Science and research

Nanotechnology

What is nanotechnology?

Nanotechnology involves the manipulation of matter at a very small scale – between 1 to 100 nanometres (nm) or 1/100,000th the diameter of a human hair. At this scale properties such as colour, magnetism and electricity conduction may change.

NSW nanoresearch

In NSW and across Australia, scientists are undertaking research of materials/particles at the nanoscale in a variety of different fields including

• physics
• materials science
• chemistry
• robotics
• electronics
• food science and
  
• biotechnology. 

In a number of areas, nanotechnology has made the transition from research topic to commercial product.

Research, development and an increased incorporation of nanotechnologies in products will continue to significantly influence the way products are manufactured both in Australian and elsewhere, including developing economies. Effective, safe and responsible uptake of nanotechnologies in NSW will be important to the State’s economic competitiveness and will underpin knowledge, research, production and manufacturing output.

NICNAS, the National Industrial Chemicals Notification and Assessment Scheme(NICNAS), is part of the Department of Health and Ageing. Its mission is the integrated regulation of industrial chemicals for the protection of human health and the environment through scientific excellence and regulatory efficiency to deliver the safe and sustainable use of chemicals. NICNAS’s nanotechnology page can be found at www.nicnas.gov.au/Current_Issues/Nanotechnology.asp.

The Review of the Possible Impacts of Nanotechnology on Australia’s Regulatory Frameworks released in May 2008, identified areas in need of regulatory review by Government so that risks posed by nanotechnology in the future can be managed.

One of the recommendation from the report stated that NICNAS, and other agencies, should examine the triggers for regulation of substances by those agencies.

NICNAS recently began a review of their regulation of industrial nanomaterials. Several NSW Government agencies, including NSW Trade & Investment, participated in a forum with the Commonwealth and other stakeholders in November 2009 to discuss the reform of industrial nanomaterials. This positive step will provide a significant boost to the safeguards for people working with materials at the nano scale.

NSW Government has been involved with these consultations and will continue to work with the Commonwealth to progress these and other initiatives.