SOCIAL, LEGAL, ETHICAL, HEALTH, SAFETY AND ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT OF NANOTECHNOLOGY

ABSTRACT This  term  paper contributions nanotechnology and dives  into  the  world  of  nanotechnology  and  its and  possibilities  it  can  offer  to  the  society The and  nanomaterials immense impact  of extends  from  its  medical,  ethical,  mental,  legal environmental  applications,  to  fields  such  as  engineering,  biology,  chemistry, computing,  materials  science,  and  communications. Alas,  nothing  is  ever  as  it seems  and  perfection  is  a  state  yet  to  be  attained  by  any  technology  or  material. Potential  risks include environmental, health,  and  safety  issues; transitional effects such  as  displacement  of  traditional  industries  as  the  products  of  nanotechnology become  dominant,  which  are  of  co ncern  to  privacy  rights  advocates.

TABLE OF CONTENTS ACKNOWLEDGEMENT ..........................................................................................i ABSTRACT........................................................................................................... ii 

TABLE OF CONTENTS.......................................................................................... iii 1  CHAPTER ONE .............................................................................................. 1 INTRODUCTION  1

 1.1  WHAT IS NANOTECHNOLOGY?  2

 1.1.1  PROPERTIES AT THE NANOSCALE ...................................................... 2 2  

CHAPTER TWO ............................................................................................. 3 

SOCIETAL ASPECTS OF NANOTECHNOLOGY  3 

2.1  OVERVIEW  3 

2.2  POTENTIAL BENEFITS AND RISKS FOR DEVELOPING COUNTRIES  4

 2.2.1  SOCIAL JUSTICE AND CIVIL LIBERTIES................................................. 5 

2.2.2  CITIZENS AND CORPORATIONS ......................................................... 6 

2.2.3  EFFECTS ON LABORERS ..................................................................... 7

 2.3  MILITARY APPLICATIONS  8 2.4  TECHNOLOGY AND DEMOCRACY  10

 2.5  INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY ISSUES  10 3  

CHAPTER THREE ......................................................................................... 12 HEALTH ASPECTS OF NANOTECHNOLOGY  12 

3.1  OVERVIEW  12

 3.2  NANOTOXICOLOGY  12 

3.3  NANOMEDICINE  13 

3.3.1  CURING DISEASES........................................................................... 15 3.3.2  BIOASSAYS ..................................................................................... 16 4  

CHAPTER FOUR .......................................................................................... 18 ENVIRONMENTAL AND SAFETY ASPECTS OF NANOTECHNOLOGY  18 

4.1  OVERVIEW  18 

iv  4.2  NANOPOLLUTION  18 

4.2.1  LIFE CYCLE RESPONSIBILITY............................................................. 19 

4.3  ENVIRONMENTAL APPLICATIONS OF NANOTECHNOLOGY  19 

4.3.1  ENVIRONMENTAL REMEDIATION .................................................... 19 

4.3.2  WATER FILTRATION ........................................................................ 20 

4.3.3  ENERGY.......................................................................................... 21 5  

CHAPTER FIVE ............................................................................................ 22 

ETHICAL AND POLITICAL AND LEGAL ASPECTS OF NANOTECHNOLOGY  22 

5.1  OVERVIEW  22 5.2  SHARING KNOWLEDGE  22

 5.3  ACHIEVING PUBLIC ACCEPTANCE AND ENSURING EQUITY  23 

5.4  THE POLITICS OF NANOTECHNOLOGY: A BALANCE OF POWER  24 

5.5  HUMAN-MACHINE INTERFACE  26 

5.6  LESSONS FROM THE PAST AND PRESENT  27 

5.7  FUNDING SOCIAL SCIENCE RESEARCH  28 5.8  LEGISLATION AND REGULATION  29 6  

CHAPTER SIX .............................................................................................. 30 

6.1  RECOMMENDATION  30 

6.2  CONCLUSION  30 

  REFERENCES .............................................................................................. 31