RIP-oN3

This Project addresses exposure assessment and hazard/risk characterisation for nanomaterials within REACH.

The objectives of this project are to:

Develop advice on how to do exposure assessment for nanomaterials within the REACH context. This shall be the main focus of project and shall cover:
- development of Exposure Scenarios,
- evaluation of operational conditions and risk management/mitigation measures and
- exposure estimation;
Develop ideas for how to conduct hazard and risk characterisation for nanomaterials. The latter will involve threshold/non-threshold considerations.

The project includes additional objectives in relation to identified sub-tasks:

Identification and review of information sources conduction of case studies for developing exposure scenarios for different nanomaterials;
Production of an advisory report on the exposure assessment of nanomaterials in the REACH context.
Analysis of existing evidence related to setting limit values for nanomaterials;
Identification of critical items for dose description;
Conduction of 3-4 case studies on whether and how no-effect-levels for health and the environment could be established;
Development of recommendations on the feasibility of whether categorisation of nanomaterials (e.g. different types of carbon nanotubes) and/or 'case-by-case' approaches will be needed and practical advice on how to do this on the basis of existing scientific evidence; and
Production of an advisory report on hazard/risk characterisation of nanomaterials in the REACH context.
Development of a working document outlining needs and options for metrics/parameters (mass, number concentration, surface area, particle size(s) etc.) in the hazard assessment compatible with the exposure assessment parameters/metrics in order to prepare a meaningful risk characterization.

NIA - Nanotechnology Industries Association