Once science fiction, nanotechnology has become the ordinary.

Nano-silver is now used in a multitude of everyday products, from clothing to kitchenware. But a study by the German branch of Friends of the Earth points to possible health hazards. In the medical field, silver has long been known as a germ killer, and was widely used to beat infections before the development of antibiotics. A silver dollar in the milk bottle would keep milk fresh for a few days more. Even in times before Christ, Phoenicians knew of silvers effect and stored their wine in silver bottles. On a molecular level, silvers antibiotic characteristics can be applied with even greater precision, and lab scientists have used silver nanoparticles to kill cholera and typhus bacteria. Manufacturers have now introduced nano-silver into our daily lives. In Germany, a daily dose of nano-silver is easy to get. Over 300 commercially available products contain nano-silver. It can be found in sanitizing toothpaste, soap, and laundry detergent. Coatings of nano-silver ions prevent germs from spreading on computers, wall paint, or doorknobs. And woven into textiles, nano-silver is said to improve the quality and comfort of clothes by leaving them less prone to wrinkles, stains, and odors caused by bacteria. But the clean image of the tiny magic bullet is fading. The German organization for nature conservation (BUND), a subsidiary of Friends of the Earth, published a study in December 2009 depicting the possible health hazards caused by unwanted side effects of nano-silver. Dr Heribert Wefers, BUND chemistry expert and advisor to the study, explains the risk potential: "It can be assumed that a mass usage of nano-silver, especially in textiles and detergents leads to an elevated concentration of silver in the sewage. Silver is a non-degradable and will therefore accumulate in and contaminate the sludge." If this sludge is then used as liquid fertilizer, or if nanoparticles enter the ecosystem through dressings or clothes disposed in landfill, the antibacterial silver elements would start attacking germs and microorganisms in the soil. Silver has been shown to be toxic to various organisms including some fungi, algae, plants, and even fish. Hidden Hazards Click on the image to learn more more In other words, odor-free nano-silver socks release silver particles in the wash that destroy friendly bacteria useful for breaking down organic matter and guaranteeing soil fertility. Direct consequences for humans could be even more severe, the study finds. Wefers says that there are medical cases where problems like impaired wound healing occurred as a result of applying nano-silver wound dressings to extensive burns. "Its a serious threat for our health if dangerous germs or bacteria develop a resistance to silver due to the exaggerated usage of nanoparticles. The most valuable capacity of silver would get lost." A similar study, released in 2008 by the Queens Medical Research Institute at the University of Edinburgh, even compares the inhalation of nanoparticles to the inhalation of asbestos fibers, a well-known cause of cancer. The particles, being 1000 times smaller than the diameter of a

human hair, could easily cross cell membranes or dissolve from blood vessels to clog internal organs or the brain. "These nanoparticles could be more toxic because as they reduce in size their surface area gets larger and therefore more reactive because there are more atoms at the surface," explains Gary Hutchison, deputy director of the Centre for Nanomaterials Safety at Edinburghs Napier University. The biggest problem is that hardly any consumer can estimate his or her personal consumption of or exposure to nano-silver and other nanomaterials. According to BUND, this has to change. Already in 2008, it warned of the potential dangers of enriching food like processed cheeses or canned vegetables with molecular titanium oxide. Considered safe for consumption by the World Health Organization and the UNs Food and Agriculture Organization, the BUND worries about possible health hazards. Whereas normal-sized Titanium Dioxide molecules are biologically inactive, their nano counterparts could cause damage in DNA and cell structures and influence the immune system. That is why BUND demands consumer education. Labelling of products containing nanomaterials would be essential to become aware of those risks. But many manufacturers are still scared of turning the nano boom into a nano doom, and thus willing to leave their customers in the dark. Therefore, BUND strongly urges governments to introduce the compulsory labelling of nanotech products, comparable to the labelling of genetically modified food or crops. As far as cosmetics are concerned, this campaign for more transparency has been successful. "From 2012 onwards, the usage of nanomaterial in cosmetics has to be made visible by prefixing nano to the corresponding elements. We hope that a similar solution can be found for the food sector", says Wefers. Once science fiction, nanotechnology has become the ordinary. Nano-silver is now used in a multitude of everyday products, from clothing to kitchenware. But a study by the German branch of Friends of the Earth points to possible health hazards. In the medical field, silver has long been known as a germ killer, and was widely used to beat infections before the development of antibiotics. A silver dollar in the milk bottle would keep milk fresh for a few days more. Even in times before Christ, Phoenicians knew of silvers effect and stored their wine in silver bottles. On a molecular level, silvers antibiotic characteristics can be applied with even greater precision, and lab scientists have used silver nanoparticles to kill cholera and typhus bacteria. Manufacturers have now introduced nano-silver into our daily lives. In Germany, a daily dose of nano-silver is easy to get. Over 300 commercially available products contain nano-silver. It can be found in sanitizing toothpaste, soap, and laundry detergent. Coatings of nano-silver ions prevent germs from spreading on computers, wall paint, or doorknobs. And woven into textiles, nano-silver is said to improve the quality and comfort of clothes by leaving them less prone to wrinkles, stains, and odors caused by bacteria.

