Cement Energy and Environment

FUTURISTIC TECHNOLOGY NANOTECH'S MEGA HAZARD Nanoparticles are harmful, but India is yet to regulate their use NANOTECHNOLOGY has revolutionised industry. It is used to improve wide ranging products, from cosmetics, toys and toothpastes to textiles and missiles. Industry thinks the technology holds promise to change every facet of life in some way. Substances at nano scale, or nanoparticles, demonstrate novel physiochemical properties compared to larger particles of the same substance. Their use thus helps improve products. But their safety to human health and the environment has not been under-stood well. To encourage use of ' :.a ... ·' ' I .. l.l ·~ 0 authored by a team of scientists called Nanomaterial Toxicology Group. IITR receives funds from the Nano Mission to conduct research on the impact of nanoparticles. "The aim is to help the government introduce a policy on nano safety," says Mukul Das, one of the authors of the guidelines. "We have sent our document to the regulatory authorities and are waiting for the guideline's implementation on national level." But it seems doubtful considering DoST'S past approach towards the subject. Of the Rs 1,000 crore earmarked for Nano Mission, DoST set aside only Rs 9 crore for assessment of the hazards of nanotechnology. "We do not know who will regulate what," Sourc•s and impact Under the Nano Mission, research institutes across the country were given projects to develop and promote products using nanoparticles. Some of these were commercialised and rolled into the market. At present, there are more than 200 nanoparticle-based products. Other agencies have also made little effort to formulate a policy. In 2006, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER) launched a programme to formulate guidelines for use of nanotechnology in drug delivery. After five years, there is no word on its progress. K B Tikoo, head of the nanotoxicology department at NIPER, j ustifies the delay. "Guidelines take long to be formulated," he says. "Is the Possible Mlry routes to human body Afft<ted cell nanoparticles, build capacity and promote research , the Department of Science and Technology (DoST) launched Nano Nanopartld~ leak from produ<ts,lndustr~. ~ccumulate tn the envlrOOillent government waiting for mishaps to happen? They can't treat us like guinea pigs," says Gopal Krishna, convenor of Mission in 2007 under the 11th Five Year Plan. It is set to end in 2012, but there is no policy yet to regulate use of nanoparticles. This despite the Uses Nanop.lrtkl~l art wtdely used tomanufacture <.lmtras, computer hard· wart~, automobllf exterloo, antl-rtllt sprays, kltchtn apphan<fl and m.lltrti!tl Indian Institute of Toxicology Research (IITR) calling it toxic and recommending guidelines in February this year for their safer handling in research laboratories. The report was Bracing up to strlke They can accumulate In the envlrOOillent .1nd contamln.ltf SOil .1nd w•ttr. Through these, they tnter our bodl.s ind Interfere with the fun<tlonlng of Cl'llul.tr prO<fiStl Invasion slrategy They c.tn trlggfr prod~Ktlon of frtt ridlulsln the body They hM btfn known to damag• ctll mtrnb.lntl and mltochondrli. They un also caw mutation In c@llufar DNA ToxicsWatch Alliance, an environmental non– profit. Separate researches on the iII effects of nanoparticles are being carried out. But most are inconclusive still. However, there is evidence that nanoparticles harmful are and says Praveer Asthana, director of Nano Mission. At present, the department is orchestrating a debate and a taskforce to make a regulatory framework, he adds. regulations on their use are essential. Toxic technology In 2009, the Drug Controller General of India (DCGI) recalled 3