| Title: |
Risk Assessment of Products of Nanotechnologies
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| Resource Type: |
document --> guidance / decision support
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| Country: |
European Union
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| Year: |
2009 |
| Availability: |
The SCENIHR adopted this opinion at its 28th plenary on 19 January 2009
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| Author 1/Producer: |
European Commission
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| Other Authors/Producers: |
Scientific Committee on Emerging and Newly Identified Health Risks SCENIHR
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| Author / Producer Type: |
Agency, regulator or other governmental or inter-governmental body
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EUGRIS Keyword(s): |
Contaminated land-->Contaminants-->Others
Contaminated land-->Risk assessment-->Risk assessment overview
Diffuse pollution-->Contaminants-->Pesticides
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| Short description: |
The SCENIHR’s opinion, citing a number of laboratory studies, identifies some nanomaterials that present hazards to human health and the environment. In particular, carbon nanotubes that resemble asbestos fibres, would pose the same risk. In addition, some studies illustrate that some nanoparticles (NPs) can penetrate cells, generate free radicals, interact with DNA, and interfere with protein assembly. At present, the Commission has no evidence that these hazards exist outside the laboratory but more research is needed on the risk of nanomaterials used in materials available today. As a response to these important findings, SCENIHR calls for co-ordinated research strategies to address these issues and provide comparable and reliable risk assessment data. SCENIHR also stresses that nanomaterials are similar to chemicals in that some may be toxic and some may not. The SCENHIR opinion contributes to current discussions on several legislative EU proposals dealing with nanomaterials.
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Link to Organisation(s):
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EC European Commission
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Submitted By:
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Professor Paul Bardos WhoDoesWhat?
Last update: 24/04/2009
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