Implications of Measurement Standards for Characterizing and Minimizing Risk of Nanomaterials

Abstract

Nanotechnology as a concept is usually credited to Feynman [1] who presented the idea in a 1959 after-dinner speech entitled, “There’s plenty of room at the bottom.” Interest in nanotechnology at the national level grew to the point that the United States Government launched the National Nanotechnology Initiative (NNI) in 1999 [2]. From a programmatic standpoint, materials related disciplines were combined using the unifying principle that some feature of the material should fall within the nanoscale size range. Nanoscale is defined as the size from approximately 1–100 nm [3]. Also some well-known materials associated with nanotechnology, such as fullerene and single wall carbon nanotubes were discovered in only the last 25 years [4, 5]. Much of the supporting science is well established in fields such as electronics, polymers, powders, colloids, and aerosols. However, the nanotechnology field is currently expanding rapidly with the discovery of new techniques, insights, applications and materials. It is clear that unifying principles and appropriate standards need to be developed to allow a systematic approach to managing the applications and risks of nanotechnology. These challenges have been faced by ISO Technical Committee 229 “Nanotechnologies” in its program to develop documents consistent with the goals of international standardization. The purposes of international standardization are to facilitate international trade; improvement of quality, safety, security, environmental and consumer protection, as well as the rational use of natural resources; and global dissemination of technologies and good practices [6].