Strategic Plan for NIOSH Nanotechnology Research & Guidance

Nanotechnology is the manipulation of matter on a near-atomic scale to produce new structures, materials, and devices. This technology has the ability to transform many industries and will have numerous applications to areas ranging from medicine to manufacturing. Research in nanoscale technologies is growing rapidly world-wide. By 2015, the National Science Foundation estimates that nanotechnology will have a $1 trillion impact on the global economy and employ 2 million workers, 1 million of which may be in the United States. Nanomaterials may present new challenges to understanding, predicting, and managing potential health risks to workers.