8. Potential risks of nanoparticles

The use of nanomaterials is becoming very commonplace. According to the European Commission, the global nanotechnology market is expected to reach €1,000 billion a year between 2010 and 2015. Investment in research and development is very high, particularly in the medical field. Beyond the examples of nanoparticle use as antimicrobial reagents mentioned in this article, many other studies are underway. These studies are reinforced by the fact that the majority of known antibiotics only partially kill the pathogens that cause disease. The rapid development of new technologies makes it possible to produce particles of the desired size and shape, and to optimize their antimicrobial activity. Decreasing particle size increases the surface area of contact with microbes, thus significantly boosting efficacy. On the other hand, the nanometric scale of measurement changes the properties and/or...