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Abstract:
Engineered Nanoparticles, Review of Health and Environmental Safety (ENRHES) provides comprehensive & authoritative review of engineered nanomaterial safety

ENRHES report provides in-depth examination of nanomaterials safety

Edinburgh, UK | Posted on January 19th, 2010

A comprehensive and authoritative review of the health and environmental safety of engineered nanomaterials has been published by a consortium led by Edinburgh Napier University and the Institute of Occupational Medicine.

The review, funded under the European Commission's Seventh Framework Programme, has performed a comprehensive and critical appraisal of the health and environmental safety of fullerenes, carbon nanotubes (CNTs), metal and metal oxide nanomaterials.

The review considers sources, pathways of exposure, and the health and environmental outcomes of concern, and contributes directly to the evidence-base needed by industry, regulators and users of nanomaterials.

The review document can be downloaded free of charge from nmi.jrc.ec.europa.eu/project/ENRHES.htm

About the Authors

The ENRHES Project was coordinated by Professor Vicki Stone of Edinburgh Napier University (ENU); with scientific coordination from Dr Steve Hankin of the Institute of Occupational Medicine (IOM).

The report's co-authors (in alphabetical order):
Dr Rob Aitken (IOM)
Dr Karin Aschberger (Joint Research Centre; JRC)
Dr Anders Baun (Technical University of Denmark; DTU)
Dr Frans Christensen (JRC)
Professor Teresa Fernandes (ENU)
Dr Steffen Foss Hansen (DTU)
Ms Nanna Bloch Hartmann (DTU)
Dr Gary Hutchison (ENU)
Dr Helinor Johnston (ENU)
Dr Christian Micheletti (JRC)
Ms Sheona Peters (IOM)
Ms Bryony L Ross (IOM)
Dr Birgit Sokull-Kluettgen (JRC)
Mr Del Stark (Institute of Nanotechnology; IoN)
Dr Lang Tran (IOM)

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About Safenano
The Safenano Initiative is a venture by the Institute of Occupational Medicine (IOM). The initiative was designed to help industrial and academic communities to quantify and control the risks to their workforce, as well as to consumers, the general population and the environment, through both information provision and consultancy services.

IOM and Edinburgh Napier University are two of the co-founders of the Safety of Nanomaterials Interdisciplinary Research Centre (SnIRC) - and IOM also leads the SAFENANO Initiative - to address the many uncertainties about the potential risks to health and the environment arising from exposure to nanomaterials.

The Technical University of Denmark is one of the largest university groups in Europe specialising in environment and resources, including, among other topics, environmental chemistry and ecotoxicology and one of the few university departments directly connected to scientists and engineers developing nanomaterials.

The European Commission Joint Research Centre's Institute for Health and Consumer Protection provides independent scientific and technical support to the development and implementation of EU policies on chemicals, food and consumer products. This includes work on risk assessment methodologies and testing methods and non-testing methods, e.g. QSARs. Furthermore, the IHCP focuses on nanobiosciences including work on new bio-interfaces and health aspects related to nanoparticles.

The Institute of Nanotechnology is an independent not-for-profit organisation that can uniquely provide an objective and non-biased contribution to the project with regard to information from the nanotechnology industry, that minimises the risk of conflicts of interest (e.g. commercial confidentiality issues from individual company representation) and maximises the benefit from integrating with relevant initiatives and recognised expertise.

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Contacts:
Edinburgh Napier University:
Professor Vicki Stone

Institute of Occupational Medicine:
Dr Steve Hankin

Technical University of Denmark:
Associate Professor Anders Baun

Joint Research Centre:
Dr Birgit Sokull-Klüttgen

Institute of Nanotechnology:
Del Stark