Group 5 - ERION Nanotechnology PDF

Group 5 - ERION The introduction of GMOs in our country created issues and controversies similar to other countries with GMOs.There are, of course, proponents and opponents of these issues. The GMO concern started in the 1990s with the creation of the National Committee on Biosafety of...

Group 5 - ERION The introduction of GMOs in our country created issues and controversies similar to other countries with GMOs.There are, of course, proponents and opponents of these issues. The GMO concern started in the 1990s with the creation of the National Committee on Biosafety of the Philippines (NCBP) through Executive Order No. 430 of 1990. The NCBP developed the guidelines on the planned release of genetically manipulated organisms (GMOs) and potentially harmful exotic species in 1998.  In 2002, the Department of Agriculture released Administrative Order No. 8, the guideline for the importation and release into the environment of GM plants and plant products. On that same year, the entry of GMO importation started (Baumuller, 2003). The Philippines was marked to be the first country in Asia to approved commercial cultivation of GMOs when GM corn planting was approved in 2002 (Serapio & Dela Cruz, 2016). From December 2002 to present, there are 70 GMO applications approved by the Department of Agriculture for the release to the environment, 62 GMOs of which are approved for food feed and processing and the remaining 8 were approved for propagation (Aruelo, 2016). In 2004, the Philippines was classified by International Service for acquisition of agri- biotech applications as one of the fourteen biotech-mega countries which grow 50,000 hectares or more of GMO crops annually (James, 2004). In that same year, Senator Juan Flavier authored a bill on the mandatory labeling of food and food products with GMOs. The Senate did not pass the bill. Senator Juan Flavier In 2006, the Philippines became part of the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety. In the same year, Executive Order No. 514 was issued to address the biosafety requirements of the Cartagena Protocol and the establishment of the National Biosafety Framework (NBF). In 2010, the Organic Agriculture Act was issued, encouraging organic agriculture than GMO-related agriculture. Prior to this act, there are several provinces like Negros Occidental and Negros Oriental which agreed to support organic agriculture. There was the establishment of the Negros Organic Island through a memorandum of agreement (MOA) between the two provinces in 2005. With this MOA, the two provinces were able to ban the entry of GMOs and living GMOs to their provinces through provincial ordinance. Similar to this case, Davao City passed the Organic Agriculture Ordinance in 2010. This city ordinance helps the prevention of field testing of GM Bt eggplant in the UP Mindanao Campus (Aruelo, 2016). In 2012, Representative Teddy Casiño, together with other congressmen, filed a bill pushing for the mandatory labeling of GM food and food products. To date, there is no Philippine biosafety law, only biosafety regulations formed under NBF. A study on the biosafety regulations of the Philippine: concluded that the existing regulation is weak, which can be fixed through legislation such as a republic act (Richmond, 2006). In December 2015, the Supreme Court ordered to put an end to the field testing of GMO Bt eggplant and declared Administrative Order No. 8, series of 2002 of the Department of Agriculture as null and void. This means that any actions or procedures related to GMO importations and propagation are temporarily put to stop until a new administrative order is issued in accordance with the law In March 7, 2016, five government agencies namely, the Department of Science and Technology, Department of Agriculture, Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Department of Health, and Department of the Interior and Local Government, passed a Joint Department Circular No. 1, series of 2016 on rules and regulations for the research and development, handling and use, transboundary movement, release in the environment, and management of the genetically modified plant and plant products derived from the use of modern biotechnology. This joint department circular paves way to issuance of new permits for planting and importing GM crops in the country. DOST DOA DENR DOH DILG LESSON 4 LESSON OBJECTIVES: At the end of this lesson, the students should be able to: define nanotechnology; characterize nanoscale; describe various uses of nanotechnology; discuss concerns on the use of nanotechnology; and explain the status of the nanotechnology in the Philippines  Scientific researchers have developed new technological tools that greatly improve different aspects of our lives. The use of nanoscale is one important interdisciplinary area generated by advancement in science and technology. Scientists and engineers were able to build materials with innovative properties as they manipulate nanomaterials. Indeed, research and application of knowledge on nanomaterials will continue to bring widespread implications in various areas of the society, especially health care, environment, energy, food, water, and agriculture.  