14 DAY TRIAL // The fact that researchers are working very hard towards figuring out whether nanoparticles are harmful to us or the environment, before using them widely, is something to be commended. The work is taking very long, but researchers at the University of Oregon may have just developed a way of accelerating the process.
They recently found a way of applying green chemistry to the production of nanoscale particles. This could lead to the creation of various tiny constructs that do not pose health or environmental hazards. Additionally, nanoparticles could be produced at increased efficiency rates and higher yields.
The group used X-ray scattering techniques and high-precision microscopy in order to figure out how to monitor the dynamics of nanoparticles. “There may be many beneficial applications to nanotechnology, but they are only beneficial if the net benefits outweigh the deleterious implications for human health and the environment,” the team says.