Nanotechnology Lawyer & Attorney : Porter Wright Morris & Arthur : Nanotechnology Law Report - Germanium nanobead image provided by UT-Battelle, which manages Oak Ridge National Laboratory for the Department of Energy

The UK's Nanotechnology Knowledge Transfer Network recently published the above entitled directory (due to copyright restrictions, we cannot provide a link to the directory itself. Here is a link to the page on the NanoKTN site where the directory can be accessed; registration is required).

The directory lists 32 organizations, ranging from businesses to universities to government agencies. Each organization has a one page entry, giving the name of the business, government agency, etc, a brick and mortar physical address, website, phone numbers, general e-mail address, the name of a contact person, that person's specific e-mail address, legal status (private limited company, government agency, etc), a description of what the organization does, and which markets it focuses on.

Although relatively small at 32 organizations - which may be due to the information being drawn from publicly available sources of information - the directory is a well put together and well researched guide that should be of great use to the British nanocommunity and to multi-national nanoindustries that would need to know who to contact for testing their products and whom at government agencies they would need to contact and smooze with to get their products into the UK market.

The directory could also serve as a model for similar directories for the EU and the US.

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Space, the final frontier.

Captains James T. Kirk and Jean-Luc Picard

One of the most significant challenges facing NASA in the development of the next generation of vehicle to replace the aging Space Shuttles and carry astronauts back to the Moon and the International Space Station (and beyond) is weight. The less a vehicle weighs, the more it can conserve on fuel. NASA is now looking into the possibility of using carbon nanotubes in the construction of the Orion Crew Exploration Vehicle and future spacecraft. By using carbon nanotubes, NASA estimates that the weight of Orion and other vessels could be reduced by up to 50%.

In order to achieve efficient and consistent production of carbon nanotubes at a reasonable cost, NASA has been working with the private sector, awarding Phase I and Phase II Small Business Innovation Research Contracts to SouthWest Nanotechnologies, Inc of Norman OK. Using these research contracts, SWeNT has been able to develop production methods that produce consistent high quality CNTs at lower cost. In turn, this has lead to increased business from other companies for CNTs to be used in a variety of products, including body and vehicle armor for use in Iraq and Afghanistan, where it replaces Kevlar.

Those readers who grew up watching and following the Apollo lunar missions and can still recall where they were and what they were doing when Neil Armstrong stepped onto the Moon's surface, may also recall the wide range of spin-offs from government sponsored technology that made their way into everyday use. As many have observed, the development of high quality lost cost CNTs and other nanomaterials has the potential to transform industry and commonly used products. If the use of CNTs in spacecraft plays a part in returning humans into space and averts tragedies such as Challenger or  Columbia, it will be funds well spent.

They will continue the voyages we have begun and journey to all the undiscovered countries, boldly going where no man - where no one - has gone before.

Captain Kirk, Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country

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The Centre for Nano Safety , at Edinburgh - Napier University in Scotland, officially opened it's doors on November 11, 2009. The Centre's mission is to study the possible toxicity of nanoparticles and to determine which ones might be able to penetrate human skin tissue  or could possibly cause harm to the environment.

Information that the Centre develops will be used by nanoindustries to produce less toxic and safer products and by British government agencies to develop appropriate regulations. Parliament may also use the Centre's research as a basis for legislation affecting nanotechnology research and nanoindustries.

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New Edition of Nanotechnology Law Report

Inside you will find:

• EPA Considering New Approach to Nanoscale Materials Under TSCA
• EPA May Issue Mandatory Data Collection Rule for Nanoscale Materials Under TSCA
• EPA Takes Aim at Antimicrobial Products Under FIFRA
• EPA Unveils New Principles for Chemical Management Reform
• EPA Report on the Use of Nanoscale TiO2 in Water and Sunscreens
• EPA Withdraws Carbon Nanotube SNURs
• Press Release: New Contributing Editor for InterNano
• Virginia CLE presentation: “Insurance, Nanotechnology, and Risk”
• Nanoparticles and Deaths in the People’s Republic
• Sweating the Small Stuff
• Soil Association Cites China Deaths in Renewed Call for Moratorium on Nanotechnology Commercialization
• Nanotechnology Legislation in the 111th Congress
• Mapping Nano
• Flight of the Nanobees

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On Friday, 11/06, 2009, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) published a "Proposed Significant New Use Rules on Certain Chemical Substances" in the Federal Register (74 FR 57430). The "certain chemical substances" that the new use rules would affect are multi-walled carbon nanotubes and single-walled carbon nanotubes. This would amend 40 CFR Pt. 721 by adding Pts 721.1055 and 721.1056. The text of these new parts can be found at the end of this entry.

