Topic Editors

Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Epidemiology and Hygiene, Italian Workers' Compensation Authority (INAIL), Via Fontana Candida, 1, 00078 Monte Porzio Catone, Italy
College of Mechanical & Electronic Engineering, Shandong University of Science and Technology, Qingdao 266590, China

Health, Safety and Sustainability by Design of Advanced Materials in Manufacturing Processes

Abstract submission deadline
12 May 2027
Manuscript submission deadline
12 July 2027
Viewed by
3512

Topic Information

Dear Colleagues,

In recent years, advanced materials (AdMa) have rapidly developed in various industrial sectors such as renewable energy, sustainable mobility, efficient use/saving of resources, digitalization, Industry 4.0-5.0, robotics, and additive manufacturing. They are designed to have new or improved properties and/or targeted or enhanced structural characteristics, with the aim of achieving specific functional performance and expected benefits for the economy, society, and the environment. Among them are engineered nanomaterials (ENMs), which are recognized for their great enabling potential, exploiting the innovative properties and enormous capabilities of materials at the nanoscale (1-100nm) with different structures, shapes, and dimensionality.

The production and widespread use of AdMa and ENMs highlight the interest in their economic and social benefits in the context of energy, green, and digital transitions. However, at the same time, some concerns arise about the potential effects of exposure to these materials on human health and the environment. In fact, the same chemical-physical properties and surface reactivity that make them innovative and more performant can potentially influence their toxicity, representing an emerging risk, particularly for workers who are the first to be exposed at all stages of their life cycle.

Therefore, innovative Safety-by-Design approaches for new materials development need to include further health and sustainability dimensions, including human, environmental, social and economic impacts, and move towards a comprehensive approach to ensure we stay within an operating space harmonized with the planetary boundaries.

In this framework, the topic aims to explore the more recent research efforts in the field of safety, health, and sustainability of advanced materials and related production processes, including, but not limited to the following:

  • Safety and Sustainability by-design approaches for exposure to ENMs and AdMa in the workplaces.
  • Integrated Testing strategies to assess health effects of AdMa.
  • Risk assessment and management (including cost-effectiveness analysis) in AdMa manufacturing processes.
  • Risk communication and training tools for the responsible manufacturing and use of AdMa.
  • New methodologies and devices to quantify the workers’ exposure to AdMa.
  • Collective and personal protection devices in AdMa manufacturing processes.
  • Low-cost sensors for exposure monitoring of potential pollutant emissions in AdMa production processes.
  • AdMa applications, use cases, and scalability in production and implementation of Prevention-through-Design approaches.

Dr. Fabio Boccuni
Dr. Yulong Zhang
Topic Editors

Keywords

  • advanced materials (AdMa)
  • engineered nanomaterials (ENMs)
  • safety
  • health
  • sustainability
  • safety-by-design
  • prevention-through-design
  • risk assessment
  • exposure monitoring
  • integrated testing strategies

Participating Journals

Journal Name Impact Factor CiteScore Launched Year First Decision (median) APC
Air
air
- - 2023 28 Days CHF 1000 Submit
Applied Nano
applnano
- 5.9 2020 18.6 Days CHF 1000 Submit
Nanomaterials
nanomaterials
4.8 10.3 2010 12.5 Days CHF 2400 Submit
Polymers
polymers
5.8 11.0 2009 13.4 Days CHF 2700 Submit
Sustainability
sustainability
4.1 8.9 2009 16.9 Days CHF 2400 Submit
Toxics
toxics
4.9 7.8 2013 17 Days CHF 2600 Submit

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Published Papers (3 papers)

