Health Experts Raise Concerns Over Pollution Nanoparticles
By Bae Ji-sook
Staff Reporter
Health concerns over the driving force of 21st-century industry ― particles so small an electron microscope is needed to see them ― was one of the hot topics at an international forum in Busan Tuesday.
The World Health Organization (WHO) International Conference on Children's Health and the Environment warned that ``miraculous'' nanoparticles have yet to prove their safety in human health.
The materials ― at least 50 times smaller than a red blood cell ― can be used in liquids, solids or powders in tires, rubber, paints, toothpaste and cosmetics.
But experts at the conference said that inhaling or touching invisible substances could lead to potential harm to organs.
William Suk of the National Institute of Environmental Health Science in the United States said threats include damage to DNA.
Jonathan Grigg from Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry, part of Queen Mary, University of London, said nanoparticulate pollutants such as black carbon, commonly known as soot, could be a leading cause of pneumonia in children.
George Karlaganis from the Federal Office for the Environment said chemical companies in European Union member countries don't allow pregnant women to work in manufacturing and this policy could be the case in fields that use nanoparticles in the future.
Dr. Peter Sly from the University of Western Australia, said children can be regularly exposed to possibly harmful substances. ``They spend more time near floors where there could be possible pesticides or other materials and the need for ventilation is higher,'' he said.
``My little grandchild licked the plasma TV screen one day just to kiss his favorite cartoon character, when the manufacturer clearly didn't take that into account,'' he said.
Although most experts agree there isn't enough evidence to state whether or not nanoparticles pose a real threat, it was agreed at the conference that governments should recognize that children, pregnant women and people in developing countries are vulnerable. Their resolution will be reflected in what's being called the Busan Pledge, which is to be announced Wednesday.
In medicine, the use of nanoparticles could prove the key to major breakthroughs in the fight against leading causes of death such as cancer. Nano-substances are already used as a way for doctors to get a clearer image of body organs and to detect tumors.
Earlier this year, it was revealed that researchers in the United Kingdom used nanotechnology to destroy cancer cells in mice.