United Kingdom and Nanotechnology

Nanotechnology

New technology has been considered by governments, business leaders, industry stakeholders, and the educational sector as the key towards promoting and ensuring economic growth, especially in relation to the manufacturing sector. Some of the major technologies that have emerged in the recent past include nanotechnology and biotechnology. Nanotechnology is considered a major technology for growth because it provides an important opportunity to deal with global challenges. According to The British Standards Institution (BSI), nanotechnology is the development, characterization, production and utilization of systems, structures and devices through directing the size and shape in the nanoscale (Materials UK, 2010). Since its adoption in the United Kingdom (UK), nanotechnology has continued to evolve towards promoting economic growth. Consequently, there are some implications of the growth of the nanotechnology sector in the United Kingdom.

Background of the Nanotechnology Sector in the UK

The adoption of nanotechnology in the UK can be traced back to 2009 when the government declared its intention to create a UK Strategy for nanotechnologies (HM Government, 2010). The government launched UK Nanotechnologies Strategy as part of its devotion to the effective and safe creation of these technologies. The Strategy was developed and adopted based on the premise that nanotechnologies have the potential to provide improvements for UK consumers. The other reasons for development and adoption of nanotechnologies are their potential to help maintain constant recovery and growth of the country's manufacturing industry and help in dealing with global challenges. The Strategy was developed on the premise that the safe, responsible and sustained use of emerging and enabling technologies meets the needs of the public as well as education and industry sectors.

Nanotechnologies have been applied in different areas in UK's economy including business, innovation and industry, regulation, environmental, health and safety research, and the wider world as shown in Figure 1 below. The aim of applying nanotechnologies in business, industry and innovation is to create nanotechnologies industries with good relations and support from the government in an integrated, transparent, skilled, and responsible manner. In environmental, health and safety research, the aim is to promote better understanding of risks linked to using and exposing nanomaterials and ensuring they are assessed by people with the right skills. From a regulatory perspective, nanotechnologies adoption is geared towards establishment of better informed regulations and policies associated with nanomaterials and nanotechnologies. For the wider world, the aim of adopting nanotechnologies is to help ensure the United Kingdom plays a leading role in nanotechnologies on the world stage (HM Government, 2010). The end-use application of nanotechnologies is in various sectors including aerospace, electronics and ICT, automotive, space, green technologies, and food and drink.

Figure 1: Nanotechnology Areas in the United Kingdom

Source: HM Government 2010, UK Nanotechnologies Strategy: Small Technologies, Great Opportunities, HM Government, viewed 28 December 2016,

Ethical Issues Involved

Developments in science and technology including nanotechnology in the United Kingdom do not occur in a social and ethical vacuum. Nanotechnologies are associated with some significant social and ethical concerns because of the underlying science and engineering involved in their application and use. Applications of a technology like nanotechnology are typically associated with some ethical concerns/issues. The significant ethical issues associated with nanotechnologies are attributable to their wide range of basic science, engineering approaches, and general methods (The Royal Society, 2004).

One of the ethical issues involved in the growth of nanotechnology sector in the UK is environmental and health risks associated with some nanomaterials. This is a major concern given that the UK public is largely unaware of the existing nanomaterials and products that are currently in the market. While this sector can provide consumers with many new benefits brought by the development of more advanced products, there is lack of scientific understanding regarding the risks associated with manufacturing nanoparticles. This contributes to the emergence of environmental and health issues that are exacerbated by the failure to address these risks as a matter of priority (Materials UK, 2010).

The second ethical issue is associated with the safety of nanomaterials or nanoparticles given the growth of the nanotechnology sector in the United Kingdom. This issue emerges from the existing gaps in knowledge regarding the safety of materials or particles associated with these technologies. This ethical issue is also attributable to transparency concerns because of the need for openness regarding uncertainties that are linked to some nanomaterials. Transparency concerns emerge because of the need to ensure industry, regulators and consumers have adequate information regarding the usage, efficiency and benefits of nanomaterials.

Public engagement is also a major issue in the growth of nanotechnology sector in the UK given the significance of involving the public in development and meaningful discussions about application of nanotechnologies. There are concerns regarding who manages/controls nanotechnologies and who will benefit from their applications (The Royal Society, 2014).

There are also ethical concerns about individual or group privacy in relation to the development and growth of nanotechnologies in the UK. These concerns are fueled by the fact the increased growth in this sector would contribute to the convergence between nanotechnologies and IT, which will in turn promote the development of devices that can enhance personal security. As these devices are developed, they could be used to gather and transmit personal information without consent as part of covert surveillance.