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18 pages, 2306 KB  
Article
Dynamic Prioritization of BLEVE Prevention and Tank-Origin Exposure for Sustainable and Resilient LPG Storage and Distribution Stations: A CTMC–Monte Carlo Screening Framework
by Xiaoqian Yang, Ruili Hu, Kejiang Lei and Minbo Zhang
Sustainability 2026, 18(16), 8103; https://doi.org/10.3390/su18168103 - 8 Aug 2026
Viewed by 247
Abstract
Safe and resilient operation of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) storage and distribution stations is important to the sustainability of fuel infrastructure, yet boiling liquid expanding vapor explosion (BLEVE) prevention requires time-dependent barrier analysis and a clear separation between prevention priorities and post-rupture exposure. [...] Read more.
Safe and resilient operation of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) storage and distribution stations is important to the sustainability of fuel infrastructure, yet boiling liquid expanding vapor explosion (BLEVE) prevention requires time-dependent barrier analysis and a clear separation between prevention priorities and post-rupture exposure. This study develops a dynamic–spatial screening framework that integrates evidence-graded basic events, a priority-AND dynamic fault tree, a continuous-time Markov chain (CTMC), memory-efficient Monte Carlo trajectory simulation, modeled-area prevention prioritization, and tank-origin relative-exposure screening. A one-million-trajectory accelerated numerical baseline produced 112,693 BLEVE-conditioned trajectories. Weld cracking and fire-pump failure had the highest dynamic criticality because they act in later barrier-degradation stages, whereas high-wind spread had the greatest conditional involvement. Tank structure had the highest modeled-area prevention priority. Receiver rankings depended on the assumed layout: P5 ranked first under the baseline schematic coordinates, whereas P2 ranked first under the illustrative metric-coordinate scenario across the tested distance-attenuation kernels. Convergence, acceleration-factor, evidence-grade, weight, recovery, alternative-path, static-importance, coordinate, and kernel sensitivities were evaluated. Prevention-priority scores and normalized exposure indices are reported separately and are not interpreted as calibrated accident frequency, physical dose, expected loss, or quantitative risk. By supporting targeted inspection, maintenance, monitoring, and emergency-resource allocation, the framework can contribute to safer, more resilient, and more sustainable operation of LPG infrastructure. Full article
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21 pages, 6854 KB  
Article
Eco-Friendly Synthesis of L-Carnitine-Loaded β-Cyclodextrin-Functionalized N-Doped Carbon Dots Using Rhododendron Species: Antioxidant and Antimicrobial Activities and In Vivo Acute Toxic Effects on Nauplii
by Yeşim Özkan and Aleyna Akyol
Nanomaterials 2026, 16(9), 532; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano16090532 - 28 Apr 2026
Viewed by 821
Abstract
In this study, N-doped carbon dots (CDs) functionalized with L-carnitine-loaded β-cyclodextrin were synthesized with a hydrothermal method using two different Rhododendron spp. (R. luteum and R. ponticum) as carbon sources. The synthesized carbon dots (LC/β-CD@Rh.l/N-CD (CD1) and LC/β-CD@Rh.p/N-CD (CD [...] Read more.
In this study, N-doped carbon dots (CDs) functionalized with L-carnitine-loaded β-cyclodextrin were synthesized with a hydrothermal method using two different Rhododendron spp. (R. luteum and R. ponticum) as carbon sources. The synthesized carbon dots (LC/β-CD@Rh.l/N-CD (CD1) and LC/β-CD@Rh.p/N-CD (CD2)) showed monodisperse distributions, with a size of 3–5 nm and a spherical structure. The stability of these biogenic CDs in water and their effects on marine ecosystems were investigated using A. salina larvae (nauplii). Biogenic CDs were exposed to varying concentrations of 5–100 μL for 24, 48, 72, and 96 h, and the LC50 values were calculated as 12.858 µg/L for CD1 and 21.058 µg/L for CD2. Bactericidal and fungicidal activities of CDs at sublethal concentrations were observed to have similar effects. Likewise, antioxidant activities (SOD, CAT), oxidative stress markers (ROS, MDA), and DPPH radical scavenging activities were investigated; SOD, CAT, and MDA activities varied depending on the exposure time of the larvae. Additionally, CDs induced high ROS generation and DPPH radical scavenging activity in nauplii. In fluorescence microscopy and TEM micrographs, different structural abnormalities were detected in larvae depending on the concentration of CDs, such as various degrees of abdominal fractures and fragmentation, and limb loss. Full article
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21 pages, 3271 KB  
Article
Evaluation of the Coupling Coordination Degree Between PM2.5 and Urbanization Level: A Case in Guangdong Province
by Jiwei Shen, Ziwen Zhu, Dakang Wang, Yingpin Yang, Yongru Mo, Hui Xia, Xiankun Yang, Yibo Wang, Zhen Li and Jinnian Wang
Sustainability 2025, 17(15), 6751; https://doi.org/10.3390/su17156751 - 24 Jul 2025
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1215
Abstract
PM2.5 (particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter ≤ 2.5 µm) pollution is one of the most common problems triggered by the acceleration of urbanization. The coordinated development of cities and the environment has been a topic of significant interest in recent years. [...] Read more.
PM2.5 (particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter ≤ 2.5 µm) pollution is one of the most common problems triggered by the acceleration of urbanization. The coordinated development of cities and the environment has been a topic of significant interest in recent years. Based on the spatiotemporal relationship between the evolution of urbanization levels and PM2.5 concentrations, and starting from multiple factors characterizing urbanization, this study constructs a coupling coordination degree model between PM2.5 and urbanization levels to explore the interaction and degree of coordination between urbanization and PM2.5 in Guangdong Province from 2000 to 2021. The research reveals that the conflict between the urbanization process and PM2.5 pollution in various cities of Guangdong Province is gradually easing. The year 2011 was a turning point as the PM2.5 pollution levels in cities that were in an uncoordinated phase began to improve. The coupling coordination degree between urbanization and PM2.5 pollution in Guangdong Province exhibits significant spatial heterogeneity. The coupling coordination degree in most coastal cities is higher than that in inland cities. Cities in economically underdeveloped regions also face relatively lower pressure from pollution emissions. These regions are characterized by lagging urbanization, and their coupling coordination degree is slowly increasing as urbanization progresses. In economically developed regions, the coupling coordination degree between urbanization levels and PM2.5 pollution has reached a basic level of coordination, although the specific types vary. Full article
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