Navigation Links
Notre Dame paper examines nanotechnology-related safety and ethics problem
Date:4/27/2012

A recent paper by Kathleen Eggleson, a research scientist in the Center for Nano Science and Technology (NDnano) at the University of Notre Dame, provides an example of a nanotechnology-related safety and ethics problem that is unfolding right now.

The world of nanotechnology, which involves science and engineering down at billionths-of-a-meter scales, might seem remote.

But like most new advances, the application of that technology to everyday experience has implications that can affect people in real ways.

If not anticipated, discussed or planned for, some of those implications might even be harmful.

The problem that Eggleson describes is that hospital-acquired infections are a persistent, costly, and sometimes fatal issue. A patient goes in for one condition, say an injury, but ends up being infected by a microorganism picked up in the hospital itself. That microorganism might even have developed a resistance to conventional drug treatments.

The solution is that engineers are developing new and innovative ways of coating medical materials with nano-sized particles of silver, an element that has long been known for its antimicrobial properties. These particles are being applied to hard surfaces, like bedrails and doorknobs, and to fabrics, such as sheets, gowns, and curtains, by a growing number of medical supply companies. And these new materials are proving effective.

"Nanosilver coatings have made life-saving differences to the properties of typical hospital items," says Eggleson. "Just this last December, a textile made by a Swiss company was the first nano-scale material approved as a pesticide by the EPA."

The possible new danger is that the vast majority of bacteria and other microorganisms are actually neutral, or even beneficial, to human life and a healthy environment. For example, some bacteria are needed to maintain appropriate levels of nitrogen in the air, and others, living inside t
'/>"/>

Contact: Kathleen Eggleson
eggleson.1@nd.edu
574-631-1229
University of Notre Dame
Source:Eurekalert

0

GOOD

Page: 1 2 3

Related biology technology :

