Timing, hosts and locations of (grouped) events of NanoImpactNet

for risk analysis, these tools need to be applied, modified and
verified for nanomaterials. Previously used standard approaches to
risk management, control and reduction need to be proven for the
novel paradigm presented by nanomaterials. Thus, the
development of nanotechnology-based products needs to be
complemented with appropriate validated methods to assess,
monitor and reduce the potential risks of engineered
nanomaterials (ENM) to human health and the environment. Public
mistrust of any new technology is often high, and demonstrating
‘safe’ products of nanotechnology will enhance the confidence of
consumers, workers and other stakeholders. Furthermore, these
measures must be validated and integrated in an overarching,
coherent strategy for regulators and industry to adapt them. Thus,
a safe and environmentally responsible nanotechnology will
safeguard current and future global investments and will be the
key to the sustainability of this industry.
While there are standard procedures for product life cycle analysis,
exposure, hazard, and risk assessment for traditional chemicals, is
not yet clear how these procedures need to be modified to
address all the novel properties of nanomaterials. There is a need
to develop specific reference methods for all the main steps in
managing the potential risk of ENM. The aim of MARINA is to
develop such methods. MARINA will address the four central
themes in the risk management paradigm for ENM: Materials,
Exposure, Hazard and Risk. The methods developed by MARINA
will be (i) based on beyond-state-of-the-art understanding of the
properties, interaction and fate of ENM in relation to human
health and the quality of the environment and will either (ii) be
newly developed or adapted from existing ones but ultimately,
they will be compared/validated and harmonised/standardised as
reference methods for managing the risk of ENM. MARINA will
also develop a strategy for Risk Management including
monitoring systems and measures for minimising massive
exposure via explosion or environmental spillage
2 Objectives
The specific objectives of MARINA are:
1. For Materials, to obtain reference nanomaterials for testing;
to develop validated methods for characterising the physicochemical
properties of ENM as pristine materials, in biological
matrices, in environmental samples and field detection; to
isotope-label ENM for their use in bio-distribution studies
2. For Exposure, to conduct exposure assessment in the
workplace throughout the life-cycle of a ENM, developing
different exposure scenarios. To assess the fate and behaviour
of ENM in soil/sediment/water. To characterize the actually
released ENM (aged ENM) and compare them to the pristine
ENM. To evaluate, as part of a performance assessment,
different approaches to conduct exposure assessment for use in
the MARINA integrated risk assessment.
3. For Hazard, to address the knowledge gap, especially in areas
of non-genomic toxic mechanisms, toxicogenomics, proteomics
NanoSafetyCluster - Compendium 2012
and metabolomics by developing new test systems; to develop
reference methods for in vitro toxicology tests (including and
fully incorporating those developed in other FP projects) by
means of a scientific validation strategy; to implement in vivo
dose-response models of healthy and susceptible subjects
exposed through repeated dosing to ENM via inhalation,
ingestion, intravenous injection and dermal exposure; to
develop and scientifically validate in vitro and in vivo tests for
soil/sediment/aquatic toxicity and secondary poisoning.
4. For Risk, to combine phase (1), (2) and (3) in developing
reference methods for assessing the health and environmental
risk posed by ENM; to develop a strategy for Risk Management
including onitoring systems and measures for minimising
massive exposure via explosion or environmental spillage.
MARINA is to achieve the objectives described above in 48
months.
3 The MARINA approach
The European Commission, to date, has funded some 15 projects
relevant to health and safety issues regarding ENM. This
commitment is set to continue in the future. At the national level,
there are other similar efforts 3,4 . However, to date, the valuable
results generated from these projects have in the main been
unabled to generate concepts, methodology and data which have
been practically used for risk assessment and management.. Thus,
there is clearly a need to use the most up-to-date date available
information and methodology for guidance on health and safety
risk management to industry and regulators. To respond to this
need, in MARINA, we have created a consortium consisting of first
class scientists and organisations with a track records for research
in Health and Safety Issues of ENM. Most importantly,
• we have representatives from more than ten FP projects 1 . Our
aim is to take the beyond the state-of-the-art results from
these projects and use them for creating validated reference
tools for Risk Assessment and Management
• we recognise the relevance of our results to industry
therefore we have involved the direct participation of the
Nanotech Industries Association 2 and industrial key partners
such as BASF and Nanocyl.
• we also recognised the geopolitical and economical
1
The FP projects are: FP6 PARTICLE_RISK, NANOSH,
NANOINTERACT, NANOSAFE2, FP7 NANOMMUNE, NANOTEST,
ENPRA, NEURONANO, NANODEVICE, NANOLYSE,
NANOIMPACTNET, NANEX, ENNSATOX, NANOFATE, NANOHOUSE
and ObservatoryNANO.
2
NIA is also involved in another proposal on the same call
(NMP.2010.1.3-1: NanoREFORM); this involvement allows the
establishment of added-value components to both projects and
benefits the nanotechnology research and industries community:.
Compendium of Projects in the European NanoSafety Cluster 67