The  proposed SNURs on these substances are based on and consistent with the
provisions in the underlying consent orders. The proposed SNURs
designate as a ``significant new use'' the absence of the protective
measures required in the corresponding consent orders. This action
would require persons who intend to manufacture, import, or process
either of these two substances for an activity that is designated as a
significant new use by this proposed rule to notify EPA at least 90
days before commencing that activity. The required notification would
provide EPA with the opportunity to evaluate the intended use and, if
necessary, to prohibit or limit that activity before it occurs.

 

Information on submitting comments may be found in the link to the proposed rule. Comments must be filed on or by December 7, 2009.

The EPA had issued a direct final rule  regarding SWCNs and MWCNs in the Federal Register of June 24, 2009 (74 FR 29982), but this was withdrawn after EPA received notice that adverse comments were going to be filed.

As explained in the notice, based on test data, the EPA has concluded that SWCNs and MWCNs pose risks to human health, particularly the lungs. To reduce that risk, EPA would require that workers exposed to carbon nanotubes wear an NIOSH approved full face respirator and protective clothing. Any purposeful disposal of these substances into US waters or waterways would be illegal under the proposed rules. The proposed rule would be applicable to manufacturers, importers and processors.

The record for the proposed SNURs may be found on Regulations.gov as docket EPA-HQ-OPPT-2008-0252.

The text of the proposed new sections to be added to 40 CFR 721 :

Sec.  721.10155  Multi-walled carbon nanotubes (generic).

    (a) Chemical substance and significant new uses subject to
reporting. (1) The chemical substance identified generically as multi-
walled carbon nanotubes (PMN P-08-177) is subject to reporting under
this section for the significant new uses described in paragraph (a)(2)
of this section.
    (2) The significant new uses are:
    (i) Protection in the workplace. Requirements as specified in Sec. 
721.63 (a)(1), (a)(2)(i), (a)(2)(ii), (a)(3), (a)(4), (a)(5) (National
Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)-approved air-
purifying, tight-fitting full-face respirator equipped with N100
filters), (a)(6)(i), and (c).
    (ii) Industrial, commercial, and consumer activities. Requirements
as specified in Sec.  721.80 (k) and (q).
    (iii) Release to water. Requirements as specified in Sec.  721.90
(a)(1), (b)(1), and (c)(1).
    (b) Specific requirements. The provisions of subpart A of this part
apply to this section except as modified by this paragraph.
    (1) Recordkeeping. Recordkeeping requirements as specified in Sec. 
721.125 (a), (b), (c), (d), (e), (i), and (k) are applicable to
manufacturers, importers, and processors of this substance.
    (2) Limitations or revocation of certain notification requirements.
The provisions of Sec.  721.185 apply to this section.
    (3) Determining whether a specific use is subject to this section.
The provisions of Sec.  721.1725(b)(1) apply to this section.
    3. By adding new Sec.  721.10156 to subpart E to read as follows:


Sec.  721.10156  Single-walled carbon nanotubes (generic).

    (a) Chemical substance and significant new uses subject to
reporting. (1) The chemical substance identified generically as single-
walled carbon nanotubes (PMN P-08-328) is subject to reporting under
this section for the significant new uses described in paragraph (a)(2)
of this section.
    (2) The significant new uses are:
    (i) Protection in the workplace. Requirements as specified in Sec. 
721.63 (a)(1), (a)(2)(i), (a)(2)(ii), (a)(3), (a)(4), (a)(5) (National
Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)-approved air-
purifying, tight-fitting full-face respirator equipped with N100
filters), (a)(6)(i), and (c).
    (ii) Industrial, commercial, and consumer activities. Requirements
as specified in Sec.  721.80 (k) and (q).
    (iii) Release to water. Requirements as specified in Sec.  721.90
(a)(1), (b)(1), and (c)(1).
    (b) Specific requirements. The provisions of subpart A of this part
apply to this section except as modified by this paragraph.
    (1) Recordkeeping. Recordkeeping requirements as specified in Sec. 
721.125 (a), (b), (c), (d), (e), (i), and (k) are applicable to
manufacturers, importers, and processors of this substance.
    (2) Limitations or revocation of certain notification requirements.
The provisions of Sec.  721.185 apply to this section.
    (3) Determining whether a specific use is subject to this section.
The provisions of Sec.  721.1725(b)(1) apply to this section.
 

