Nano and Other Emerging Chemical Technologies Blog

In 2011, the European Commission (EC) adopted a Recommendation on the definition of a nanomaterial.  The Recommendation invites member states, European Union (EU) agencies, and economic operators to use the definition “in the adoption and implementation of legislation and policy and research programmes concerning products of nanotechnologies.”  The EC is now reviewing its Recommendation.  It has launched a targeted stakeholder consultation to update, test, and...

In fall 2020, the Swedish National Platform for Nanosafety (SweNanoSafe) organized three workshops on education within nanosafety, with the goal of starting and consolidating an education network.  The first workshop focused on the need for education in nanosafety, the second workshop was on available education on nanosafety in Sweden, and the third workshop discussed concrete opportunities to take various education efforts one step further.  On May 5, 2021, SweNanoSafe...

On April 29, 2021, the European Union (EU) Observatory for Nanomaterials (EUON) published a Nanopinion entitled “Biotransformation of nanomaterials while transferring in the food chain” by Dr. Fazel A. Monikh.  As the application of nanomaterials increases, more of these materials are released in the environment.  Monikh states that some nanomaterials that are persistent in the environment raise concerns as they can enter organisms’ bodies, accumulate in their organs, and...

The Nanotechnology Industries Association (NIA) has published a March 2021 position paper, A changing regulatory landscape and language for the nanoscale, that examines the transition from “nanomaterial” to “nanoforms” to reflect better the differences in nanomaterial properties both in relation to bulk counterparts and to nanoforms of the same substance.  In the paper, NIA describes a transition phase where the language of nanoforms is used more widely and examples of nanoform...

On April 16, 2021, the European Commission (EC) Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety (SCCS) posted two preliminary opinions for comment:  Opinion on Gold (nano), Colloidal Gold (nano), Gold Thioethylamino Hyaluronic Acid (nano) and Acetyl heptapeptide-9 Colloidal gold (nano) and Opinion on Platinum (nano), Colloidal Platinum (nano) and Acetyl tetrapeptide-17 Colloidal Platinum (nano).  The EC asked SCCS whether the nanomaterials gold and colloidal gold, gold...

On April 12, 2021, the European Commission (EC) Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety (SCCS) published its final opinion on hydroxyapatite (nano).  The EC asked whether SCCS considers the nanomaterial hydroxyapatite safe when used in leave-on and rinse-off dermal and oral cosmetic products according to the maximum concentrations and specifications reported, taking into account reasonably foreseeable exposure conditions.  SCCS states that having considered the data provided, and...

Registration is open for the U.S. National Nanotechnology Initiative’s (NNI) April 27, 2021, webinar on “What We Know about NanoEHS:  Environment.”  The webinar will feature experts from diverse disciplines to share their perspectives on key findings on the effects of engineered nanomaterials in the environment.  Elijah Petersen, Ph.D., Research Scientist, National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), will moderate the panel, which will include: Jorge...

The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) published a news item on April 1, 2021, entitled “The Science of Tiny Little Things.”  According to the item, ISO has recently made some revisions and updates to its comprehensive 13-part series of International Standards for nanotechnology.  Updated standards include ISO/TS 80004-3, Nanotechnologies – Vocabulary – Part 3:  Carbon nano-objects, which defines terms and concepts for carbon...

The European Commission (EC) has requested a scientific opinion from the Scientific Committee on Health, Environmental and Emerging Risks (SCHEER) on the safety of titanium dioxide in toys with regard to a possible derogation from its prohibition.  The Toy Safety Directive 2009/48/EC prohibits the use of substances in toys if those substances are classified as carcinogenic, mutagenic, or toxic for reproduction (CMR).  The use of such substances may be permitted under certain...

The Society of Toxicology (SOT) in conjunction with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition (CFSAN) have partnered to provide a colloquia series on Emerging Toxicological Science:  Challenges in Food and Ingredient Safety.  The colloquia will present scientific information that is high-quality, cutting-edge, future-oriented toxicological science and is intended to provide a well-grounded foundation to inform the work of FDA...