Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
2.1.1 Why Examine Nanotechnology in Fertilizers?
The extensive impact of nanotechnology in our society can already be felt by
examining the widespread use of nanomaterials in consumer products. According
to the Woodrow Wilson Project on Emerging Nanotechnologies, more than 1,600
consumer products currently on the market contain some form of nanotechnology;
that number is double what was seen in 2008 (
http://www.nanotechproject.org/
inventories/consumer
, accessed December 21, 2013). While the fields of
nanoscience and nanotechnology have seen tremendous growth over the past
decade, their applications to the agricultural sector are relatively undeveloped,
particularly in comparison to other areas. For example, patent applications filed
or papers published with the keywords “nano” and “fertilizer” have shown a steady
increase over the past decade but are still relatively few when compared to those
seen containing the keywords “nano” and “pharmaceutical” (
https://scifinder.cas.
org
, accessed January 10, 2014) (see Fig.
2.1
).
This matches trends observed in research funding. The investment from the US
Department of Agriculture into the US National Nanotechnology Initiative
'
s
research budget rose from
11 million in 2013, clearly indicative
of the increasing role that nanotechnology may play in agriculture. However, this
investment is still significantly smaller than the investments from other sectors,
such as the Department of Energy (over
0 in 2001 to over
$
$
350 million in 2013) (
http://
nanodashboard.nano.gov/
,
accessed January 20, 2014). While nanotechnology
applications in agriculture have been somewhat slower to develop, industrial and
academic interest in this field is growing. A series of reviews released over the past
several years have focused on the prospects for nanotechnology in fertilizer and
plant protection products suggesting an increased awareness of the field
$
s potential
(Gogos et al.
2012
; Naderi and Danesh-Shahraki
2013
; Ghormade et al.
2011
; Hong
et al.
2013
; Nair et al.
2010
). In contrast, public perception of all things “nano” is
mixed. Nanotechnology has become something of a buzzword equated with inno-
vation. Conversely, there is the sense in some members of the general public that
anything and everything related to nanotechnology is dangerous. For example,
reports on nanotechnology from the ETC Group and Friends of the Earth called
for a complete ban on nanoscale formulations of agricultural inputs such as
fertilizers and soil treatments, until an appropriate regulatory regime specifically
designed to examine these products finds them safe (ETC Group
2004
; Miller and
Senjen
2008
) Undoubtedly, a clearer picture of the prospective nanomaterials in
fertilizer products and their properties will help inform the conversation that will
need to take place between all stakeholders on this issue, from producers to
regulators to consumers. As the field is relatively immature, there exists an oppor-
tunity to use some foresight and be prepared for the arrival of mass nanotechnology
to fertilizer inputs, allowing industry, researchers, and regulators alike to anticipate
upcoming developments.
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