Risks of nanos in water
By the AVICENN team – Last modification May 2020
Risks of nanos in water
The marketing and use of manufactured nanomaterials has increased considerably since the early 2000s in many fields: cosmetics, textiles, household appliances, sports equipment, glass and construction materials, cars, aeronautics, boats, food, etc.
More and more nanomaterials, nanoparticles or nanoparticle residues are present in water (from wastewater, some continue on to the treatment plants, then into rivers and streams). With what consequences for the aquatic fauna and flora? What about the microorganisms in the soil on which the sludge from the wastewater treatment plant is spread? Concerns are emerging among a growing number of stakeholders. Who is doing what on these different aspects?
On all these questions, only scattered information is available today, often difficult to understand for the non-specialist or addressing only a particular aspect without giving an overall vision.
Therefore, this dossier initiated in 2015 gathers the available information as well as the issues that arise today and could become a problem if no action is taken by the various institutions involved.
It is a base that we wish to complete and update according to the evolution of knowledge: your contributions are welcome!
Our information sheets on the subject
Our latest news
Upcoming Nano Agenda
- Thematic school of the NaMasTE research group (Manufactured Nanomaterials, Toxicology, Ecotoxicology and Risks: towards controlled development)
- Public: engineers, researchers (contract and permanent), PhD students, industrialists and members of associations working on nanomaterials.
- The program includes the physical chemistry, biology and environmental sciences needed to understand the key aspects involved in the controlled development of nanomaterials.
→ Safer-by-design approaches, which integrate analysis of the production, characterization of properties, fate, and impacts (beneficial or harmful) of nanomaterials and products containing them throughout their life cycle - Dates: October 5 to 10, 2025
- Organizers: CNRS
- Website: https://namaste.sciencesconf.org
- Training intended for occupational physicians, occupational risk prevention specialists (IPRP), company prevention specialists, prevention department staff from Carsat, Cramif and CGSS, institutional prevention specialists (Dreets, Dreal, MSA…).
- Organizer: French National institute of research and security (INRS)
- October 6 to 10, 2025
- Website: www.inrs.fr/…/formation/…JA1030_2025
- 3pm – Conference by Irène Frachon on her fight to reveal the dangers of Mediator, the difficulties encountered by whistleblowers in the face of institutional and industrial pressure, and the importance of their role in defending public health.
- 4pm – Round table on the manipulation of scientific information and the defense of whistleblowers moderated by Raphaël Lévy (professor of physics at Sorbonne Paris Nord University, specialist in nanoparticles and their uses in biology, coordinator of the ERC NanoBubbles project dedicated to research into the corrective mechanisms of science), with :
- Maud Bernisson, post-doctoral fellow at LISIS (CNRS), member of the ERC NanoBubbles project, on the mechanisms of influence of pharmaceutical companies in the scientific field.
- Marc Samama, professor, anesthesiologist, co-chairman of the Commission des blocs et plateaux techniques de la CME de l’AP-HP, past Editor-in-Chief of the European Journal of Anaesthesiology, director of the Office de l’Intégrité Scientifique de l’AP-HP.
- Solène Lellinger, Senior Lecturer in the History and Philosophy of Health at Paris Cité University, specializing in the socio-history of medicines and their intersection with medical practices, and in particular the ways in which knowledge and information about medicines are produced.
- Cécile Barrois de Sarigny, Deputy Ombudsman in charge of whistleblower protection.
- With the support of the ERC Synergy NanoBubbles project
- Website: https://u-paris.fr/sante/irene-frachon-a-paris-une-conference-et-une-table-ronde-sur-lintegrite-scientifique
Any questions or comments? This information sheet compiled by AVICENN is intended to be completed and updated. Please feel free to contribute.
File originally created in February 2015