Occupational Health & Safety Hub.com » Nanotechnology http://ohshub.com Health & Safety at the Center of Our World Thu, 17 May 2012 02:12:43 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3 Study to Examine the Health Effects of Exposure to Nanomaterials http://ohshub.com/study-to-examine-the-health-effects-of-exposure-to-nanomaterials/ http://ohshub.com/study-to-examine-the-health-effects-of-exposure-to-nanomaterials/#comments Mon, 30 Nov 2009 23:14:16 +0000 admin http://ohshub.com/?p=1136 As the expansion of the use of nanomaterials in industry continues, so does the increasing need to study the potential health effects that are associated with exposure.  The National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) is offering a grant under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act to fund $5 million per year [...]]]> recovery.govAs the expansion of the use of nanomaterials in industry continues, so does the increasing need to study the potential health effects that are associated with exposure.  The National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) is offering a grant under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act to fund $5 million per year for the development of models to assess the health effects.

According to the NIEHS:

The goal of this initiative is to develop reliable and reproducible methods and models to assess exposure, exposure metrics, and biological response to nanomaterials. The coordinated research effort will include diverse routes of exposure to nanomaterials and in vitro and in vivo models of exposure and response. This research is essential for the harmonization of research results, a scientifically sound basis for hazard assessment, and the safe design and development of ENM. This initiative supports the goals identified by the National Nanotechnology Initiative, Strategy for Nanotechnology-related Environment, Health, and Safety Research.


Examples of research that would be responsive to this FOA include, but are not limited to the following:

  • Reengineer existing tools or develop new tools to address current limitations in assessing exposure to ENMs in the environment with a high level of temporal resolution
  • Adapt or develop methods to measure the exposure in ambient air, drinking water, or skin contact and uptake by inhalational, oral, dermal, or gastric routes
  • Adapt or develop methods to understand systemic, biochemical, pathological, immunologic, genotoxic, and mutagenic potential of ENMs based on cellular, biochemical, molecular, and histological methods to characterize pathobiological endpoints from both in vitro and in vivo exposure scenarios
  • Establish reproducibility and reliability of test methods or methods developed during this project period using multiple cell culture systems and tissues from multiple laboratory species. The in vitro systems should utilize primary cell cultures and/or co-culture systems and translate these findings to in vivo models
  • Study the adaptability of test methods under different exposure conditions, including single and repetitive exposures, with biological assessment at multiple time points in order to improve the predictive power and robustness of the methods
  • Develop methods to predict ENMs toxicity in acute versus sub-chronic exposure study designs as permitted within the two-year period
  • Develop integrated experimental approach to identify the appropriate dose metric and biological response metric for different classes of ENM for in vitro assays and dose metric, dose rate, and biological response metric for in vivo models

More information can be found on the NIEHS website.

Source: NIEHS

Join the forum discussion on this post - (1) Posts]]> http://ohshub.com/study-to-examine-the-health-effects-of-exposure-to-nanomaterials/feed/ 0 NIOSH Publication for Surveillance and Screening of Workers Exposed to Nanoparticles http://ohshub.com/niosh-publication-for-surveillance-and-screening-of-workers-exposed-to-nanoparticles/ http://ohshub.com/niosh-publication-for-surveillance-and-screening-of-workers-exposed-to-nanoparticles/#comments Thu, 14 May 2009 22:59:13 +0000 admin http://ohshub.com/?p=570 Full copy of the publication can be found HERE

“Concerns have been raised about whether workers exposed to engineered nanoparticles are at increased risk of adverse health effects. The current body of evidence about the possible health risks of occupational exposure to engineered nanoparticles is quite small. While there is increasing evidence to indicate [...]]]> nanotech11Full copy of the publication can be found HERE

“Concerns have been raised about whether workers exposed to engineered nanoparticles are at increased risk of adverse health effects. The current body of evidence about the possible health risks of occupational exposure to engineered nanoparticles is quite small. While there is increasing evidence to indicate that exposure to some engineered nanoparticles can cause adverse health effects in laboratory animals, no health studies of workers exposed to the few engineered nanoparticles tested in animals have been published. The purpose of this document from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) is to provide interim guidance about whether specific medical screening, including performing medical tests on asymptomatic workers, is appropriate for these workers.

Medical screening is only one part of what should be considered a complete safety and health management program. An ideal safety and health management program follows a hierarchy of controls and involves various occupational health surveillance measures. Since specific medical screening of asymptomatic workers exposed to engineered nanoparticles has not been extensively discussed in the scientific literature, this document makes recommendations based upon what is known until more rigorous research can be performed.

Currently there is insufficient scientific and medical evidence to recommend the specific medical screening of workers potentially exposed to engineered nanoparticles. Nonetheless, this lack of evidence does not preclude specific medical screening by employers interested in taking precautions beyond existing industrial hygiene measures. If nanoparticles are composed of a chemical or bulk material for which medical screening recommendations exist, these same screening recommendations would be applicable for workers exposed to engineered nanoparticles as well.

As research into the hazards of engineered nanoparticles continues, vigilant reassessment of available data is critical to determine whether specific medical screening is warranted for workers. In the interim, the following recommendations are provided for workplaces where workers may be exposed to engineered nanoparticles in the course of their work:

* Take prudent measures to control exposures to engineered nanoparticles.
* Conduct hazard surveillance as the basis for implementing controls.
* Continue use of established medical surveillance approaches.

NIOSH will continue to collect and evaluate new research findings and update its recommendations about medical screening programs for workers exposed to nanoparticles. NIOSH will also continue to consider the strengths and weaknesses of establishing exposure registries for workers potentially exposed to engineered nanoparticles for future health surveillance and epidemiological studies.”

Join the forum discussion on this post - (1) Posts]]> http://ohshub.com/niosh-publication-for-surveillance-and-screening-of-workers-exposed-to-nanoparticles/feed/ 0 NIOSH Publishes Document on Safe Approaches for Nanotechnology http://ohshub.com/niosh-publishes-document-on-safe-approaches-for-nanotechnology/ http://ohshub.com/niosh-publishes-document-on-safe-approaches-for-nanotechnology/#comments Fri, 10 Apr 2009 23:18:28 +0000 admin http://ohshub.com/?p=341 From NIOSH

“This document reviews what is currently known about nanoparticle toxicity, process emissions and exposure assessment, engineering controls, and personal protective equipment. This updated version of the document incorporates some of the latest results of NIOSH research, but it is only a starting point. The document serves a dual purpose: it is a [...]]]> From NIOSH

niosh-approaches-to-safe-nanotech“This document reviews what is currently known about nanoparticle toxicity, process emissions and exposure assessment, engineering controls, and personal protective equipment. This updated version of the document incorporates some of the latest results of NIOSH research, but it is only a starting point. The document serves a dual purpose: it is a summary of NIOSH’s current thinking and interim recommendations; and it is a request from NIOSH to occupational safety and health practitioners, researchers, product innovators and manufacturers, employers, workers, interest group members, and the general public to exchange information that will ensure that no worker suffers material impairment of safety or health as nanotechnology develops.”

A copy of this document can be found Here

Join the forum discussion on this post - (1) Posts]]> http://ohshub.com/niosh-publishes-document-on-safe-approaches-for-nanotechnology/feed/ 0