Nanotechnology Health & Safety Concerns
by Grant Drenkow
A number of articles have been popping up lately on the health and safety concerns of working with nanotechnology. I remember growing up seeing similar concerns about nuclear radiation. Is the worry justified? Maybe! Is it troubling enough we should stop doing research in nanotechnology? In my humble opinion – absolutely not! The potential rewards of nanotechnology – stain-resistant clothing, more efficient transportation, capturing energy from solar power, purifying water for developing countries, and treating cancer more effectively – are the kinds of research I think we ought to be working on.
As a company involved in bioanalysis, we know how important it is to perform rigorous testing and analysis for new drugs. Multiple rounds of testing in the lab uncover problems before humans are subjected to it. Using microfluidics technology we are able to perform a lot of tests on a very small amount of material with very little chance of harm to the outside world. And in many cases this research is performed in clean rooms and sealed laboratories with no chance of affecting the general public. Am I worried about health and safety? Not really! Are you?