Interaction of Nanotechnology and Society

Despite the ethical issues involved in the growth of this sector, the increase application of nanotechnologies in the UK has had considerable impacts on the society. According to The Manufacturer (2013), the United Kingdom is ranked third in the world in terms of the number of nanotechnology companies operating in the country as of 2010. This is linked to the fact that the wider community of manufacturers in the country has adopted nanotechnology for production processes as shown in Figure 2 below. In this case, nanotechnology is used by various manufacturers to create devices, systems and materials through controlling matter at a microscopic level (The Manufacturer, 2013). This process is increasingly utilized because nanostructured materials can help improve various products due to their wide range of properties.

While nanotechnology is a concept in the field of science and technology, it's a social construction that was introduced in the greater societal discourse to refer to ongoing research in materials science and solid-state physics (Tahan, 2006). In the UK, nanotechnology interacts with the society through providing emerging and enabling capabilities to create more advanced products. Given its application in various fields, nanotechnology has considerable socioeconomic impacts. Nanotechnology impacts commodity markets through increasing demand for mineral, agricultural, and other non-fuel commodities/products. Nanotechnologies impact the commodity markets through providing new ways for exploitation of natural resources that could result in economic development and improved public welfare (Allhoff & Lin, 2008). Additionally, nanoparticles interact with plants, ecosystems, microorganisms, and animals through the production processes. The interactions between nanoparticles and the environment generate significant ethical concerns through exposing handlers, consumers, and the public to potentially harmful materials. However, nanotechnologies have the capability to provide wide societal benefits through production of healthier foods or enhancing environmentally friendly packaging of food items (UK Parliament, n.d.).

Figure 2: Market Application Focus of UK Nanotechnologies Companies as of 2010

Source: HM Government 2010, UK Nanotechnologies Strategy: Small Technologies, Great Opportunities, HM Government, viewed 28 December 2016,

Currently, nanotechnology adoption in the UK has been characterized by development of mature products in developmental and growth stages (Materials UK, 2010). The evolution of mature products can be attributable to the use of nanotechnology in production/manufacturing processes over the past decades. Some of the mature products that have evolved following the application of nanotechnologies range from consumer products through electronic products to medical products and plastics and coatings. Additionally, companies in the United Kingdom are shifting towards rapid development of more advanced products through using or applying nanotechnologies in their production/manufacturing processes. In light of recent trends, UK has played a major role in creation of international standards for nanotechnologies.

Funding Models for Research and Development

The United Kingdom's nanotechnology sector has strong research and development (R&D) backup from universities and other academic-related institutions (Aitken, Chaudhry, Boxall & Hull, 2006). Research and development in UK's nanotechnology sector is fueled by the need to obtain more information regarding exposure to nanoparticles and other issues relating to the end usage of these technologies. The need for more research and development is also attributable to the continued growth of nanotechnology industry and market. More research in this field is also vital to address the existing ethical concerns and to effectively evaluate nanotechnology risks to manufacturers, consumers, and the public in general.

Currently, the UK utilizes a top-down model for funding research and development in nanotechnology. Through this model, funding is allocated to the Cooperation specific programme in which financing is provided in various thematic segments linked to challenges, technologies, and parts (Department of Business Innovation & Skills, 2011). Moreover, the funding is awarded to cross-border groups of researcher from research institutes, academia, and industry. On the other hand, individual researchers to conduct comprehensive studies in latest frontier research across disciplines by Ideas specific programme. While these measures have helped in generating world-class research in the nanotechnology sector, the growth of the industry has contributed to the need for new funding models for R&D. In light of the sector's growth, UK future funding for R&D should be based on two major pillars that deal with a Knowledge/Technology Push and a Challenge Pull. The Knowledge/Technology Push should be geared towards investing in key areas/technologies that would help address future challenges through top-down and bottom-up funding mechanisms. In contrast, the Challenge Pull should focus on addressing socio-economic challenges relating to nanotechnology.

Health and Environment Impact

Even though human beings have been exposed to nanoparticles for a long period of time, engineered nanoparticles through nanotechnology has considerable health and environmental impacts. Some of the health and environmental concerns in the growth of nanotechnology sector in the UK include high amounts of solvents, persistent soil and water pollutants, energy inefficiencies and storage issues, and production of harmful chemicals during manufacturing (The Royal Society, 2004). Nanotechnology handlers, consumers and users are exposed to a series of chemical reagents and physical processes that are potentially harmful to their health. The health impact of the growth of nanotechnology sector is attributable to the toxicity of nanoparticles and fibers whereas the environmental impact emerges from pollution associated with nanotechnological processes and pollutant nanoparticles. The health and environmental impact of nanotechnology is linked to the physical and chemical attributes of nanomaterials.