The UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology (UKCEH) has contributed to pioneering European research that provides important guidance on how to develop safer nanomaterials and products that use these tiny particles.
Engineered nanomaterials (particles as small as one-billionth of a metre) provide special properties to products, such as making sunscreens and cosmetics more transparent and paints reflect light better or stopping the growth of mould. They are also used in healthcare, including identifying individual diseased cells within the body and more targeted and effective drug treatments.
However, there have long been concerns about how safe they are for human health and the environment. Their small size means they can pass through cell membranes, and their surface, shape and composition can mean they cause damage in biological systems.
The European Commission has therefore adopted a Safe and Sustainable by Design (SSbD) framework, providing funding for relevant research through its Horizon 2020 programme. The effects on the health of humans, animals and plants are considered alongside sustainability in terms of economic value and other environmental impacts such as carbon dioxide emissions from manufacturing processes.
UKCEH scientists have played a leading role in evaluating how nanomaterials behave in terrestrial and freshwater habitats as well as the effects they can have on plants and animals. They advised how nanomaterials could be better designed to reduce their risks to the environment.
The UKCEH research was part of two projects carried out by teams of European scientists that provided tools, models and methodologies for assessing the safety, sustainability and costs in the design and development of nanomaterials and nano-enabled products.
The SAbyNA project created a web-based Guidance Platform and online tools to support the development of safer and more sustainable nanomaterials and products. These resources are targeted at those involved in design, development and production of nanomaterials and nano-enabled products, with a particular focus on paint and additive manufacturers.
The Guidance Platform is expected to become an essential tool for industry, developers and researchers, contributing to a safer and more sustainable future for nanotechnology.
Meanwhile, the ASINA project developed a decision support tool that uses data collected across the nanomaterial lifecycle to identify how safer and more sustainable nanomaterials or nano-enabled product can be designed. It has also produced a roadmap for safer and more sustainable design of nanomaterials, with a particular focus on antimicrobial coatings.
UKCEH ecotoxicologist Dr Elma Lahive, who was involved in both projects, explains: “The ongoing research aims to maximise safety for the environment, workers and consumers while retaining the full benefits of the functionality provided by nanomaterials.
“The two latest projects provide a significant step forward in providing streamlined methodologies for the design and development of safer nanomaterials and nano-enabled products.”