Energetics assisted the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) in conducting and facilitating a workshop that brought together nanotechnology environmental health and safety (EHS) experts to prioritize standards development for critical aspects of nanotechnology with the potential to impact health and safety. Topics covered included nanomaterials’ EHS, Environmental Fate and Transport, Human and Ecological Health, and Occupational Exposure.
Client Need
A key challenge in the field of nanotechnology is understanding the impact of nanomaterials on the environment, ecological systems, and human health and safety. While nanoscale products are emerging every day, not enough research has been undertaken to really assess the life-cycle impacts of these products. Measurement is a key aspect of this assessment, but some of the required measurements are currently unavailable. This workshop was a first step toward understanding how to standardize the needed measurements to ensure consistency in a diversity of nano-related fields.
Solution
Energetics assisted NIST by designing and conducting a workshop to identify the standards needs in the emerging field of nanotechnology. The workshop brought together scientists and engineers with expertise in health, safety, and environment to discuss the priorities for standardization of both data and materials.
Results
The workshop report is being used to guide research and development planning decisions at NIST and other institutes. It has stimulated significant debate on the topic of nanotechnology, and more-detailed analysis is being undertaken by a variety of institutions to further explore measurement science needs in this area.