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In
the last 20 years nanosafety research has intensely investigated
possible adverse effects of nanomaterials and their mitigation. The
focus was on nanomaterials composed of single substances with narrow
size distribution and mainly spheroidal geometry such as titanium
dioxide and zinc oxide with some additional research on carbon
nanotubes and graphene.
However,
many more material variants can be found on the market already. Often
hybrid materials are used, which are composed of two or more chemical
substances. Many of the industrially used materials are polydisperse,
meaning that they contain particles in a broad size distribution
including sizes beyond the nanoscale. Moreover, in many industrial
applications material systems are applied, which change their structure
during production or application such as in additive manufacturing.
Currently, it remains unclear to which extent the findings of
nanosafety research can be applied to these more complex material
types.
The
overarching aim of the InnoMat.Life project is the establishment of
criteria and similarity concepts that allow for a grouping based on
hazard or risk profiles of those innovative and/or more complex
material types. InnoMat.Life focuses on three material classes: (1)
polydisperse materials for industrial applications such as metals or
polymer powders for additive manufacturing or 3D printing, (2)
materials with other and potentially critical morphologies such as
rods, plates or fibres and (3) hybrid materials such as mixed organic
and inorganic structures. The project addresses exposure and hazards
for human and the environment and also considers the whole life cycle
of these complex materials from synthesis to disposal.
To achieve
these goals the project combines expertise from academia, competent
authorities and industry. The results will be presented and discussed
in national and international panels and committees to ensure a
regulatory applicability of the outcomes from the beginning. The
knowledge obtained in the project will support the faster development
of safe innovative material systems and allow for timely assessment of
possible risks.
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