Nanoparticles Cause Brain Injury in Fish

[Peter Lemkin]

This is a little known problem, outside of a small group of Environmental research scientists. The use of nanoparticles is growing rapidly. They have both nominally good and bad uses in nearly all branches of science and applied technology. Most are not intended to wind up in the general environment, but do - as with other environmental pollution. Others are intentionally put into the environment, without much thought about the ecosystem and longterm effects - having been designed for a specific purpose - usually an immediate 'fix'. Many of these nanoparticles have now found to be toxic to some or all life forms. There are some scientists and several universities now concentrating on quantifying the effects and the mechanisms. Generally, the particles are too small for the normal clearance mechanisms in the organisms to function properly. In other cases, the nanoparticles are too 'active' chemically [for example nanosilver] to be 'handled' by the organism's biochemical defenses - they are also novel and organisms have had zero time to adapt to them, evolutionarily. They are a growing problem and rapidly causing a growingly disproportionate part of toxic environmental substances. :mexican: :joystick: Humans are their own worst enemy...if only more would realize it and adopt a more 'natural' approach to how we proceed. Nanoparticles are something you'll hear a lot about in the future, mostly in the negative sense. Most are not aware how pervasive they now are and are quickly becoming. Have any 'odor-eating' shoes or clothes..they contain nanosilver. Etc. Often hundreds of tons of nanoparticles, often toxic, are dumped into the environment for various reasons - or find their way into the environment through the waste streams. A serious and growing problem....the very small making a very BIG problem!!!!!!!