An examination of existing data for the industrial manufacture and use of nanocomponents and their role in the life cycle impact of nanoproducts.
This work examines the manufacture and use of nanocomponents and how they can affect the life cycle impact of resulting nanoproducts. Available data on the production of nanoproducts and nanocomponents are used to identify the major groups of nanocomponents studied in this paper: inorganic nanoparticles, carbon-based nanomaterials, and specialty/composite materials. A comparison of existing results for life cycle assessments of nanocomponents and nanoproducts is used to possibly identifytrends in nanomanufacturing based on material grouping with regard to nonrenewable energy use and greenhouse gas emissions. Continuing work is needed in this area to incorporate other factors such as toxicity and resource consumption in addition to energy use and global warming potential to fully understand the role of nanomanufacturing in the life cycle of nanoproducts.
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, National Risk Management Research Laboratory, 26 W. Martin Luther King Drive, Cincinnati, Ohio 45268, USA. meyer.david@epa.gov
David E
DE
Meyer
Mary Ann
MA
Curran
Michael A
MA
Gonzalez
D002244:Carbon / Q000737:chemistry; D017752:Greenhouse Effect; D007221:Industry; D007287:Inorganic Chemicals / Q000737:chemistry; D053758:Nanoparticles / Q000737:chemistry; D049329:Nanostructures / Q000737:chemistry*; D036103:Nanotechnology; D043942:Nanotubes / Q000737:chemistry
D007287:Inorganic Chemicals; D002244:Carbon