Overview
The Reactivity and Toxicity of Engineered Nanoparticles: Risks to the Environment and Human Health.
We are a European Commission funded research project aiming to identify the potential risks to the environment and human health posed by free engineered (i.e. manmade) nanomaterials.
NanoReTox is an international, integrated, interdisciplinary, strategic program, addressing the environmental and human implications of exposure to engineered metal nanoparticles.
The consortium will build upon the existing knowledge and experience of the partners in particle synthesis and reactivity, as well as existing knowledge of risks from metal and natural (nano)particles.
We propose that methodologies and in vitro and in vivo models that the partners have developed for studying natural nanomaterials and metal toxicity can provide a valuable scientific and technical platform from which to assess the effect of environmental exposures, and toxicity of engineered metal nanomaterials.We suggest that concepts used in the models that determine environmental bioavailability of metals are a valuable starting place from which to evaluate risks from engineered nanoparticles.
Finally, we will introduce a range of novel approaches to study engineered nanomaterial reactivity/toxicity, including a novel method for detecting metal particle bioavailability (creation of particles with unique stable isotope ratios), which could be of significant value in applications for following certain differe through their life cycle.
