The " Nanno " question !

Scientific discoveries have accelerated at amazing speed in the past century.   The computer and the mobile phone have changed our lifestyle immeasurably and there is every reason to think that there is still much more to come, but the wise will remember that Newton's law will apply.   " To every action there will be an equal and opposite reaction ".

One of the least understood areas of science has been the ability to manufacture what has become known as " Nannoparticles ".    We have learned how to grind matter so finely that thousands of these little particles will fit onto the point of a needle, and that has opened us a treasure trove of uses which is being rapidly exploited.

In particular, Nannoparticles are now the primary ingredient in sunscreen, a product we freely slap on the skin of children to protect them from harmful ultra violet rays that can cause skin cancer - and deadly Melanoma.   In recent years, all sun lovers have been urged to use sunscreen as part of our national sun safety campaigns.

A disturbing fact about Nannoparticles has come to light.  For reasons that are still not clear, they cause rapid deterioration of Colorbond applied to metal surfaces.   What has some people worried is the sheer magnitude of that deterioration.  It is rated at a measure of a hundred times of normal expose to the elements.

Science reports that there is no evidence to suggest that a similar hazard exists to human skin, but while no evidence has emerged so far, that does not prove that Nannoparticles are harmless when used in a sun screen.  European laws will come into effect in July, mandating that the presence and quantity of Nannoparticles present in any product must be clearly stated on the label.   We have no such requirement in the pipeline here.

The actual product used in sun screen is Anatase Titanium  Dioxide.  Concern is being expressed that we need to know more about how this product reacts with human skin, and we need to have a warning on those products using it so that customers have a choice when making a purchase.

Just about every new discovery made by science brings a benefit, but it also has a down side.  The age of computer communication was blighted by - SPAM.   The personal mobile phone ensured we were never completely free of the problems from work.   The list seems endless !

It may be that Nannoparticles are harmless in sun screen, but the jury is still out on that question.   It would certainly do no harm to list the ingredients to enable buyers to make a personal choice on such a basic health issue !