Opportunities and Threats from Nanotechnology in Health, Food, Agriculture, and the Environment

Ricardo Molins

Comuniica Magazine, 2008, vol. 2008, issue 01-04 Jan-Apr, 17

Abstract: Nanotechnology, a relatively new field of research and industrial materials development based on the creation of new classes of novel molecular structures, is making rapid advances that promise to radically change or influence many fields of science and technology. The development of various types of nanomaterials for application in revolutionary medical treatments, agricultural research and food safety diagnostic methods, new environmental remediation procedures, energy applications like solar cell coatings, and even high-volume, everyday products such as cosmetics, dirt-repelling fabrics, and self-cleaning paint, offer innumerable possibilities for human progress. However, it is essential and urgent to assess not only the benefits but also the potential risks posed by nanoparticles, and agree on effective measures to prevent such risks through appropriate regulatory approaches.

Keywords: Health Economics and Policy; International Development; Research and Development/Tech Change/Emerging Technologies (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2008
References: Add references at CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
https://ageconsearch.umn.edu/record/188519/files/Edition%201-%20Article%204.pdf (application/pdf)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:ags:criica:188519

DOI: 10.22004/ag.econ.188519

Access Statistics for this article

More articles in Comuniica Magazine from Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture Contact information at EDIRC.
Bibliographic data for series maintained by AgEcon Search ().