Nanotechnology refers to the science, engineering, and technology conducted at the nanoscale, which is about 1 to 100 nanometers (NNI, 2017). Nanoscience and nanotechnology employs the study and application of exceptionally small things in other areas of science including materials science, engineering, physics, biology, and chemistry (NNI, 2017).  The concepts of nanotechnology and nanoscience started in December 29, 1959 when Physicist Richard Feynman discussed a method in which scientists can direct and control individual atoms and molecules in his talk "There's Plenty of Room at the Bottom" during the American Physical Society meeting at the California Institute of Technology. Richard Feynman  The term "nanotechnology" was coined by Professor Norio Taniguchi a decade after the dawn of the use of ultraprecision machining (NNI, 2017). Norio Taniguchi How Small is a Nanoscale? A nanometer is a billionth of a -9 meter, or 10 of a meter. How to View Nanomaterials? Scientists use special types of microscopes to view minute nanomaterials.  1. Electron microscope 1. German engineers Ernst Ruska and Max Knoll built the first electron microscope during the 1930s utilizes a particle beam of electrons to light up a specimen and develop a well-magnified image. Max Knoll Ernst Ruka  1. Electron microscope 1. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) and transmission electron microscope (TEM) are the two general types of electron microscope. TEM SEM  2. Atomic force microscope (AFM) first developed by Gerd Binig, Calvin Quate, and Christoph Gerber in 1986 makes use of a mechanical probe that gathers information from the surface of a material Christoph Gerber Calvin Quate Gerd Binig AFM 3. Scanning tunneling microscope enables scientists to view and manipulate nanoscale particles, atoms, and small molecules In 1986, Gerd Binig and Heinrich Rohrer won the Nobel Prize in Physics because of this invention. Heinrich Rohrer Gerd Binig Scanning tunneling microscope Nanomanufacturing scaled-up, reliable, and cost-effective manufacturing of nanoscale materials, structures, devices, and systems involves research, improvement, and incorporation of processes for the construction of materials. 2 fundamental approaches to nanomanufacturing! 1. Bottom-up fabrication 1. manufactures products by building them up from atomic and molecular-scale components. can be time-consuming 2 fundamental approaches to nanomanufacturing! 2. Top-down fabrication trims down large pieces of materials into nanoscale needs larger amounts of materials and discards excess raw materials.  There are new approaches to the assembly of nanomaterials based from the application of principles in top- down and bottom-up fabrication. These are the following: Dip pen lithography It is a method in which the tip of an atomic force microscope is "dipped" into a chemical fluid and then utilized to "write" on a surface, like an old- fashioned ink pen onto paper. Self-assembly It depicts an approach wherein a set of components join together to mold an organized structure in the absence of an outside direction. Chemical vapor deposition It is a procedure wherein chemicals act in response to form very pure, high-performance films. Nanoimprint lithography It is a method of generating nanoscale attributes by "stamping" or "printing" them onto a surface. Molecular beam epitaxy It is one manner for depositing extremely controlled thin films. Roll-to-roll processing It is a high-volume practice for constructing nanoscale devices on a roll of ultrathin plastic or metal. Atomic layer epitaxy It is a means for laying down one-atom-thick layers on a surface. With the use of these techniques, nanomaterials are made more durable, stronger, lighter, water-repellent, ultraviolet- or infrared- resistant, scratch-resistant, electrically conductive, antireflective, antifog, antimicrobial, self-cleaning, among others. The mentioned characteristics lead to the manufacture of the present variety of nanotechnology-enabled products such as tennis rackets and baseball bats to catalysts for purifying crude oil and ultrasensitive recognition and classification of biological and chemical toxins. Distinct Features of Nanoscale Nanotechnology involves operating at a very small dimension and it allows scientists to make use of the exceptional optical, chemical, physical, mechanical, and biological qualities of materials of that small scale (NNI, 2017). The following are distinct features of nanoscale: Distinct Features of Nanoscale 1. Scale at which biology occurs 1. Various activities of the cells take place at the nanoscale. A good number of modern researches focus on advancing procedures, therapies, tools, and treatments that are more accurate and custom- made than traditional, methods and cause no adverse effects on the body. Distinct