Nanotechnology
Recent and future developments
Hundreds of nanotechnology products are already available. However, they are not identified on their packaging as containing nanoparticles or materials. These products include many consumer items, such as cosmetics, toothpaste, soap, sunscreen, paint, varnishes and stain-resistant fabrics. Food products include vitamins and colourings, some types of milkshakes, chewing gum and canola oil. Industrial products include catalysts and components for cars and aircraft.
So far nanotechnology products represent only a very small part of world sales in manufactured goods, but a great deal of money is being invested in nanotechnology research by multinational companies and many more products are expected to appear in the near future. These multinationals are in the fields of food manufacture, pharmaceuticals, computers and electronics, clothing, cosmetics and toiletries, chemicals, agriculture, aircraft, defence equipment and the oil industry.
Publicly funded nanotechnology research is being carried out in the USA, Japan and Europe by multinational companies such as IBM, Canon, Hitachi, NEC, Hewlett Packard, Fujitsu, Motorola, Samsung, General Electric and Mitsubishi in the computer and electronics sectors, Dow, DuPont, ICI, Bayer and BASF in the chemicals sector, Kraft, Nestle and Heinz in the food manufacturing sector, and by corporations in other sectors such as Kodak, L’Oreal, Procter & Gamble, Monsanto and Glaxo.
We can expect nano-sized monitoring devices and electronic components and nano-sized capsules which release chemicals or flavourings in food products. Perhaps in the next 20 to 50 years, machines and equipment will be built from a molecular base.
Further into the future, there is the possibility of using nanotechnology directly in human beings, such as making artificial blood cells, bacteria and parts of DNA. There has even been talk of uploading the human brain into a computer in order to make both physical and mental improvements. The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) in the USA is already developing ‘exoskeletons’ to improve the physiological performance of soldiers and neurological treatments for them so that they can fight with much less sleep.
There is a lack of government regulation on nanotechnology globally. The US Congress has criticised the Bush administration’s inactivity on nanotechnology. So far the USA appears to be relying upon a voluntary approach to regulating the industry or adapting existing regulations. Australia has established a Nanotechnology Taskforce but this has not yet issued any statements about the need for regulation.
