ENVIRONMENTAL AND SAFETY ISSUES WITH NANOPARTICLES

This chapter evaluates the relationship between nanoparticles and the environment, and describes the trouble caused by nanoparticles as well as the safety issues. The relationship between nanoparticles and the environment is clarified from the viewpoint of the kind of influence nanoparticles generated either artificially or naturally have on the environment, such as in atmosphere, groundwater, wastewaters, and exhaust gases. Indoor nanoparticles originate from the several sources such as products of chemical reactions, nonvolatile residues (NVRs) of liquid droplets, printers/photocopiers, combustion, bioaerosols, and infiltration of outdoor air. The influence of nanoparticles on the indoor environment is discussed in the chapter. It describes the sources of nanoparticle generation in general industrial processes such as grinding processes, and in cleanroom or controlled environment industrial processes, such as exhaled air, ionizers, and haze by chemical reaction on solid surfaces. The chapter discusses safety issues related to nanoparticles such as possibility of dust explosion, health risks and biological effects of nanoparticle materials such as carbon nanotubes, fullerenes, nanosized metal oxides, and carbon black. The chapter also discusses methods for removing nanoparticles from gas and liquid as technology to control the influence of nanoparticles on the environment.