14-1190b-innovation-managing-risk-evidence

CASE STUDY
NANOMATERIALS
Kamal Hossain (National Physical Laboratory)
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‘Nanotechnologies’ describes a broad group of
technologies that focus on the engineering
and manipulation of materials at the
nanoscale (1nm–100nm). At these scales, many
materials exhibit novel properties
that are not seen in their bulk forms.
For example, quantum dots made of
nanoscale semiconductor materials
exhibit excellent and novel properties
for display and lighting applications,
and gold nanoparticles exhibit optical
properties that make them excellent
tools for medical imaging.
In 2004, the Royal Society (RS) and
the Royal Academy of Engineering
(RAE) published the world leading
report Nanoscience and nanotechnologies:
opportunities and uncertainties 1 .
This report acknowledged both
the significant opportunities in
nanotechnologies for UK industry,
as well as the challenges that their
development posed. As with the
development of many emerging
technologies, these challenges focused
on uncertainties around risks to health
and the environment.
Researchers had already begun
to investigate the toxicology and
environmental impact of a range of
nano-objects prior to the publication
of the 2004 report, which stimulated
further investment. Between 2002
and 2007, the UK alone invested
over £150 million in research into
the development and impact of
nanotechnologies.
Despite this investment, issues still
remain. Conflicting results and differing
scientific opinion mean regulators still
cannot always make adequate risk
assessments and policymakers may
lack the evidence to develop effective
policy. For example, the European
Commission’s Scientific Committee
on Consumer Safety published its
latest opinion on the use of nanoscale
titanium dioxide in consumer
products in 2013 (ref. 2), which stated that there were
still uncertainties over the risk assessments used for
nanomaterials, despite knowledge gaps being highlighted in
the first opinion on the use of nanoscale titanium dioxide
published 13 years ago.
One reason for this continued
uncertainty is largely due to an
issue raised in the 2004 report: a
“need to develop, standardize
and validate methods
of measurement of
nanoparticles and
nanotubes”. This
100nm development is essential
for the accurate
quantification of any
potential risk. In layman’s
terms, you cannot
measure the toxicological
or environmental impact of a
material if you don’t know what
it is or how to measure it correctly.
With UK government support,
work is underway to address this
issue. The National Physical Laboratory (NPL) is
the UK’s centre of excellence in measurement
research and represents the United Kingdom
globally in measurement standards development.
NPL undertakes research that aims to develop
robust, repeatable measurement technologies and
methods that can be applied reliably to understand,
predict and manage potential risks of engineered
nanoscale materials. By removing uncertainty
around the impact of nanotechnologies on health
and the environment, this work benefits regulators,
policymakers and industry by increasing confidence
in policy decisions. NPL’s world-renowned expertise
and work in nanoscale measurement is being applied
to the development of international standards that
UK industry can follow, helping the United Kingdom
to maintain a leading position in the field.
Foremost in these activities is the NPL’s
work with the International Organisation for
Standardisation (ISO) technical committee (TC)
229 Nanotechnologies. The BSI (British Standards
Institution), in close co-operation with NPL and UK
industry, put forward the case for TC 229, which
was formed in 2006 and is chaired by the United