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                                                               NANOTECHNOLOGY
                                                               RESEARCH  PROGRAM
      Research Focuses on Potential Exposure to Nanomaterials
      Issue:

      With nanomaterials in
      widespread use and
      development, what are the
      chances of exposure and how can
      exposure occur?

      The miniscule materials are
      being widely used in consumer
      products such as paint, fabrics,
      cosmetics and sunscreen. As a
      result, there is potential for
      nanomaterials to be released to
      the environment during
      manufacturing processes,
      delivery, use and disposal.

      Research is needed to determine
      if and where nanomaterials may
      be in our environment and to
      evaluate their characteristics.
      This will help scientists to
      develop models to predict how
      nanomaterials move in the
      environment and the ways
      humans and ecosystems may be
      exposed.
             Ultimately, exposure data will
             assist health researchers to
             determine the potential for
             nanomaterials to cause adverse
             health or environmental impacts.

             Scientific Objective:

             The U.S. Environmental
             Protection Agency's
             Nanotechnology Research
             Program is responsible for
             determining the ecological and
             human health implications of
             exposure to nanomaterials.
             Researchers are interested in
             identifying sources of
             nanomaterials, determining
             how they are transported
             through the environment to
             their destination, and
             understanding how people and
             ecosystems may be exposed to
             nanomaterials.

             The overarching research
             question initially being
             addressed is:
Do the unique properties of
nanomaterials require that they
be evaluated differently than
conventional environmental
stressors?

If scientists find that
nanomaterials can be evaluated
using the same tools as
conventional materials, then
research can be incorporated
into existing research
programs. However, if they
discover that conventional
approaches are not effective in
evaluating the behavior of
nanomaterials, a sustained
research effort may be
required to specifically address
the following questions:

•  How do nanomaterials
   move though the
   environment?

•  What are the pathways  for
   exposure?

•  What populations  are
   likely to be exposed?

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      U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
      Office of Research and Development

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      NANOTECHNOLOGY RESEARCH  PROGRAM
      continuedfrom fmnt
      •  What is the frequency and
        duration of exposure?
      The research program is also
      focused on two long-term
      goals:

      1) To identify and evaluate the
      characteristics of individual
      nanomaterials that make them act
      differently in the environment
      than corresponding larger
      compounds, and

      2) To determine general traits of
      nanomaterials as a class of
      compounds, (e.g., mass,
      structure, surface area) that can
      be used as guidance for
      identifying situations where the
      materials may lead to increased
      exposure, toxicity or risk.

      To meet those long-term goals,
      the research program pursues:

      •  Sampling, separation, and
        detection of nanomaterials in
        the laboratory and then in the
        environment

      •  Evaluating, characterizing,
        and predicting the mobility of
        nanomaterials from their
        environmental release
               through transport, deposition,
               and re-release

            •  Identifying exposure
               pathways and characterizing
               ecological and human
               exposure to nanomaterials.

            Application and Impact

            The methods, models, and
            information generated by the
            Nanotechnology Research
            Program will be used by EPA
            and the scientific community to
            better assess the potential
            exposure and risk of
            nanomaterials, and to inform
            public policy decisions that will
            protect human health and the
            environment.

            The information is intended to
            help decision makers answer
            questions such as:

            •  What nanomaterials are most
               likely to result in
               environmental exposure?

            •  What particular nanomaterial
               properties may raise toxicity
               concerns?
   Are nanomaterials with these
   properties likely to be present
   in the environment or
   biological systems at
   concentrations of concern,
   and what does this mean for
   risk?

   Can we change nanomaterial
   properties or reduce
   exposures if nanomaterials
   are present in the
   environment or biological
   systems at levels that may
   pose a risk?
CONTACT
Michele Conlon, National Exposure Research
Laboratory, EPA's Office of Research and
Development, conlon.michele@epa.gov, 919-
541-2766.

AUGUST 2009
      U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
      Office of Research and Development

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