomplish environmental goals in
combination with commercial or other objectives. "With greater ability
to manipulate matter and tailor properties, it should be possible to
make products and processes with reduced toxicity, increased
durability and improved energy efficiency," according to the report.
For example, James Hutchison, a University of
Oregon chemist, uses DNA molecules in a novel process that holds
promise for building nanoscale patterns on silicon chips and other
surfaces. The experimental method saves materials and requires less
water and solvent than the traditional printing – or lithography –
techniques used in the deceptively resource-intensive electronics
industry. Other researchers are investigating nanoscale approaches to
replace lead and other toxic materials in electronics manufacturing.
Chemist Vicki Colvin and her Rice University
colleagues have discovered that 12-nanometer magnetic nanoparticles
can remove better than 99 percent of the arsenic in a solution, while
their counterparts at Oklahoma State University have engineered
nanoscale sensors that can detect pollutants at the level of parts per
billion.
Nanotechnology has opened promising new routes for
making inexpensive solar cells as well as improving the performance
and lowering the cost of fuel cells, eyed as the energy source for
cars and trucks of the future. At the same time, work at the nanoscale
is leading toward tools for removing toxic materials and cleaning up
hazardous waste sites.
"Nanotechnology potentially is a 'doubly green
dream.' It offers us the opportunity to make products and processes 'green'
from the beginning," explained Barbara Karn, an environmental
scientist who helped organize the green nanotechnology programs while
with the Project on Emerging Nanotechnologies. "It also allows us to
substitute more environmentally-friendly chemicals, materials and
manufacturing processes for older, more polluting ones."
The report defines four categories in which
nanotechnology applications and environmental interests intersect:
"We think the United States is on track to be a
global leader in green nanotech," said David Rejeski, director of the
Project on Emerging Nanotechnologies. "The country's research and
development portfolio should be directed toward this goal. We believe
green nanotechnology can not only help protect the environment but
also be a source of American jobs and company profits in the future."
Looking ahead, beyond legacy environmental problems
of today, the report suggests that the most effective approach to
protecting the environment would be to "develop green nano policies
that actively promote pollution prevention."
Ranging from developing metrics for evaluating
bottom-line environmental impacts to using federal procurement to
foster demand for green nanoproducts, the recommended policy steps
outlined in the report would help to ensure that the $8.3 billion
taxpayer investment in nanotechnology, since the U.S. National
Nanotechnology Initiative was established in 2001, pays off for the
country and the environment.
"We are on an unsustainable path," said Paul
Anastas, director of the American Chemical Society's Green Chemistry
Institute. "It is not as though nanotechnology will be an option; it
is going to be essential for coming up with sustainable technologies."
About Nanotechnology
Nanotechnology is the ability to measure, see,
manipulate and manufacture things usually between 1 and 100 nanometers.
A nanometer is one billionth of a meter; a human hair is roughly
100,000 nanometers wide. More than $30 billion in products
incorporating nanotechnology were sold globally in 2005. By 2014, Lux
Research estimates this figure will grow to $2.6 trillion.
The Project on Emerging Nanotechnologies is an
initiative launched by the Woodrow Wilson International Center for
Scholars and The Pew Charitable Trusts in 2005. It is dedicated to
helping business, government and the public anticipate and manage
possible health and environmental implications of nanotechnology. For
more information about the project, log on to
www.nanotechproject.org.
The Pew Charitable Trusts (www.pewtrusts.org)
is driven by the power of knowledge to solve today's most challenging
problems. Pew applies a rigorous, analytical approach to improve
public policy, inform the public and stimulate civic life. We partner
with a diverse range of donors, public and private organizations and
concerned citizens who share our commitment to fact-based solutions
and goal-driven investments to improve society.
The Woodrow Wilson International Center for
Scholars is the living, national memorial to President Wilson
established by Congress in 1968 and headquartered in Washington, D.C.
The Center establishes and maintains a neutral forum for free, open,
and informed dialogue. It is a nonpartisan institution, supported by
public and private funds and engaged in the study of national and
international affairs. |
