Nanoparticles in fossil and mineral fuel sectors and their impact on environment and human health: A review and perspective

Nanoscience and technology have enabled better insights into the environmental health impacts arising from mining, production use of fossil mineral fuels. Here we provide an overview nanoscience-based applications discoveries concerning coal fuel (i.e., uranium-containing minerals) refining/production, use, disposal wastes. These processes result in massive nanoparticle release secondary generation which highly significant implications human consequences on local, regional, even global levels. Until recently, very little was known about fractions. Recent advancements sophistications enable us to detect, collect study these materials are roughly 1 nm (0.001 ?m) up several tens nanometers size. behave differently (chemically, electrically, mechanically), relative their macroscopic equivalents. This is what makes nanoscience fascinating difficult predict, underscoring importance this emerging new field. For example, nanoparticles associated with influence release, uptake, transportation hazardous elements processing, waste storage surrounding areas. includes long distance transport down streams, rivers, eventually oceans such as uranium mine drainages. In terms health, all phases production/refining, disposal, can be acquired through oral ingestion, inhalation, dermal absorption. Inhalation has been shown particularly damaging, where lung, heart, kidney, brain diseases prevalent. Relative other fields science engineering production, clean-up efforts, nanoscience, although a much newer field then rest by comparison, still greatly under-represented under-utilized. There also continuing gap between so far know behavior nanoparticles, remains discovered.