Safe Workplace and Safety News
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Monday, February 04, 2008
Carbon Nanotubes and Workplace Safety
Most of us don't know what a carbon nanotube (CNT) is, what types of products use them, and what hazards they may present. Wikkipedia defines a carbon nanotube as:
"Their name is derived from their size, since the diameter of a nanotube is in the order of a few nanometers (approximately 1/50,000th of the width of a human hair), while they can be up to several millimeters in length."
"Such cylindrical carbon molecules have novel properties that make them potentially useful in many applications in nanotechnology, electronics, optics and other fields of materials science. They exhibit extraordinary strength and unique electricalproperties, and are efficient conductors of heat."
An article by Michael Berger in today's online edition of Nanowerk points out that the workplace hazards of carbon nanotubes are unknown. One of the key problems is that the presence of nanotubes can not be detected. The article states:
"'In our review paper we have raised the need for a better detection platform in the CNT-affected workplace.' Dr. Peter Cumpson tells Nanowerk. 'The quickly rising industrial production of carbon nanotubes highlights the ever-increasing need to have an efficient and effective tool for the detection of nanotubes – because right now we don't. This new tool must be improved compared to the general purpose airborne particle counters that are currently employed, to allow better sensitivity and specificity to CNTs.'"
New materials are being developed at a rapid pace. We tend to focus on protection against new biological hazards, but new non-biological hazards may also be developing, or already be in the workplace.
The Nanowerk article points out that production of carbon nanotubes is "expected to approach several thousand metric tons per year. This means that the exposure to CNTs, especially by factory workers, will increase substantially over the next few years. Since the jury is still out as to the toxicity of nanotubes it appears prudent to at least develop suitable sensor technology to detect CNTs, especially in the workplace."
"Their name is derived from their size, since the diameter of a nanotube is in the order of a few nanometers (approximately 1/50,000th of the width of a human hair), while they can be up to several millimeters in length."
"Such cylindrical carbon molecules have novel properties that make them potentially useful in many applications in nanotechnology, electronics, optics and other fields of materials science. They exhibit extraordinary strength and unique electricalproperties, and are efficient conductors of heat."
An article by Michael Berger in today's online edition of Nanowerk points out that the workplace hazards of carbon nanotubes are unknown. One of the key problems is that the presence of nanotubes can not be detected. The article states:
"'In our review paper we have raised the need for a better detection platform in the CNT-affected workplace.' Dr. Peter Cumpson tells Nanowerk. 'The quickly rising industrial production of carbon nanotubes highlights the ever-increasing need to have an efficient and effective tool for the detection of nanotubes – because right now we don't. This new tool must be improved compared to the general purpose airborne particle counters that are currently employed, to allow better sensitivity and specificity to CNTs.'"
New materials are being developed at a rapid pace. We tend to focus on protection against new biological hazards, but new non-biological hazards may also be developing, or already be in the workplace.
The Nanowerk article points out that production of carbon nanotubes is "expected to approach several thousand metric tons per year. This means that the exposure to CNTs, especially by factory workers, will increase substantially over the next few years. Since the jury is still out as to the toxicity of nanotubes it appears prudent to at least develop suitable sensor technology to detect CNTs, especially in the workplace."
Labels: hazard identifcation, hazardous materials, Industrial Health
posted by Steve Hudgik |
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