Extract from the summary:

"Nanotechnology is the production and application of structures, devices and systems by controlling shape and size at the nanometre scale. A nanometre is one millionth of a millimetre.

The applications to which nanotechnologies can be applied are diverse and include electronics, precision engineering and biomedical applications. Similarly, the range of materials that are encompassed under the nanotechnology definition is extensive, and includes nanoparticles, nanocrystals, nanodots, self-assembly monolayers, nanotubes etc.

Two broad categories of nanotechnologies can be described:

-'top-down' nanotechnologies involve creating nanoscale structures by machining and etching techniques;

-'bottom-up' nanotechnologies are the novel synthesis of organic and inorganic structures, atom by atom, or molecule by molecule.

From an occupational health perspective, one key issue that arises from the development of nanotechnologies is the potential toxicological properties associated with exposure to materials in the nanometre size range. In this context, exposure to nanometre particulate or fibrous material that has the potential to become airborne is of particular relevance."

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