1. Nanotrees harvest the suns energy to turn water into hydrogen fuel
2. Notre Dame researchers develop paint-on solar cells
3. Notre Dame researchers demonstrate new DNA detection technique
4. Notre Dame researchers awarded millions to develop radically new computers
5. Dyadic International Launches FibreZyme® G5000 High Performance Powder Pulp and Paper Enzyme in Booth #1065 at Tissue World Americas Conference
6. PubMed Users Now Save Time Accessing and Organizing Scientific Papers by Using Bibliogo From Reprints Desk
7. Low-cost paper-based wireless sensor could help detect explosive devices
8. Nucleic Acids Research Journal Publishes Sapphire Energy Peer-Reviewed Research Paper on a Chloroplast Genome From Green Algae
9. Low-cost paper-based wireless sensor could help detect explosive devices
10. New White Paper Examines Clinical Trial Material Production & Testing: What Your Contract Manufacturing Organization is Not Telling You
11. ACTE Releases Paper on How Career, Technical Student Organizations Expand Career Readiness for Students
Post Your Comments:
*Name:
*Comment:
*Email:
(Date:5/17/2013)... -- New interactive learning forums will ... of the medical device industry at the 2013 ... from June 18-20 in Philadelphia ... ) , These all-new MedTech Innovate ... presentations and implementable solutions on the most cutting-edge ...
(Date:5/17/2013)... MIAMI , May 17, 2013  Insero Health, ... medical needs in epilepsy and related neurological disorders, is ... of its lead compound INS001 in patients with drug-resistant ... Drug and Device Trials (AED) Xll meeting by Dr. ... epileptologist and Chairman of Insero,s Scientific Advisory Board.  In ...
(Date:5/17/2013)... May 17, 2013 Rust removal is one ... non-metal home items could be damaged. To help rust contractors ... of its no-scrubbing rust remover it called Rusterizer. ... available with 10% discount. , My Cleaning Products explained that ... them or by staining them. The first one, it ...
(Date:5/16/2013)... ISPE announced today that ... the newly created position of Vice President of ... be responsible for stimulating ISPE’s revenue growth by ... Society’s Member-led and staff-driven business model, initiating integrated ... membership and product marketing. , “Barbara joins ISPE ...
Breaking Biology Technology:MedTech Innovate Seminars: New Interactive Learning Forums at 2013 MD&M East 2Insero Health Reports Positive Data on Phase I Trial of Novel Therapy for Drug-resistant Epilepsy 2Organic-Based Rust Remover Cuts Down Price by 10%, My Cleaning Products Details Mechanics How to Get the Discount 2ISPE Names Barbara A. Myers, CAE, as Vice President of Professional Development 2
... PAT and QbD remains a field that still lacks ... Pharma IQ across the PAT and QbD community it was  found ... not implementing PAT/QbD was due to a lack of personnel with ... opens its doors to industry specialists from the PAT and QbD ...
... Germany, October 11, 2011 joimax® opened ... patronage of the German Academy for Neurosurgery (GANS) and ... Neurosurgery at the "Städtisches Klinikum" in Karlsruhe, Prof. Dr. ... place in Karlsruhe, South Germany, October 5 to 8. ...
... Oct. 11, 2011 STAAR Surgical Company (NASDAQ: STAA ) ... quarter ended September 30, 2011 on Monday, October 24, 2011 ... will host a conference call on Monday, October 24, 2011 ... to discuss the Company,s third quarter results and recent corporate ...
Cached Biology Technology:Establishing the Correct QbD Strategies and Tools Early in the Development Process is Key to Ensuring we Have Robust Quality Products Downstream 2joimax® Inspires Thai-German Neurosurgery Congress Participants for TESSYS® 2joimax® Inspires Thai-German Neurosurgery Congress Participants for TESSYS® 3STAAR Surgical Announces Third Quarter 2011 Results Release Date and Conference Call 2
(Date:5/17/2013)... climate change may have little impact on many ... recent studies that predict their widespread extinction in ... appear in the journal Global Change Biology ... creature thought to be doomed: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/gcb.12253/abstract ... forest lizards, will be hard hit by climate ...
(Date:5/16/2013)... (Maximizing Access to Research Careers) Program has announced ... Developmental Biology (SDB) 72nd Annual Meeting in Cancun, ... meant to promote the entry of students, postdoctorates ... of the basic science community and to encourage ... 2013 Annual Meeting. , Awards are given to ...
(Date:5/16/2013)... layer lining the body,s blood vessels, is extremely ... thickness, this super-tenuous structure routinely withstands blood flow, ... a unique and highly dynamic barrier that maintains ... body,s circulatory system. , It,s also extremely adaptable. ... breached to enable immune cells to reach ...
Breaking Biology News(10 mins):Climate change may have little impact on tropical lizards 2Endothelium, heal thyself 2Endothelium, heal thyself 3Endothelium, heal thyself 4
... that reveal where a brain cell came from remain distinct ... coalition of scientists will report in the February 1 issue ... layer of complexity to the quest to understand the causes ... Gutmann, M.D., Ph.D., the Donald O. Schnuck Family Professor of ...
... more economically competitive with fossil fuels, there are significant ... major detour has being addressed with the characterization of ... the U.S. Department of Energy Joint Genome Institute (DOE ... Products Laboratory (FPL). The research, entailing the identification ...
... Why do male owls hoot? Researchers from the Centre d'Études ... have studied the vocal communication of male European Scops owls, ... study, published in the April issue of the American Naturalist, ... isle of Oléron, off the west coast of France, where ...
Cached Biology News:Genetic fingerprints identify brain tumors' origins 2Super-fermenting fungus genome sequenced 2Male owls pitch their hoots to advertise body weight to competitors 2
... Basically, most ``special`` dye stains are ... few other non-routine) stains are $9.00. ... a paraffin block, staining, coverslipping and ... (for senile plaques) ,Bodian`s Stain ,Copper ...
... Yeast Whole Genome ChIP-on-chip Microarray is ... yeast (S. cerevisiae) DNA binding proteins ... Agilent DNA microarrays. This set delivers ... with greater true binding events and ...
... S. pombe Whole Genome ChIP-on-chip Microarray ... of yeast (S. pombe) DNA binding ... with Agilent DNA microarrays. This set ... data with greater true binding events ...
... This kit is designed for easy transformation ... protocol allows for successful transformation simply by ... reagents with cultured yeast cells. No complicated ... are required. The kit is particularly well ...
Biology Products: