ththe new double-edged sword of nanotech

Many $billions have been pouring into nanotech from industry and governments for several decades now. Top universities and top corporations are involved. In this supposed gold rush the toxic elements are not yet well understood. Is humanity a lab rat for a kind of alien technology? Here is a paper on graphene toxicity from July 2018: Recently, graphene nanopores (GNPs) have also been used in applications such as DNA sequencing [7], [8], [9] and water treatment [10], [11] and GNPs have provided unique porous frameworks [12]. Porous graphene biointerfaces have also recently been reported as an effective antimicrobial agents with highly efficiently bactericidal activities against both Gram positive and Gram negative bacteria [13], [14]. Matharu et al. [15] have reported the effects of graphene nanoplatelet-loaded polymer fibres on microbial growth of two Gram negative bacteria Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. They determined the minimum inhibitory concentration of graphene-fibre which in turn can produce the highest antibacterial effects while remaining non-toxic to the normal cells. This study revealed that 8 wt% of graphene-fibres showed good antibacterial effects owing to the direct contact between bacterial cells and the sharp edges of the graphene nanostructures. This direct contact is also responsible for severe membrane deformation and the efflux of cytoplasmic material [16]. One drawback of the use of GNP's is that very few synthesis techniques are available. However, techniques such as electron beam irradiation, ion bombardment, doping, templating, chemical etching, chemical vapour deposition and other chemical methods have now been utilized for their preparation [9], [17], [18], [19], [20]. The drawbacks of these methods are the low production yield and the problems associated with their separation/purification. To address this omission, we have recently reported a study demonstrating a novel and facile approach to GNPs synthesis via thermal treatment of reduced graphene oxide without using any catalyst or template-based approach [21]. GNP, a thin, flexible material with excellent electrical addressability and robust mechanical properties is promising for label-free protein detection, DNA sequencing and high throughput wastewater based-micropollutant decontamination [7], [8], [9], [10], [11]. The high specific surface area and nanoporous framework allows direct sensing and sequencing of atomic-scale biomolecules. In recent years, cellular internalization and trans-barrier transport of micro/mesoporous graphene nanosheets have been the subject of major developments in nanobiotechnology. It is evident that nanoscale materials with a diameter less than 100 nm can enter cells, while nanoparticles smaller than 40 nm in diameter can reach the cellular nuclei. Particles with diameters below 35 nm are able to reach the brain by passing through the blood–brain barrier [22], [23], [24], while larger nanoparticles are excluded which in turn reduces the delivery of theranostic nanoparticles [25], [26], [27]. A better understating of the physiochemical properties of graphene, the interaction between graphene and cells, and possible toxicity mechanisms is of critical importance to outline potential biomedical applications of these materials. The proposed mechanism of GNPs toxicity is depicted in Fig. 1. The widespread use of graphene-based materials and their potential toxic effects are likely to exacerbate several health concerns [26], [27]. Most laboratory experiments investigating the potential applications of GNPs in life sciences have not considered the toxicity associated with GNPs in their testing regimes. Recently, however, a few studies have examined the in vitro and in vivo toxic implications of three dimensional graphene foam to investigate the bioavailability and subsequent toxicity potential [28], [29]. The pre-clinical risks, adverse effects of GNPs exposure, and approaches to minimize their health hazards still remain undefined. However, inhalation of graphene structures is believed to be a risk factor for cardiorespiratory disease. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2352940718302853