Hey, everyone! Sadly, this will be my last civic issues post regarding the environment. Last week, I discussed a topic that is fairly close-to-home with me, treatment of animals through intensive animal farming. The treatment of these animals must be reformed and social action should be taken in order for humane conditions for animals. As a science major, I am highly interested in technology and what it entails. Therefore, this week, I will discuss the impacts of nanotechnology on the environment and its applications.
What exactly is nanotechnology and how is it used?
Nanotechnology is simply defined as the manipulation of matter on any level less than supramolecular. It is used in the environment, medicine, and science to make life easier. It involves the manipulation of atoms or molecules in order to create materials and devices that have vast application. Some of these applications include nanomedicine, which includes drug delivery to certain parts of the body, assistance with clinical trials, and seeking and binding to destroy tumor cells in people. In particular, nanotechnology has vast environmental impacts such as the creation of materials and devices for the perceived benefit of the environment. It is known as a primitive field because there is not much research about it. People are just beginning to find out the practical uses of nanotechnology with the benefit of the environment. One common way that nanotechnology is used in the environment is with what is called green nanotechnology. This type of nanotechnology involves sustainability of processes used, which often results in negative externalities. Thus, there are many civic issues brought up with how organisms and the environment are affected by these negative externalities.
What are some of the negative externalities brought up with green nanotechnology?
Green technology includes the creation of solar cells and making them more efficient and practical; however, the negative externalities of these solar cells are that they require vast maintenance, expensive and impractical materials, possible land misallocation, and water pollution. All of these can result in death of organisms and thus less biodiversity, food, and other issues. In addition, nanotechnology is being used to nanoremediate soil and treat water but can result in the inhalation of harmful nanoparticles by the people who consume the water. For instance, if the nanoparticles are used to bioremediate soil infested with polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs, I have completed research on them in the past regarding bioremediation with Arabidopsis thaliana plants), they could still have some PCBs in the soil still if the uptake percentage is less than 100% or if some nanoparticles are left in the soil. Then, if plants are grown in the soil and animals or humans consume the plants grown in the soil, they could be at risk to development of diseases such as cancer. This feat is actually relatively prone to occurring because nanoparticles are so small that the skin can absorb them or they can be inhaled straight out of thin air. There is now an environmental field known as eco-toxicity, which completely revolves around studying the negative effects of nanotechnology on the environment. According to research gate, metal hydroxides, clay minerals, and allophane are several other types of particles included on the nanoscale and some of these can seep into soil and pollute the environment. Lastly, there are many microorganisms that live in the soil itself. Thus, even though nanoparticles aim to remediate the soil, with all of the contamination of the soil by nanoparticles, microorganisms will simply die off. One prominent example is with phytoplankton, the basis of the food chain in bodies of water. When nanoparticles are forced into the water to decontaminate the water, they actually have a high risk of killing the phytoplankton in the process. With the bottom level of the food chain destroyed, all of the organisms living in that body of water will eventually starve. This is a clear environmental civic issue that must be addressed in the near future.
How can scientists and engineers solve the vast and prominent environmental issues brought up by nanotechnology in the environment?
Due to the fact that nanotechnology is a relatively new and undiscovered field, there is not much that can be proposed for fixation yet. However, I propose regulations on nanotechnology, particularly in the water and in the soil. If the nanotechnology hurts or kills organisms in any external way (thus coming across as an externality), then the issues must be fixed until it is implemented. Organisms should not die off with some sort of “animal test” that the testers believe to be a way that humans can better and more easily remediate soil or water. In addition, I propose that all of these various types of technology are tested in a laboratory before they are tested in real-life. For example, as I discussed previously, innocent organisms need not die for the benefit of making the lives of humans better and easier. Lastly, I propose that nanotechnology is government-regulated in particular. For instance, quotas and regulations should be placed on the use of nanotechnology in the environment in the same way that farmers are regulated by the government with pollution.