Environmental, Ethical, and Economical Issues of Nanotechnology

Nanotechnology is moving out of its comfort zone of scientific discourse. As new products go to market and national and international organizations roll out public-engagement programs on nanotechnology to discuss environmental and health issues, various sectors of the public are beginning to discuss what the controversy is all about. Nongovernmental organizations have long since reacted; however, now the social sciences have begun to study the cultural phenomenon of nanotechnology, thus extending discourses and opening out nanotechnology to whole new social dimensions. These dimensions and their newly constructed imaginings around nanotechnology intersect with the ecology, health, governance, economy, and illusory futures. There is always a need for more than just an ELSI (ethical, legal, and social implications) sideshow within nanotechnology. The collective public imaginings of nanotechnology include tangles of science and science fiction, local enterprises, and global transformation, all looking forward toward a sustainable future, while looking back on the past debates on science and nature. This book highlights the environmental health and economical concerns of nanotechnology and discusses its future research directions. It provides academia and industry a high-tech start-up that will revolutionize modern practices. With little and outdated literature available on the topic, this timely book will be helpful for the readers as it thoroughly covers the environmental, ethical, and economical issues of nanotechnology.