Features of Nanoscale 1. Scale at which biology occurs 1. An example of this is the bio-barcode assay, which is a fairly inexpensive approach for identification of specific disease markers in the blood despite their small number in a particular specimen. Distinct Features of Nanoscale 2. Scale at which quantum effects dominate properties of materials Particles with dimensions of 1-100 nanometers have properties that are significantly discrete from particles of bigger dimensions. Quantum effects direct the behavior and properties of particles in this size scale. Distinct Features of Nanoscale 2. Scale at which quantum effects dominate properties of materials The properties of materials are highly dependent on their size. Among the essential properties of nanoscale that change as a function of size include chemical reactivity, fluorescence, magnetic permeability, melting point, and electrical conductivity. Distinct Features of Nanoscale 2. Scale at which quantum effects dominate properties of materials One example is the nanoscale gold, in which its electrons display restricted motion in the nanoscale. Practically, nanoscale gold particles selectively build up in tumors, where they permit both precise imaging and targeted laser destruction of the tumor while avoiding damage on healthy cells.  Government Funding for Nanotechnology in Different Countries (Dayrit, 2005) 1.) U.S. National Nanotechnology Initiative best-known and most-funded program established in 2001 to coordinate U.S. federal nanotechnology R&D. budget in 2008 and 2009 were $1.4 billion and $1.5 billion, respectively.  Government Funding for Nanotechnology in Different Countries (Dayrit, 2005) 2.) European Commission launched the European Nanoelectronics Initiative Advisory Council (ENIAC).in February 2008 3.) Japan (Nanotechnology Research Institute, under the National Institute for Advanced Industrial Science and Technology, AIST)  Government Funding for Nanotechnology in Different Countries (Dayrit, 2005) 4.) Taiwan (Taiwan National Science and Technology Program for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology) 5.) India (Nanotechnology Research and Education Foundation) 6.) China (National Center for Nanoscience and Technology)  Government Funding for Nanotechnology in Different Countries (Dayrit, 2005) 7.) Israel (Israel National Nanotechnology Initiative) 8.) Australia (Australian Office of Nanotechnology) 9.) Canada (National Institute for Nanotechnology or NINT)  Government Funding for Nanotechnology in Different Countries (Dayrit, 2005) 10.) South Korea (Korea National Nanotechnology Initiative) 11.) Thailand (National Nanotechnology Center or NANOTEC) 12.) Malaysia (National [Malaysia] Nanotechnology Initiatives or NNI) Nanotech Roadmap for the Philippines (funded by PCAS- TRD-DOST) 1.) ICT and semiconductors 6.) Health and 2.) Health and biomedical environmental risks 3.) Energy 7.) Nano-metrology 4.) Environment 8.) Education and public awareness 5.) Agriculture and food Benefits and Concerns of Using Nanotechnology Nanotechnology has various applications in different sectors of the society and environment. Salamanca-Buentello et al. (2005) proposed an initiative called "Addressing Global Challenges Using Nanotechnology" to accelerate the use of nanotechnology to address critical sustainable development challenges. Fabio Salamanca-Buentello Benefits and Concerns of Using Nanotechnology They suggested a model that could help figure out the possible contributions of the community in overcoming global challenges that pose risk on health and other aspects of peoples' lives. However, there are concerns that need to be addressed before using and promoting materials derived from nanotechnology (Dayrit, 2005). Fabio Salamanca-Buentello Benefits and Concerns of Using Nanotechnology 1.) Nanotechnology is not a single technology; it may become pervasive. 2.) Nanotechnology seeks to develop new materials with specific properties. 3.) Nanotechnology may introduce new efficiencies and paradigms which may make some natural resources and current practices uncompetitive or obsolete. 4.) It may be complicated to detect its presence unless one has the specialist tools of nanotechnology.  Table 2. Benefits and Concerns of the Application of Nanotechnology in Different Areas Example of Areas Affected by Possible Benefits Concerns Nanotechnology - Improved detection - High reactivity and removal of and toxicity contaminants - Pervasive Environment - Development of distribution in the benign industrial environment processes and - No nano-specific materials EPA regulation  Table 2. Benefits and Concerns of the Application of Nanotechnology in Different Areas Example of Areas Affected by Possible Benefits Concerns Nanotechnology - Ability to cross cell membranes and translocate in the body Health - Improved medicine - No FDA approval needed for cosmetics or supplements  Table 2. Benefits and Concerns of the Application of Nanotechnology in Different Areas Example of Areas Affected by Possible Benefits Concerns Nanotechnology - Redistribution of - Better products wealth - New jobs - Potential cost of Economy cleanups and healthcare - Accessibility to all income levels Social and Ethical Considerations in Conducting Research on Nanotechnology 1.) Who will benefit from it? On the other hand, who won't? 2.) For whom and what are your objectives for developing your" product? 