Platform Optimisation To Enable NanomaTerIAL
safety assessment for rapid commercialisation

What are nanomaterials

Nanomaterials are materials which are engineered on a very small scale[1], they are constituted by nanoparticles, and are the constitutents of nanotechnologies. Nanomaterials have unique optical, magnetic, electrical and chemical properties, which can make them extremely useful in fields such as electronics, medicine and energy.

[1] According to REACH (the Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and restriction of Cemicals programme in the European Union) a nanomaterial has at least 50% of its particles measuring between 1 and 100nm in at least one of their dimensions.

Nanomaterials are not intrinsically dangerous, but we do not know yet the full extent of their behavior after being released in the environment. It is therefore important to carry out, for each class of nanomaterials,  a thorough risk assessment for potentially dangerous interactions with animals, plants, water, soil and air. This requires us first to describe all the nanomaterials properties (so-called characterization)

The urgent research

The dynamic nature of many nanomaterials in complex environmental matrices is as a major challenge for their detection, quantification and characterization, and The European Union recognises that the development of tools to ensure the safe and sustainable use of nanomaterials has not kept pace with the rapid commercialization of nanotechnologies. Studying nanomaterials is challenging and in many cases does not yield comparable results between different classes (read-across), or be extensive enough to draw general conclusions (grouping).

What POTENTIAL does

POTENTIAL (Platform Optimisation To Enable NanomaTerIAL safety assessment for rapid commercialisation) is developing a standardised approach for the detection, quantification and characterisation of Advanced Nanomaterials (Ad-NMs) as they interact with complex environmental and biological matrices, such as water sludge or animal tissue. The expected results are:

– A set of standard protocols for the physico-chemical characterisation of Ad-NMs

– A set of standard protocols for the high-resolution imaging of Ad-NMs

– A set of standard protocols for the nanotoxicity evaluation of Ad-NMs

– An in-vitro 3d cell model for safety assessment of Ad-NMs

– A computational model to maximize grouping and read-across

Objectives

We expect that the diffusion of standardised protocolos for Ad-NMs, and the increased transferability of results between class of nanomaterials will have several positive impacts:

Economic: standard approaches for  characterisation will reduce the costs associated to regulatory compliance and regulatory risks, and shorten the time to market for new materials

Environmental: a better understanding of nanomaterials interactions with the environment will support more appropriate regulation and increase safety

Social: better tools for the study of nanomaterials translate in an increased availability of safe-by-design nanotechnologies, with all their potential to increase the quality of life of citizens. Moreover, grouping and read-across contribute to replacement, reduction and refinement of animal testing

Health: new guidelines for establishing the safety of nanomaterials will facilitate the clinical translation of nanomedicine, for example in the transport, targeting and gradual release of drugs

Acknowledgement

POTENTIAL started on January 1st 2023 and will last for 4 years until January 2027. This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon Europe Research and Innovation Actions programme under Grant Agreement 101092901

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