EXECUTIVE SUMMARY III
1 INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background
1.2 Objectives
1.3 Strategic approach
1.4 Project team
1.5 Report outline
2 METHODOLOGY
2.1 Identification, selection and compilation of information on studies
2.2 Data management
2.3 Preliminary assessment to map each study to the 18 research objectives
2.4 Weight-of-Evidence appraisal
2.5 Risk assessment appraisal
2.6 Presentation of the evidence at a workshop
3 QUANTITATIVE ASSESSMENT
3.1 Overview of studies considered
3.2 Weight-of-Evidence score distributions
3.3 Study funding
3.4 Geographic distribution of studies assessed
4 ASSESSMENT OF THE RESEARCH OBJECTIVES
4.1 Introduction
4.2 RO02 - Metrics and associated methods for the measurement and characterisation of nanoparticles
4.3 RO03 - Reference nanoparticles
4.4 RO04 - Ignition and explosive properties
4.5 RO05 - Sources of nanoparticles
4.6 RO06 - Exposure measurement (air)
4.7 RO07 - Fate and behaviour (air)
4.8 RO08 - Exposure control devices
4.9 RO09 - Exposure measurement (soil and water)
4.10 RO10 - Fate and behaviour (soil and water)
4.11 RO11 - Toxicokinetics
4.12 RO12 - Translocation and cellular toxicity
4.13 RO13 - Toxicity mechanisms (oxidative stress, inflammation and genotoxicity)
4.14 RO14 - Deposition, distribution, toxicity, pathogenicity and translocation potential and pathways for nanoparticles in the airways and lung and their potential impacts on the cardiovascular system and brain
4.15 RO15 - Toxicity (skin)
4.16 RO16 - Testing strategies
4.17 RO17 - Uptake, toxicity and effects of nanoparticles on groundwater and soil microorganisms, animals and plants, especially in the context of remediation
4.18 RO18 - Mechanisms of toxicity, toxicokinetics and in vivo effects of nanoparticles to key ecological groups
4.19 RO19 - Define endpoints to be measured in ecotoxicological studies and assess how fit for purpose current standard tests for persistence, bioaccumulation and toxicity are when considering nanoparticles
5 PROGRESS AND GAPS
5.1 Introduction
5.2 Metrology, characterisation, standardisation and reference materials
5.3 Exposures – Sources, pathways, and technologies
5.4 Human health hazard and risk assessment
5.5 Environmental hazard and risk assessment
6 ACTIVITIES EXTERNAL TO THE SCOPE OF THE RESEARCH
OBJECTIVES
6.1 Enabling activities
6.2 Life cycle analysis
6.3 Effectiveness of risk assessment approaches
6.4 Issues not currently being investigated
7 RISK ASSESSMENT
7.1 Precautionary principle
7.2 Consideration of research outputs
7.3 Assessment of use, exposure and toxicity
7.4 Consideration of the application of the precautionary principle
7.5 Summary
8 DISCUSSION
8.1 Limitations of the study
8.2 Quantitative outputs
8.3 Research objectives - progress and gaps
8.4 Studies and issues which are external to the Research objectives
8.5 Risk assessment and the precautionary principle
8.6 Lessons for future
9 CONCLUSIONS
10 REFERENCES
10.1 Published literature and reports
10.2 Selected web links
APPENDIX 1 - LIST OF STUDIES
APPENDIX 2 - WEIGHT-OF-EVIDENCE FRAMEWORKS
APPENDIX 3 - WEIGHT-OF-EVIDENCE SCORE DISTRIBUTIONS
APPENDIX 4 - FINANCIAL INFORMATION FOR STUDIES