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| Science & Technology |
| Deadly Silver |
| 2008-12-24 |
| Widespread use of nanoscale silver will challenge regulatory agencies to balance important potential benefits against the possibility of significant environmental risk, highlighting the need to identify research priorities concerning this emerging technology, according to a new report released today by the Project on Emerging Nanotechnologies (PEN). Silver itself is classified as an environmental hazard by EPA because it is more toxic to aquatic plants and animals than any metal except mercury. Even if a nanoparticle itself is not especially toxic, silver nanoparticles increase the effectiveness of delivering toxic silver ions to locations where they can cause toxicity. Colloidal silver was traditionally used as an antibiotic, even though it clearly had no direct antiseptic properties. Only recently it was discovered to inhibit bacterial reproduction, an alternative means of suppressing infection. |
| Posted by:Anonymoose |
| #3 Aluminium is the commonest metal on Earth. There is more aluminium than all other metals combined. Aluminium compounds are extremely stable, and metallic aluminium is extremely reactive. Aluminium oxide is very insolvent in water and forms a protective layer a couple of molecules thick on metallic aluminium. So, a lump of pure aluminium, like a can, is for practical purposes chemically inert. However, finely powered aluminium or nano-particles are extremely reactive and hence toxic. |
| Posted by: phil_b 2008-12-24 20:00 |
| #2 Coke doesn't have a bizillion cans a year made out of silver. Just saying.. |
| Posted by: 3dc 2008-12-24 14:15 |
| #1 I thought In my environmental engineering class I learned that Aluminum was the second most toxic metal to marine life. Guess it changes depending on where your grant comes from. |
| Posted by: bigjim-ky 2008-12-24 11:00 |