Nano and Other Emerging Chemical Technologies Blog

The Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) recently published an English version of its Action Plan Nanotechnology 2020.  Based on the success of the Action Plan Nanotechnology over the previous ten years, the federal government will continue the Action Plan Nanotechnology for the next five years.  Action Plan Nanotechnology 2020 is geared towards the priorities of the federal government’s new “High-Tech Strategy” (HTS), which has as its objective the solution of...

The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) recently published ISO/TR 18196:2016, “Nanotechnologies — Measurement technique matrix for the characterization of nano-objects.”  The document provides a matrix intended to guide users to commercially available techniques relevant to the measurements of common physiochemical parameters for nano-objects.  Some techniques are also applicable to nanostructured materials.  As scientific advances are made and additional...

In November 2016, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) published the following new reports in its Series on the Safety of Manufactured Nanomaterials: Toxicokinetics of Manufactured Nanomaterials: Report from the OECD Expert Meeting:  As part of its Program on the Safety of Manufactured Nanomaterials, OECD initiated a series of expert meetings to discuss the applicability of the OECD Test Guidelines to nanomaterials.  The Working Party on Manufactured...

On November 1, 2016, the National Nanotechnology Coordination Office (NNCO) announced the release of the 2016 National Nanotechnology Initiative Strategic Plan.  The 21st Century Nanotechnology Research and Development Act of 2003 requires National Nanotechnology Initiative (NNI) agencies to develop an updated Strategic Plan every three years.  The 2016 Strategic Plan represents a consensus among the NNI agencies on the high-level goals and priorities of the NNI and on specific...

On November 1, 2016, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) published a blog item entitled “Never fear!  NEAT 2.0 is here! — How to perform nanomaterial exposure assessment in the workplace.”  NIOSH notes that in 2009, it developed and was the first to recommend using the nanoparticle emission assessment technique (NEAT).  According to NIOSH, NEAT made use of a condensation particle counter to identify tasks that result or can result in the...

On October 13, 2016, the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) announced that the Biocidal Products Committee adopted three opinions supporting the approval of active substances for use in biocidal products, including its first opinion on a nanomaterial.  The Committee supports the use of pyrogenic, synthetic amorphous silicon dioxide, nano, surface treated for insecticides, acaricides, and products to control other arthropods (product-type 18).  ECHA’s October 13, 2016, annex to a news...

On October 27, 2016, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) proposed significant new use rules (SNUR) for three chemical substances that were the subject of premanufacture notices (PMN), including functionalized carbon nanotubes (generic).  According to the notice, the PMN states that the substance will be used as a thin film for electronic device applications.  Based on structure-activity relationship (SAR) analysis of test data on analogous carbon nanotubes and other...

In cases A-008-2015, A-009-2015, A-010-2015, and A-011-2015, the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) Board of Appeal examined appeals against compliance check decisions made by ECHA requesting further substance identity information from four registrants of a “nano structured” substance.  As reported in our July 29, 2015, blog item, ECHA adopted the contested decisions on December 17, 2014, following a compliance check under the dossier evaluation procedure of the...

On November 21, 2016, the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) released ISO/TR 18637:2016, “Nanotechnologies — Overview of available frameworks for the development of occupational exposure limits and bands for nano-objects and their aggregates and agglomerates (NOAAs).”  ISO notes that occupational exposure limits (OEL) are generally substance-specific.  In some case, there is insufficient data to develop an OEL, especially for substances such as nano-objects and...

The fifth Nanosafe conference was held November 7-10, 2016, in Grenoble, France.  The conference included panel discussions on responsible development with non-governmental organizations; urban particles mitigation:  what is reasonably possible; and nanomedicine:  benefit-risk.  Topics addressed during the conference included: Measurement and characterization of nano objects; Exposure; Manufactured nano objects: Release from nano-enabled products; Safer by design...

On September 27, 2016, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Board of Scientific Counselors (BSC) met, and its discussion included engineering controls and nanomaterials.  Kevin H. Dunn, Sc.D., CIH, a NIOSH Division of Applied Research and Technology (DART) mechanical engineer and member of NIOSH’s Nanotechnology Research Center, provided an update to the BSC on NIOSH’s evaluations, findings, recommendations, and guidance for reducing occupational exposures to...

The 2016 Sustainable Nanotechnology Organization (SNO) conference will be held November 10-12, 2016.  The conference sessions will be organized around selected “systems,” and sessions will be populated with talks on applications, effects and implications, analytical methods, and lifecycle aspects of nanomaterials within each system.  The aims are to identity where nanomaterials and nanotechnology can improve the sustainability of each system and to foster integration of...

On October 7, 2016, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) submitted to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) a final rule that would require reporting and recordkeeping information on certain chemical substances when they are manufactured or processed as nanoscale materials.  EPA issued a proposed rule, under Section 8(a) of the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA), on April 6, 2015.  EPA proposed to require persons that manufacture or process certain chemical...

On October 19, 2016, the National Nanotechnology Coordination Office (NNCO) will hold a webinar to announce the Nanotechnology Signature Initiative (NSI):  Water Sustainability through Nanotechnology.  The webinar will highlight the activities of several participating federal agencies.  NNCO states that the webinar will be the first in a series exploring the confluence of nanotechnology and water.  Subsequent webinars will each focus on one of the NSI’s...

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) recently announced the availability of the following publications: Nanotechnology: Delivering on the Promise is a two-volume American Chemical Society symposium report that discusses advances in nanotechnology and the value of precautionary risk management.  Editors include NIOSH Associate Director for Nanotechnology Charles L. Geraci, Ph.D., CIH.  Lynn L. Bergeson wrote a chapter entitled “Opportunities and...

On September 13, 2016, the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) announced the availability of an updated list of chemicals of high concern.  Chemicals added to the list of chemicals of high concern include silicon carbide whiskers (Chemical Abstracts Service (CAS) Number 409-21-2), carbon nanotubes, multi-walled MWCNT-7 (CAS Number 308068-56-6), and silicon carbide, fibrous (CAS Number 308076-74-6).  MDH added these nanomaterials based on their International Agency for Research on Cancer...

The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) published ISO/TR 16196:2016, “Nanotechnologies — Compilation and description of sample preparation and dosing methods for engineered and manufactured nanomaterials.”  The goal of the standard is to assist scientists and experts to understand, plan, choose, and address issues relevant to nanomaterials before and during toxicological testing.  The descriptions of sample preparation method factors for both in vitro and in...

Germany Publishes Review of the Joint Research Strategy of the Higher Federal Authorities On September 19, 2016, the Federal Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (BAuA) published a report entitled Review of the joint research strategy of the higher federal authorities — Nanomaterials and other advanced materials:  Application safety and environmental compatibility.  The report states that in a long-term research strategy, the higher federal authorities responsible for...

An August 15, 2016, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) blog item describes EPA’s research on sunscreens containing engineered nanomaterials and how they might change when exposed to chemicals in pool water.  According to EPA, many sunscreens contain titanium dioxide engineered nanomaterials, which are often coated with other materials such as aluminum hydroxide to shield skin from reactive oxygen species.  EPA researchers are testing to see whether swimming pool water degrades the...

On September 22, 2016, the National Nanotechnology Coordination Office (NNCO) will hold a webinar on the insurance industry and the challenges of underwriting nanotechnology and other emerging technologies.  NNCO Director Dr. Michael Meador will moderate the webinar discussion.  Speakers will include: Allen Gelwick, Executive Vice President of the Lockton Companies; Christie Sayes, Associate Professor of Environmental Science and Toxicology at Baylor University; David...