Nanoparticles (NP) have a wide variety of potential application fields. Some applications are already out on the market and many more are expected to be launched in the near future. However, air pollution studies suggest that particulate matter may be toxic, and serious concerns have been raised by epidemiological and toxicological studies. Thus far there have been no policies, regulations or precautionary measures established relating to NP. Based on past experience, however, we believe that innovative applications of nanotechnology will unfold most successfully if potential side-effects are known in advance.

This project focusses on Carbon Nanotubes (CNT), as they have the interesting potential of improving material properties and are expected to be applied in key industries. The results of this project contribute to understanding and minimizing the risks at an early stage of development.

This project aims:

• to present the status quo of existing knowledge and uncertainties regarding safety and risk issues of CNT

• to perform a foresight study on what potential problems may arise in the CNT life cycle, in order to be able to take precautionary measures right during the R&D process.

   
The project was carried out at Empa by the Technology and Society Lab in co-operation with the Materials-Biology Interactions Lab. The latter performed research to obtain toxicological in vitro data for hazard identification and will strive to identify the CNT toxicomechanism.

Financial support: Swiss Federal Office of Public Health (BAG), the Federal Office for the Environment (FOEN), the Federal Office for Professional Education and Technology e Innovation Promotion Agency (OPET-CTI) and Empa Materials Science & Technology.

Partners:
Arie Bruinink, Peter Wick (Materials-Biology Interactions, Empa),
Bernd Nowack, Andreas Köhler, Aasgeir Helland, Fadri Gottschalk (Technology and Society Lab, Empa)
Michael Riediker, Kaspar Schmid (IST, Institut de Santé au Travail)

Duration: 1/05 to 9/07

Publications:

• Helland, A., Wick, P., Koehler, A., Schmid, K., Som, C. (2007). Reviewing the environmental and human health knowledge base of carbon nanotubes. Environmental Health Perspectives, 115, 8, p 1125 – 1131
• Koehler, A., Som, C., Helland, A., Gottschalk, F. (2007): Studying the potential release of carbon nanotubes throughout the application life cycle. Journal of Cleaner Production (2007), doi:10.1016/j.jclepro.2007.04.007
• Nowack, B., Bucheli T.D. (2007): Occurrence, behavior and effects of nanoparticles in the environment, Environ. Pollut., 150,  5 - 22    

   
Contact: Claudia Som (Project leader)

    
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