3.) How will it affect social, economic, and political relationships? 4.) What problem is your "product" trying to solve? Social and Ethical Considerations in Conducting Research on Nanotechnology 5.) Who will have access to it? Who will be excluded? 6.) Are there dangers involved with its development (e.g., safety, health, pollution)? How can you minimize then? 7.) Who will own it? How can you assure access to it? LESSON 5 LESSON OBJECTIVES: At the end of this lesson, the students should be able to: describe gene therapy and its various forms; and assess the issue’s potential benefits and detriments to global health  Medical science has detected many human diseases related to defective genes. These types of diseases are not curable by traditional methods like taking readily available medicines. Gene therapy is a potential method to either treat or cure genetic- related human illnesses. In 2015, a team of researchers at the Harvard Medical School and the Boston Children's Hospital stated that they were able to restore basic hearing in genetically deaf mice using gene therapy. The Boston Children's Hospital research team also reported that they have restored a higher level of hearing-down to 25 decibels which is actually equivalent to a whisper. They used an improved gene therapy vector developed at the Massachusetts Eye and Ear that was identified as "Anc80" which enables the transfer of genes to the inaccessible outer hair cells when introduced into the cochlea (Fliesler, 2017). Human gene therapy was actually first realized in 1971 when the first recombinant DNA experiments were planned. It can be simply viewed as insertion of foreign DNA into a patient's tissue that hope to successfully eradicate the targeted disease. It was actually inspired by the success of recombinant DNA technology which occurred over the last 20 years. The Basic Process There are several approaches to gene therapy. These are the following (Fliesler, 2017): 1.) Replacement of mutated gene that causes disease with a healthy copy of the gene 2.) Inactivation of a mutated gene that is functioning improperly 3.) Introducing a new gene into the body to help fight a disease The Basic Process A gene is inserted into another gene using a carrier or vector. At present, the most common type of vectors are viruses that have been genetically changed to carry normal human DNA. Viruses have evolved a way of encapsulating and transporting their genes to human cells in a pathogenic manner (Science Daily, 2017). Two Types of Gene Therapy The idea of gene therapy is based on correcting a disease at its root; fixing the abnormal genes that appear to lead to certain diseases. 1.) Somatic gene therapy - involves the manipulation of genes in cells that will be helpful to the patient but not inherited to the next generation 2.) Germ-line gene therapy - involves the manipulation of genes in cells that will be helpful to the patient but inherited to the next generation Stem Cell Gene Therapy Stem Cells - mother cells that have the potential to become any type of cell in the body. - have the ability to self-renew or multiply while maintaining the potential to develop into other types of cells. - can become cells of the blood, heart, bones, skin, muscles, brain, among others. Stem Cell Gene Therapy Embryonic stem cells - derived from a four- or five-day-old human embryo that is in the blastocyst phase of development. - The embryos are usually extras that have been created in IVF (in vitro fertilization) clinics where several eggs are fertilized in a test tube then implanted into a woman Stem Cell Gene Therapy Somatic stem cells - cells that exist throughout the body after embryonic development and are found inside of different types of tissue - have been found in tissues such as the brain, bone marrow, blood, blood vessels, skeletal muscles, skin, and the liver. - remain in a non-dividing state for years until activated by disease or tissue injury Stem Cell Gene Therapy Somatic stem cells - remain in a non-dividing state for years until activated by disease or tissue injury - can divide or self-renew indefinitely, enabling them to generate a range of cell types from the originating organ or even regenerate the entire original organ. The Bioethics of Gene Therapy There are ethical issues involved in gene therapy. Some of the inquiries cited are: 1.) How can "good" and "bad" uses of gene therapy be distinguished? 2.) Who decides which traits are normal and which constitute a disability or disorder? 