Health risk versus benefit: Handling with nanomaterials: How safe - is safe enough?

Over the last few years, the risk from exposure to ultrafine or nanoparticles (< 100 nm) for humans and the environment has constantly risen in line with the increasing market readiness of nanomaterials. During production, use and disposal of nanomaterials, nano-scale aerosols may accumulate unintentionally, which can possibly reach the alveolar regions of the respiratory tract. The associated health risk is currently being examined in many scientific programs. Although the existing results hardly refer to an acute toxicity of nanoparticles, there is long way to a conclusive evaluation and clear definition of occupational limit values. The individual characteristics of the nanomaterials and also toxicological research methods are always oriented towards scientific knowledge and constantly changing. This accompanying toxicological investigations for reasons of product safety and consumer protection are indispensable with the development of nano-modified products. This article contains an overview of research results within the area of nanotoxicity, as well as our own work on the toxicological evaluation of carbon-based nanomaterials (carbon nanotubes) at the Fraunhofer IGB. Additionally industrial safety recommendations for manufacturers and users of nanomaterials are discussed