We spend a lot of time puzzling over the methodology used to generate these rather silly nanotechnology market size figures, but we have rarely encountered a methodology more bizarre than that employed by the UKs Heath and Safety Executive to estimate the number of people potentially exposed to nanoparticles.
Of the eleven companies involved with nanoparticles Employee information was only available for two companies involved in the manufacture of nanoparticles. These ranged from 6 to 150. Based on this very limited information we estimate that on average there are 78 individuals per company involved in the manufacture of nanoparticles. On this basis it us suggested that 858 individuals are potentially exposed to nanoparticles in the UK.
Perhaps a better solution, as we are only talking about eleven companies here, not eleven thousand, would have been to make eleven phone calls and ask how many employees they have involved with nanoparticles. Many of the companies on the HSEs list would be pleased to have 78 people working for them. In the meantime, the report author can be easily identified; hes the one sitting in the corner of the statistics class with a dunces cap.
Appalling methodology aside, there is a good discussion of the sources of nanoparticles, and the startling conclusion that more that 1,000,000 workers in the UK may be exposed to nanoparticles via incidental production in processes such as welding and refining. All of which makes deliberately manufactured nanoparticles look like a pretty low risk compared to the vast amounts apparently spewing forth from traditional industries.
All in all, a fascinating piece of work ruined at the last minute by an inability to pick up a phone.