奈米科技的健康風險管理

Health Risk Management of Nanotechnologies

鄭尊仁(Tsun-Jen Cheng) ； 林宜平(Yi-Ping Lin) ； 雷侑蓁(Yu-Chen Lei)

《台灣公共衛生雜誌》 25卷3期 (2006/06) Pp. 169-176

https://doi.org/10.6288/TJPH2006-25-03-01

摘要

近年來隨著奈米科技的發展，奈米材料可能的健康危害也開始引發關注，為了預防奈米微粒可能產生的健康危害，有需要進行健康風險管理。健康風險管理的基礎是健康風險評估，目前奈米毒理學家認為與健康危害有關的奈米材料主要是游離奈米微粒材質，與這些微粒毒性有關的因子，包括粒徑、表面積、表面特性及形狀等，不過奈米材料毒理研究尚在起步階段，測試的奈米材料也還有限，目前研究顯示奈米微粒進入呼吸道後可引起肺部發炎及纖維化反應，在疾病動物引起血栓。至於劑量反應評估，目前只有極少數資料，比較值得注意的是有些疾病動物比較容易受到奈米微粒影響。奈米微粒可經由呼吸道、皮膚或腸胃道進入人體，不過目前奈米微粒的量測儀器多屬研究用途，暴露評估相關資料很少，所以根據目前的科學證據，仍無法推估奈米微粒之健康風險。英國及歐盟為預防新興科技對人體及環境造成重大危害，在進行奈米科技的初步風險分析之後，即開始調查民眾的風險認知，建議修訂或增添現有法規，並對奈米科技的健康風險管理提出建議。

關鍵字

奈米科技 ； 奈米毒理學 ； 健康風險評估 ； 健康風險管理

並列摘要

Objective: With the advent of nanotechnologies, potential health hazards of nanoparticles have raised great concern. To prevent the potential hazards of new materials, health risk management of nanotechnologies is necessary. Health risk assessment is the basis of risk management. Currently, nanotoxicologists agree that it is the free nanomaterials that may cause health hazards, and the factors associated with hazards are its size, surface area, coating and shape. However, the toxicity studies of nanoparticles are limited on few materials. Studies have shown that nanoparticles can cause lung inflammation and fibrosis, and thrombosis in diseased animals. The dose-response relationship for nanoparticles is not clear. However, it is noted that diseased animals are more susceptible to nanoparticle exposure. Nanoparticles may enter human bodies through inhalation, ingestion and skin penetration. Because of the lack of portable measurement instruments, the data on exposure assessment remain limited. Thus, based on our current knowledge, it is not possible to draw a conclusion on risk characterization on nanoparticles. Further, we review the risk analysis reports from the United Kingdom and the European Commission. In order to manage the risk of nanotechnologies, they suggest launching an incremental process using existing legislative structures.

並列關鍵字

Nanotechnologies ； Nanotoxicology ； Health Risk Assessment ； Health Risk Management

參考文獻

The Royal Society and the Royal Academy of Engineering. Nanoscience and nanotechnologies: opportunities and uncertainties

(2004).Service RF. Nanotechnology grows up. Science.(Service RF. Nanotechnology grows up. Science).

Action Group on Erosion, Technology and Concentration (ETC Group). The Big Down

Response to the Royal Society and Royal Academy Report: Nanoscience and nanotechnologies: opportunities and uncertainties

European Commission. Nanotechnologies: a preliminary risk analysis on the basis of a workshop organized in Brussels on 1–2 March 2004 by the Health and Consumer Protection Directorate General of the European Commission