But the clean image of the tiny magic bullet is fading. The German organization for nature conservation (BUND), a subsidiary of Friends of the Earth, published a study in December 2009 depicting the possible health hazards caused by unwanted side effects of nano-silver. Dr Heribert Wefers, BUND chemistry expert and advisor to the study, explains the risk potential: "It can be assumed that a mass usage of nano-silver, especially in textiles and detergents leads to an elevated concentration of silver in the sewage. Silver is a non-degradable and will therefore accumulate in and contaminate the sludge." If this sludge is then used as liquid fertilizer, or if nanoparticles enter the ecosystem through dressings or clothes disposed in landfill, the antibacterial silver elements would start attacking germs and microorganisms in the soil. Silver has been shown to be toxic to various organisms including some fungi, algae, plants, and even fish. Hidden Hazards Click on the image to learn more more In other words, odor-free nano-silver socks release silver particles in the wash that destroy friendly bacteria useful for breaking down organic matter and guaranteeing soil fertility. Direct consequences for humans could be even more severe, the study finds. Wefers says that there are medical cases where problems like impaired wound healing occurred as a result of applying nano-silver wound dressings to extensive burns. "Its a serious threat for our health if dangerous germs or bacteria develop a resistance to silver due to the exaggerated usage of nanoparticles. The most valuable capacity of silver would get lost." A similar study, released in 2008 by the Queens Medical Research Institute at the University of Edinburgh, even compares the inhalation of nanoparticles to the inhalation of asbestos fibers, a well-known cause of cancer. The particles, being 1000 times smaller than the diameter of a human hair, could easily cross cell membranes or dissolve from blood vessels to clog internal organs or the brain. "These nanoparticles could be more toxic because as they reduce in size their surface area gets larger and therefore more reactive because there are more atoms at the surface," explains Gary Hutchison, deputy director of the Centre for Nanomaterials Safety at Edinburghs Napier University. The biggest problem is that hardly any consumer can estimate his or her personal consumption of or exposure to nano-silver and other nanomaterials. According to BUND, this has to change. Already in 2008, it warned of the potential dangers of enriching food like processed cheeses or canned vegetables with molecular titanium oxide. Considered safe for consumption by the World Health Organization and the UNs Food and Agriculture Organization, the BUND worries about possible health hazards. Whereas normal-sized Titanium Dioxide molecules are biologically inactive, their nano counterparts could cause damage in DNA and cell structures and influence the immune system.

That is why BUND demands consumer education. Labelling of products containing nanomaterials would be essential to become aware of those risks. But many manufacturers are still scared of turning the nano boom into a nano doom, and thus willing to leave their customers in the dark. Therefore, BUND strongly urges governments to introduce the compulsory labelling of nanotech products, comparable to the labelling of genetically modified food or crops. As far as cosmetics are concerned, this campaign for more transparency has been successful. "From 2012 onwards, the usage of nanomaterial in cosmetics has to be made visible by prefixing nano to the corresponding elements. We hope that a similar solution can be found for the food sector", says Wefers.