The expanding risk of exposure to nanoparticles in the workplace
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By Roger Rabb, J.D., Special Correspondent for the LexisNexis Workers' Compensation eNewsletter
An emerging concern with worker health and safety in industrial settings is protecting workers from the byproducts of nanotechnology, the study and manipulation of matter that is between 1 and 100 nanometers in size. At these sizes (a nanometer being one billionth of a meter), substances can possess different properties from their larger counterparts, in part because the ratio of surface area to mass is much greater, leading to increased chemical reactivity, and in part because materials of such small size are subject to quantum effects, including unusual electronic, optical, or magnetic effects, that may not be present with materials of larger mass. Despite these differences, little research has been done on the potential harmful effects of nanoparticles, especially in occupational settings. In a recent paper, Nanotoxicology and Exposure in the Occupational Setting (Occupational Diseases and Environmental Medicine, 3, 35-48), the authors review the current state of nanotechnology research in industrial settings, note the lack of industrial standards to regulate this area and protect worker safety, and call for...read more.
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