Background: A major challenge for the global nanotechnology sector is the development of safe and functional engineered nanomaterials (ENMs) and nano-enabled products (NEPs). In this context, the application of the Safe-by-Design (SbD) concept has been adopted recently by the nanosafety community as a means to dampen human health and environmental risks, applying preventive safety measures during the design stage of a facility, process, material or product. Despite its importance, SbD prescriptions are still in their infancy, and are hampered among other things by the lack of comprehensive data about the performance, hazard and release potential of the great variety of NEPs in use.
Goal: In order to minimise the risks to human and environmental health during the engineering of NEPs the goal of the SbD4Nano project is to create a novel e-infrastructure for the definition, performance testing and implementation of SbD approaches in the nanotechnology supply chains.
Objectives:
- Reduce environmental and human health risks associated with the engineering ENMs & NEPs
- Develop rapid hazard profiling modules
- Create new exposure-driven modelling framework to reduce toxicity
- A novel software interface (the SbD4Nano e-infrastructure), where product information can be exchanged between actors of the nanotechnology value chain fostering collaboration between regulators, researchers & industry
Methodology and impacts:
Through close feedback between the actors of the nanotechnology value chain and the international nanosafety community, SbD4Nano aims to create an e-infrastructure with robust tools for generating SbD solutions based on regulatory and product performance-oriented approaches, promoting safer innovations that can be implemented at the industry level.
As part of their service to the nanosafety community and the broader audience, SbD4Nano experts will engage with various stakeholders to develop and make its infrastructure for Safe-by-Design Nanomanufacturing freely available.
This collaborative approach will ensure that SbD4Nano achieves its ambitious goals for maximum impact.
- Safe-by-Design approaches and tools will be used at an early stage of the nanomaterial development process
- Workplaces will ensure maximum technical and economic performance in line with acceptable risk levels
- Control and mitigate exposure after the release of nanomaterials from products
- Develop and validate low-cost techniques for delivering an integrated exposure driven risk assessment and the associated design of the required post-use monitoring
- Increased Innovation capacity and industrial competitiveness
- Foster international cooperation and open science
- Positive impact on human health, environment and EU policy
1 April 2020 – 31 March 2024
Contact
- Project Coordinator: Carlos Fito – ITENE, Valencia, Spain
- Project website: https://www.sbd4nano.eu
- E-mail: info@SbD4Nano.eu