Materials 2013, 6(3), 1090-1117; doi:10.3390/ma6031090
Article

Towards a Consensus View on Understanding Nanomaterials Hazards and Managing Exposure: Knowledge Gaps and Recommendations

Geoffrey Hunt 1 email, Iseult Lynch 2 email, Flemming Cassee 3,4 email, Richard D. Handy 5 email, Teresa F. Fernandes 6 email, Markus Berges 7 email, Thomas A. J. Kuhlbusch 8,9 email, Maria Dusinska 10 email and Michael Riediker 11,* email
1 Centre for Bioethics & Emerging Technologies, St Mary's University College, London, TW1 4SX, UK 2 Centre for BioNano Interactions, School of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, UK 3 National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM), Bilthoven 3720 BA, The Netherlands 4 Institute for Risk Assessment Sciences, Utrecht University, NL-3508 TD Utrecht, The Netherlands 5 Ecotoxicology Research and Innovation Centre, The University of Plymouth, Drake Circus, Plymouth PL4 8AA, UK 6 School of Life Sciences, Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh EH14 4AS, UK 7 Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Deutsche Gesetzliche Unfallversicherung (DGUV), Alte Heerstr 111, Sankt Augustin 53757, Germany 8 Air Quality & Sustainable Nanotechnology, Institute of Energy and Environmental Technology e.V. (IUTA), D-47229 Duisburg, Germany 9 Center for Nanointegration Duisburg-Essen (CeNIDE), University Duisburg-Essen, D-47057 Duisburg, Germany 10 Health Effects Laboratory, Environmental Chemistry Department, NILU-Norwegian Institute for Air Research, Instituttveien 18, Kjeller 2027, Norway 11 Institute for Work and Health, Rte de la Corniche 2, Epalinges-Lausanne CH-1066, Switzerland
* Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Received: 11 January 2013; in revised form: 21 February 2013 / Accepted: 28 February 2013 / Published: 20 March 2013
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nanotoxicology)
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Abstract: The aim of this article is to present an overview of salient issues of exposure, characterisation and hazard assessment of nanomaterials as they emerged from the consensus-building of experts undertaken within the four year European Commission coordination project NanoImpactNet. The approach adopted is to consolidate and condense the findings and problem-identification in such a way as to identify knowledge-gaps and generate a set of interim recommendations of use to industry, regulators, research bodies and funders. The categories of recommendation arising from the consensual view address: significant gaps in vital factual knowledge of exposure, characterisation and hazards; the development, dissemination and standardisation of appropriate laboratory protocols; address a wide range of technical issues in establishing an adequate risk assessment platform; the more efficient and coordinated gathering of basic data; greater inter-organisational cooperation; regulatory harmonization; the wider use of the life-cycle approaches; and the wider involvement of all stakeholders in the discussion and solution-finding efforts for nanosafety.
Keywords: nanomaterial characterisation; release; exposure; hazard; nanotoxicology; nanosafety; occupational health; consensus building; life cycle approach; monitoring; protocols

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Cite This Article

MDPI and ACS Style

Hunt, G.; Lynch, I.; Cassee, F.; Handy, R.D.; Fernandes, T.F.; Berges, M.; Kuhlbusch, T.A.J.; Dusinska, M.; Riediker, M. Towards a Consensus View on Understanding Nanomaterials Hazards and Managing Exposure: Knowledge Gaps and Recommendations. Materials 2013, 6, 1090-1117.

AMA Style

Hunt G, Lynch I, Cassee F, Handy RD, Fernandes TF, Berges M, Kuhlbusch TAJ, Dusinska M, Riediker M. Towards a Consensus View on Understanding Nanomaterials Hazards and Managing Exposure: Knowledge Gaps and Recommendations. Materials. 2013; 6(3):1090-1117.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Hunt, Geoffrey; Lynch, Iseult; Cassee, Flemming; Handy, Richard D.; Fernandes, Teresa F.; Berges, Markus; Kuhlbusch, Thomas A.J.; Dusinska, Maria; Riediker, Michael. 2013. "Towards a Consensus View on Understanding Nanomaterials Hazards and Managing Exposure: Knowledge Gaps and Recommendations." Materials 6, no. 3: 1090-1117.

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