Putting safety at centre of complex nanotech materials

Robust safety assessments developed by the EU-funded HARMLESS project are helping to ensure that citizens are protected while the European nanotech industry can prosper.

Climate Change and Environment

Industrial Technologies

Advances in nanotechnology have led to the development of innovative nanomaterials with applications across a range of sectors. These advanced materials (AdMa), engineered with improved properties compared to conventional materials, have the potential to revolutionise industries ranging from construction to agriculture. The complexity of these products presents a significant challenge to both innovators and regulators. As they are composed of intricate mixtures of multiple components, traditional safety assessment approaches can fall short. “The benefits of these materials must be weighed against their potential risks to human health and the environment,” says Tobias Stoeger from Helmholtz Munich in Germany, who together with his colleague Otmar Schmid coordinates the HARMLESS project. “Ensuring that these materials are safe for ecosystems, humans and natural resources is key.”

Human health and environmental safety

Addressing this deficit was the central goal of HARMLESS. The project set out to develop a safe and sustainable innovation approach to AdMa, to consider both safe and sustainable by design (SSbD) principles as well as regulatory preparedness. “We set out to develop novel methods and tools to accurately evaluate potential risks and ensure regulatory compliance,” explains Stoeger. “We need mechanisms in place that support the design of safer AdMa, to convince society of their overall benefit.” To this end, the project has developed a series of integrated tools and guidance, along with an online decision support system. The idea is that these can be used by innovators to ensure the functionality, safety and sustainability of materials across their life cycle. “Our user-friendly decision support system embeds safety considerations into the design process,” adds Stoeger. “It provides industries with tools to make informed decisions during the development of materials for different consumer products.”

Assessing life cycle safety of AdMa

The project’s tools and support system have been trialled through several case studies. One critical area of focus has been the use of nanostructures and matrix-embedded small particles incorporated into products such as paints and agricultural products. “When paints are exposed to harsh weather conditions, they degrade over time and potentially release tiny particles – some less than 100 nanometres in size, or about 100 times smaller than a strand of hair – into the environment,” says Stoeger. “Similarly, small particles can be released from plant protection products during handling or spraying onto fields. When inhaled, these small particles may harm human health and the environment.” Other case studies used the project’s guidance and tools to assess the safety of colloidal silica used in the paper industry, as well as advanced nanomaterials used for thermal insulation in houses. Catalysts containing nanomaterials for various chemical processes were also assessed.

Promoting safe and sustainable materials

These trials have successfully demonstrated the potential of HARMLESS tools and guidance to help industries, from construction to manufacturing and agriculture, to innovate responsibly. Users were able to refine product components, such as their shape and composition, to achieve the optimal balance between safety and functionality, from the very earliest stages of innovation. “By promoting the use of sustainable and harmless materials, HARMLESS has helped to pave the way for a future where innovation through AdMa can flourish,” notes Stoeger. “Assessing the safety of AdMa throughout their entire life cycle will help industry to produce next-generation AdMa that are safe to both humans and the environment.”