The White Paper on Nanotechnologies: an ethical and social vision of the advances in nanoscience and nanotechnology

by Virginia Greco

The most relevant aspects of nanoscience and nanotechnologies and their impact on society, the environment and human health are discussed in this book, the writing and editing of which was coordinated by researchers from the University of Barcelona and the Catalan Society of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology.

Nanotechnology is developing and branching out rapidly, showcasing its incredible innovative and disruptive potential in a wide range of applications. With such strong progress and impact in many fields also come concerns about safety for humans and the environment related to the use of nanomaterials and nanotechnologies. This need prompted a group of researchers in various fields, experts in ethic and law, as well as communicators to draw up a white paper on nanotechnology.

“The White Paper on Nanotechnologies, an ethical and social vision of the advances in nanoscience and nanotechnology” (Aranzadi, 2021), was written by about 35 experts in different aspects of this topic under the coordination of few researchers from the University of Barcelona –in particular, from the Science and Technology Centres (CCTiUB) and the Institute of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology (IN2UB) of the UB— and the Catalan Society of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology (SCN2). Among them is Dr Maria Tenorio, postdoctoral researcher in the Atomic Manipulation and Spectroscopy Group at the ICN2 and currently Vice-President of SCN2.

This is a position paper on the multidisciplinary field of nanotechnology that discusses its impact on ethical, social, legislative, economic and even educational aspects. The book addresses the most salient aspects of nanoscience and nanotechnologies, but from a broad viewpoint that goes beyond the purely scientific-technical one. The educational community, the public administration, the business sector, the scientific community and civil society organisations are represented in it. Although there are other white papers on the world of nanotechnologies, this is the first one with such a broad and transversal approach.