I Wonder?

[Guest guest]

This article describes a new technology that allowed the National Institute of

Standards and Technology www.nist.gov to measure smaller particles than were

ever able to be measured before. While the function of this agency is to partner

with private business, in making their " products " better, I wonder if this same

technology can be used to " measure " , for the first time, the mycotoxins that are

making us deathly ill?

Does anyone have any ideas, or suggestions, on how we can make this happen? If

we are able to " measure " mycotoxin particles, it would go a long way towards

recognition that we are not crazy, and might even prompt government efforts to

help us with our illness.

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More And Smaller Nanoparticles Than Previously Detected In The Home14 Nov

2008   

Extremely small nanoscale particles are released by common kitchen appliances in

abundant amounts, greatly outnumbering the previously detected, larger-size

nanoparticles emitted by these appliances, according to new findings* by

researchers at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST).

So-called " ultrafine particles " (UFP) range in size from 2 to 10 nanometers.

They are emitted by motor vehicles and a variety of indoor sources and have

attracted attention because of increasing evidence that they can cause

respiratory and cardiovascular illnesses.

NIST researchers conducted a series of 150 experiments using gas and electric

stoves and electric toaster ovens to determine their impacts on indoor levels of

nano-sized particles. Previous studies have been limited to measuring particles

with diameters greater than 10 nm, but new technology used in these experiments

allowed researchers to measure down to 2 nm particles - approximately 10 times

the size of a large atom.

This previously unexplored range of 2 to 10 nm contributed more than 90 percent

of all the particles produced by the electric and gas stovetop burners/coils.

The gas and electric ovens and the toaster oven produced most of their UFP in

the 10 nm to 30 nm range.

The results of this test should affect future studies of human exposure to

particulates and associated health effects, particularly since personal exposure

to these indoor UFP sources can often exceed exposure to the outdoor UFP.

Researchers will continue to explore the production of UFP by indoor sources.

Many common small appliances such as hair dryers, steam irons and electric power

tools include heating elements or motors that may produce UFP. People often use

these small appliances at close range for relatively long times, so exposure

could be large even if the emissions are low.

The experiments were conducted in a three-bedroom test house at NIST that is

equipped to measure ventilation rates, environmental conditions and contaminant

concentrations.

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Article adapted by Medical News Today from original press release.

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* L. Wallace, F. Wang, C. - and A. Persily. Contribution of gas and

electric stoves to residential ultrafine particle concentrations between 2 and

64 nm: Size distributions and emission and coagulation rates. Environmental

Science and Technology, DOI 10.1021/es801402v, published online Oct. 30, 2008.