The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) is celebrating the 20th anniversary of its Nanotechnology Research Center (NTRC). In a June 3, 2024, NIOSH Science log item titled “NIOSH Risk Assessment of Engineered Nanomaterials,” the importance of NTRC activities in risk assessment is highlighted. The item mentions that NTRC risk assessments were used in developing NIOSH recommended exposure limits (REL) for titanium dioxide, carbon nanotubes and nanofibers, and silver nanomaterials. Finding relevant and reliable data, especially chronic exposure data, for engineered nanomaterials has been a challenge. Dose estimation is crucial for nanomaterials, where particle size can impact biological processes and internal dose.
To address this challenge, NTRC has collaborated with other researchers to develop dose models and support extensions of the Multiple-Path Particle Dosimetry model. This collaboration has led to the establishment of occupational exposure bands for various engineered nanomaterials by evaluating available approaches. These bands provide provisional guidance for risk management when there is not enough data for occupational exposure limits.
Future plans outlined in the blog item include a multi-center program in the European Union to create the NanoInformaTIX database and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s NaKnowBase database. These databases will provide valuable resources for researchers studying nanomaterials risk assessment. Additionally, NTRC researchers are working on developing a literature-based dataset as part of their evaluation of approaches to nanomaterials risk assessment. This will help ensure that future research is informed by the best available data and approaches to risk assessment.
