Waiter, There's NanoTechnology in My Soup: de novo mutations

[Guest guest]

" Chinese researchers have discovered in animal testing that the

absorption of nano-silver could interfere with the replication of DNA

molecules and possibly reroute molecular networks, causing genetic

mutations. "

Pubmed for

autism mutations novo

-> 192 cites, eg 1-3

Waiter, There's a Newfangled Technology in My Soup

The unregulated nanotech industry is spreading through the U.S.

food system.

by Ranallo

August 9, 2011 by OtherWords

<http://www.otherwords.org/articles/waiter_theres_a_newfangled_technology_in_my_\

soup>

The U.S. food system has a new bedfellow, and it may already be on your

plate.

Increasingly, the coatings that keep supermarket produce fresh-looking

and the chemicals used in pesticide-intensive farming are incorporating

nanotechnology --- a technology still in its infancy. Is it safe? And,

perhaps more importantly, is it really necessary?

Nanotechnology, put simply, is the science of manipulating materials at

tiny atomic levels to enhance or create certain novel properties that

can often only be seen with a microscope. In agriculture, one of the

applications of nanotechnology involves increasing the plant surface

area to which toxic pesticides are effectively applied --- reducing the

amount of pesticides needed. The risk? Making the pesticide more

" available " to plants could also make it more available to the

farmworkers that apply it or to the consumers eventually handling the

produce and eating their fruits and veggies.

Currently, like all other U.S. agencies, the Environmental Protection

Agency (EPA) has no regulations to ensure that nanotechnology products

introduced into the market are safe for human health and the

environment. As the estimated 888 million pounds of pesticides applied

annually in the U.S. gradually employ more and more nanotechnology, all

under the EPA's purview, regulators have a lot of catching up to do.

The potential risks identified in laboratory experiments could have

major consequences. For instance, according to the Institute for

Agriculture and Trade Policy's (IATP) latest report, " Racing Ahead: U.S.

Agri-Nanotechnology in the Absence of Regulation, " [4] Chinese

researchers have discovered in animal testing that the absorption of

nano-silver could interfere with the replication of DNA molecules and

possibly reroute molecular networks, causing genetic mutations. While

several companies have applied to allow pesticides with nano-silver into

the marketplace, the EPA believes there are already unapproved and

unregulated pesticides with nano-silver being used....

more

<http://www.otherwords.org/articles/waiter_theres_a_newfangled_technology_in_my_\

soup>

- - - -

1. Exome sequencing in sporadic autism spectrum disorders identifies

severe de novo mutations. <http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21572417>

O'Roak BJ, Deriziotis P, Lee C, Vives L, Schwartz JJ, Girirajan S,

Karakoc E, Mackenzie AP, Ng SB, Baker C, Rieder MJ, Nickerson DA,

Bernier R, Fisher SE, Shendure J, Eichler EE.

Nat Genet. 2011 Jun;43(6):585-9.

2. Copy number variation characteristics in subpopulations of patients

with autism spectrum disorders.

<http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21302340>

Bremer A, Giacobini M, sson M, Gustavsson P, Nordin V, Fernell E,

Gillberg C, Nordgren A, Uppströmer A, Anderlid BM, Nordenskjöld M,

Schoumans J.

Am J Med Genet B Neuropsychiatr Genet. 2011 Mar;156(2):115-24.

3. De novo rates and selection of large copy number variation.

<http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20841430>

Itsara A, Wu H, JD, Nickerson DA, Romieu I, London SJ, Eichler EE.

Genome Res. 2010 Nov;20(11):1469-81.

4. */Racing Ahead: U.S. Agri-Nanotechnology in the Absence of Regulation/*

http://www.iatp.org/documents/racing-ahead-us-agri-nanotechnology-in-the-absence\

-of-regulation

http://www.iatp.org/files/2011.6.29%20AgriNanotech%20SS.pdf

ps: This post may be forwarded hither and yon.