Are nanomaterials safe?

Science : Nanotechnology research requires more oversight regarding human and environmental safety, says a new report from the US National Research Council (NRC). Although the National Nanotechnology Initiative (NNI) studies the safety of nanomaterials, the NRC has found gaps in its guidelines. For example, little research has been done on the effects of human ingestion of nanoparticles or on the safety of complex nanomaterials made up of mixtures of different elements.Potentially the most disruptive recommendation in the report is to change who oversees nanotechnology risk research. NNI currently consists of 25 different federal agencies that work with the National Nanotechnology Coordination Office to coordinate their research efforts to avoid duplication. But neither the NNI nor the Coordination Office have any authority to mandate who does what. The NRC suggested several possible solutions, including setting up a panel with budgetary authority within the White House’s Office of Science and Technology Policy.