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As anyone looking at trees the last week or so has noticed, the leaves have taken on the red, yellow, orange and brown hues of Autumn. The cool crisp days and evenings signal that Fall has arrived. And to paraphrase Shelley, "If Fall comes, can Winter be far behind?"

And with Winter comes snow, sleet, and freezing rain. The latter of that trio is the one that, at least in the DC area, causes something that all drivers fear most, that thin coating of ice on roadways that makes driving in Winter a challenge. For pedestrians on sidewalks, it can cause slips and falls that could cause injuries.

Liangliang Cao, a graduate student in the University of Pittsburgh's Department of Chemical and Petroleum Engineering, and colleagues recently published an article in Langmuir, "Anti-Icing Superhydrophobic Coatings" . Noting that "to date there is little experimental/theoretical work on ice formation from supercool water on superhydrophobic surfaces" - superhydrophobic coatings  are thin films, designed so that their surfaces resemble those of the lotus leaf so that water droplets drip off rather than forming puddles - the article studies "the anti-icing property of superhydrophobic coatings prepared by using nanoparticle-polymer composites", using nanoparticle silica of various sizes and applying the coating to different surfaces, ranging from aluminum pie pans to a home satellite dish.

The results of the experiments indicated that the anti-icing capabilities of the composites varied according to the size of the silica nanoparticles; ice didnot form on the composites that had silica nanoparticles between 20-50 nm in length. The probability of ice forming increased proportionately for those composites with silica nanoparticles above 50 nm in length.

The study didnot include any speculation regarding using these findings to create new treatments for roads and highways, powerlines, airplanes or anything else that would be severely affected by a buildup of ice. It does call for further research that would build on this study's findings.

Until then, drive safely this winter.

Ray: "Don't drive like my brother"

Tom: "And don't drive like my brother"

Car Talk

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The National Nanomanufacuring Network (NNN) at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst just published its October newsletter which you can find here.  There is a nice article by Barbara Beck and Chris Long from Gradient regarding the recent Song nanoparticle study from China which was my first contributing editor piece for NNN's InterNano.  Please read the newsletter and follow NNN's valuable work.

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This article was originally published by the National Nanomanufacturing Network's "InterNano" project (www.internano.com).  It is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported.

A recent study published in the well-known medical journal, the European Respiratory Journal, has been receiving significant publicity as the authors have claimed their findings support an apparent linkage between workplace exposures to nanoparticles and severe respiratory disease. Specifically, in this study, investigators at China's Capital University of Medical Science related unusual and progressive lung disease in seven Chinese workers, two of whom died, to nanoparticle exposures in a print plant where a polyacrylic ester paste containing nanoparticles was used. This linkage was made by the study investigators despite a general lack of exposure data for the workers. 
 

The complete review is after the jump . . .

Reviewed by Christopher M. Long, Sc.D., and Barbara D. Beck, Ph.D., DABT, FATS, Gradient

• Song Y, Li X, Du X. 2009. Exposure to nanoparticles is related to pleural effusion, pulmonary fibrosis and granuloma. Eur Respir J. 34(3):559-67.  DOI:10.1183/09031936.00178308.

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We have previously reported on a study by Arizona State researchers looking into the potential release of nanosilver particles from odor-killing socks during theoretical wash cycles.  A new study from Switzerland examines the issue in further detail.

L. Geranio, et al., "The Behavior of Silver Nanotextiles during Washing," Environ. Sci. Technol. (Sept. 2009).

Three authors from the Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Testing and Research conducted the study with the aim of determining "the amount and the form of Ag released during washing from nine fabrics with different ways of silver incorporation into or onto the fibers."  The study generally found that when washed at low pH levels, there was little dissolution of nanoparticles from the textiles being tested.  However, the researchers theorized that the use of bleach "can greatly accelerate the dissolution of Ag."  The percentage of total silver emitted during one wash cycle for the fabrics varied between 1% and 45%.  Almost 75% of the silver released was greater than 450 nm in diameter. 

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