Over on Twitter, Ernst Poulsen said today that he had also written the author of the article in Ugebrevet A4 to ask for clarification on his claims that the nano-technology found in an iPod Nano was a health issue.
Apparently, the information stems from a report made by Danish Ministry of the Environment (or “Environmental Protection Agency” (EPA)) in 2006 called “Kortlægning af produkter der indeholder nanopartikler eller er baseret på nanoteknologi [Mapping products that contain nano particles or are based on nano technology]“. In it, they write the following:
The business magazine Forbes has for the past years identified the products with the greatest potential among Nanotech Brief’s selected consumer products. In table 1.1 you will see the latest ones, and both i-Pod [sic], cosmetics, sports equipment, fabrics, painting and glass is marketed and sold based on their nano technical qualities. - page 12, translated by me
The link they provide is to this article: “Top Nano Products Of 2005“. If you view the slideshow, you’ll read the following in the description of the iPod Nano:
Tiny Chips Are Suddenly Hip – Apple Computer’s iPod Nano
Apple Computer’s latest marketing campaign for the 4 GB pencil-thin iPod Nano player may be the event that kicks public awareness into overdrive. But does this device represent nanotechnology or marketing hype? The answer is “yes” on both counts. Inside the iPod Nano are memory chips from Samsung and Toshiba. Samsung, the biggest producer of NAND and DRAM flash memory chips in the world, uses semiconductor manufacturing methods with precision below 100 nanometers. This precision, in part, is what enables the iPod Nano’s 4 GB NAND flash memory.
This means that EPA must have made a mistake, because on page 7 they write the following:
Electronic products with nano technologically produced chips deep inside the products are not included in this mapping. - page 7, translated by me
In the report, they categorize the iPod Nano as having a “nano structured film”, which “consists of checkered film in layers, where the film is in nano scale thickness and dimensions of the surface pattern is at nano scale level. In this category, you will find many of the read-write heads that is used in hard drives, but also lab-on-a-chip systems.” (page 15).
In other words, they categorize the iPod Nano as having a “nano structured film”, which they base on an article that says the chip inside the device is produced by semiconductor manufacturing methods. The very same category they dismissed as having anything to do with the basis of their investigation in the report.
Had the iPod had a nano structured film (I don’t think this particular model in 2006 had, but I’m not sure ), they categorize it under products that “possibly gives exposure” to nano material. However, they can not determine a daily or yearly exposure, yet they assess a certain amount of wear and tear, with a consequent release, is to be expected. (Page 35)
With this being said, the report is still worth reading. In particular, one should pay close attention to page 9. I let Google translate the interesting paragraphs, and highlighted what particularly caught my eye:
A risk assessment of nanomaterials in consumer products will normally contain a risk assessment of the relevant chemical substances in nano-size products. Here would be the first challenge to identify what chemicals are involved and in what concentrations they are part of the products. This knowledge is held by producers, but information about the chemical and its characteristics are confidential. It has therefore not been possible to obtain data on the composition of the specific, identified products.
It is important to point out that the scenarios for potential exposure to the current knowledge is theoretical. The scenarios can not estimate whether there is a risk associated with use of the product due to a lack of knowledge about whether the substance in nano form can actually be absorbed.
There have been no consumer products with nanomaterials in the free state. - [there is now, and that's the kind of product the article in Ugebrevet A4 originally pointed out had been redacted from the market]
It is estimated that products in the category ‘Nanoparticles suspended in liquids’ offers the greatest possibility of exposure of consumers because there will typically be a liquid product for example. coatings or for cosmetic use on skin. Products in aerosol form is likely to cause exposure both by inhalation and skin contact.
In conclusion, this is not to dismiss the work scientists investigating the hazards with nano particles in aerosol form are doing, but to point out that I’d like tech journalists to do better when investigating cases like this.