3.) Will the high costs of gene therapy make it available only to the wealthy? The Bioethics of Gene Therapy There are ethical issues involved in gene therapy. Some of the inquiries cited are: 4.) Could the widespread use of gene therapy make society less accepting of people who are different? 5.) Should people be allowed to use gene therapy to enhance basic human traits such as height, intelligence, or athletic ability? The Bioethics of Gene Therapy Another controversy involves the germline therapy. As discussed, germline therapy is genetic modification of germ cells that will pass the change on to the next generation. There are a lot of questions on the effects of the gene alteration to the unborn child and the next generation, since the alteration can be passed on. In the United States, the government does not fund researches on human germline gene therapy. LESSON 6 LESSON OBJECTIVES: At the end of this lesson, the students should be able to: identify the causes of climate change; understand the effects of climate change on the society; and illustrate how the community helps in mitigating the hazards caused by climate change. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), a United Nations body that evaluates climate change science, released its report on global climate change. The report's important conclusions were the following: world's climate has changed significantly over the past century; the significant change has human influence; using climate models and if the trend continues, the global mean surface temperature will increase between 1°C and 3.5°C by 2100. Climate change refers to the statistically significant changes in climate for continuous period of time. Factors that contribute to climate change can be natural internal process, external forces, and persistent anthropogenic changes in the composition of the atmosphere or in land use. It can also be due to natural occurrences or contributed by acts of human beings. Causes of Climate Change Natural Causes 1.) Volcanic Eruptions When volcanoes erupt, it emits different natural aerosols like carbon dioxide, sulfur dioxides, salt crystals, volcanic ashes or dust, and even microorganisms like bacteria and viruses. Causes of Climate Change Natural Causes 1.) Volcanic Eruptions can cause a cooling effect to the lithosphere because its emitted aerosol can block a certain percentage of solar radiation. This cooling effect can last for one to two years. Causes of Climate Change Natural Causes 1.) Volcanic Eruptions releases ash particles containing sulfuric dioxide into the stratosphere, which combines with water vapor to form sulfuric acid and aerosols The sulfuric aerosols are then transported by easterly or westernly winds. Causes of Climate Change Natural Causes 1.) Volcanic Eruptions Volcanoes located near the equator are more likely to cause global cooling because of the wind pattern. Volcanoes located near to north or south poles are less likely to cause cooling because of pole wind pattern, the sulfurous aerosols are confined in pole area. Causes of Climate Change Natural Causes 1.) Volcanic Eruptions Mount Tambora of Indonesia erupted in 1816. It was considered as the largest known eruption in human history. The eruption caused snowfall in the northeastern United States and Canada. Causes of Climate Change Natural Causes 1.) Volcanic Eruptions The eruptions of Mount Krakatau of Indonesia in 1883 and Mount Pinatubo of the Philippines in 1991 contributed, too, to the cold years of planet Earth. Mt. Pinatubo Causes of Climate Change Natural Causes 2.) Orbital Changes Milankovitch theory states "that as the Earth travels through space around the Sun, cyclical variations in three elements of Earth-Sun geometry combine to produce variations in the amount of solar energy that reaches Earth (Academic Emporia, 2017). Causes of Climate Change Natural Causes 2.) Orbital Changes The three elements that have cyclic variations are eccentricity, obliquity, and precession. Eccentricity Eccentricity is a term used to describe the shape of Earth's orbit around the Sun. The impact of the variation is a change in the amount of solar energy from perihelion (around January 3) to aphelion (around July 4). The time frame for the cycle is approximately 98,000 years. Currently Earth's eccentricity is 0.016 and there is about a 6.4% increase in insolation from July to January. Eccentricity Academic Emporia (2017) states, "The eccentricity influences seasonal differences: when Earth is closest to the Sun, it gets more solar radiation. If the perihelion occurs during the winter, the winter is less severe. If a hemisphere has its summer while closest to the Sun, summers are relatively warm. Obliquity Obliquity is the variation of the tit of Earth's axis away from the orbital plane. As this tilt changes, the seasons become more exaggerated. The obliquity changes on a cycle taking approximately 40,000 years. Obliquity Academic Emporia (2017) states "the more tilt means more severe seasons - warmer summers and colder winters; less tilt means less severe seasons - cooler summers and milder winters." Precession Precession is the change in orientation of Earth's rotational axis. The precession cycle takes about 19,000 to 23,000 years. Precession is caused by two factors: a wobble of Earth's axis and a turning around of the elliptical orbit of Earth itself Precession Precession affects the direction of the Earth’s axis. The change in the axis location changes the dates of perihelion and aphelion, and this increases the seasonal contrast in one hemisphere while decreasing it in the other hemisphere. Precession Another consequence of precession is the shift in the celestial poles. Five thousand years ago, the North Star was Thuban in the constellation Draco. Currently, the North Star is Polaris in the constellation Ursa Minor. Precession During the 1940s and 1950s, the theory fell into disrepute due to radiocarbon dating, indicating a lag in cooling versus insolation and to a scale problem with high frequency glacial advances. The theory was revived several times throughout the late 1960s to the present (Academic Emporia, 2017). Causes of Climate Change Natural Causes 3.) Carbon Dioxide Theory Carbon dioxide (CO2) is added when power and heat are produced by burning coal, oil, and other fossil fuels. Carbon dioxide is transparent to sunshine but not invisible to infrared (heat) radiation leaving the ground. Causes of Climate Change Natural Causes 3.) Carbon Dioxide Theory Carbon dioxide absorbs part of the infrared radiation in the air and returns it to the ground keeping the air near the surface warmer than it would be if the carbon dioxide did not act like a blanket. Doubling the carbon dioxide raises the temperature to 2°C to 3°C. Causes of Climate Change Human Activities The largest known contribution comes from the burning of fossil fuels, which releases carbon dioxide gas to the atmosphere. Greenhouse gases and aerosols affect climate by altering incoming solar radiation and outgoing infrared (thermal) radiation that are part of Earth's energy balance. Causes of Climate Change Human Activities Changing the atmospheric abundance or properties of these gases and particles can lead to a warming or cooling of the climate system. Since the start of the industrial era (about 1750), the overall effect of human activities on climate has been a warming influence; due to solar changes and volcanic eruptions Causes of Climate Change Human Activities Human activities result in emissions of four principal greenhouse gases: carbon dioxide (CO), methane (CH), nitrous oxide (NO) and the halocarbons (a group of gases containing fluorine, chlorine, and bromine). Causes of Climate Change Human Activities The greenhouse gases mentioned are natural gases. However, the high level of these gases in the atmosphere contributes to the greenhouse effect, and this is due to human activities. Causes of Climate Change Human Activities High level of carbon dioxide comes from fossil fuel use in transportation; and the building, heating, cooling, and manufacture of cement and other goods. Deforestation releases carbon dioxide and reduces its uptake by plants. Causes of Climate Change Human Activities High methane emission is related to agriculture, natural gas distribution, and landfills. High nitrous oxide is also emitted by human activities such as fertilizer use and fossil fuel burning. Causes of Climate Change Human Activities Halocarbon gas concentrations have increased primarily due to human activities. Principal halocarbons include the chlorofluorocarbons which were used extensively as refrigeration agents and in other industrial processes before their presence in the atmosphere was found to cause stratospheric ozone depletion. The abundance of chlorofluorocarbon gases is decreasing as a result of international regulations designed to protect the ozone layer. Causes of Climate Change Human Activities Ozone is another greenhouse gas that is continually produced and destroyed in the atmosphere by chemical reactions. In the troposphere, human activities have increased ozone through the release of gases such as carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons and nitrogen oxide, which chemically react to produce ozone. Causes of Climate Change Human Activities Halocarbons released by human activities destroy ozone in the stratosphere and have caused the ozone hole over Antarctica. Water vapor is the most abundant and important greenhouse gas in the atmosphere Human activities such as surface mining and industrial processes have increased dust in the atmosphere. Causes of Climate Change Human Activities Montreal Protocol An international treaty that aims to regulate the production and use of chemicals that contribute to Ozone layer depletion. Effects of Climate Change on Society faster melting of glaciers declining crop yields due to drought ocean acidification increased worldwide deaths due to malnutrition and heat stress widespread vectore-borne diseases Effects of Climate Change on Society 15-40% of species extinction with 2°C warning sudden shifts in regional weather patterns increased sea levels due to melting of ice sheets Group 5 - ERION