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Nanomaterials in the European chemicals legislation-methodological challenges for registration and environmental safety assessment

Nielsen, Maria Bille ; Baun, Anders ; Mackevica, Aiga ; Thit, Amalie ; Odnevall Wallinder, Inger ; Gallego, Julián Alberto ; Westergaard Clausen, Lauge Peter ; Rissler, Jenny LU ; Skjolding, Lars LU and Castro Nilsson, Alejandra , et al. (2021) In Environmental Science: Nano 8(3). p.731-747
Abstract

In the European Union the Annexes of its chemical legislation (REACH) were revised and now clarify the technical data requirements for nanomaterials (NMs). These new provisions, effective from January 1, 2020, introduce requirements for manufacturers, importers and downstream users regarding registration and safety assessment of NMs. This study aims to assess the availability and suitability of methods needed to comply with the new regulatory provisions on NMs for physico-chemical characterisation and environmental fate and effects. The scientific literature and relevant test guideline frameworks were reviewed to identify applicable methods. These were subsequently evaluated and categorised as either: 'internationally accepted test... (More)

In the European Union the Annexes of its chemical legislation (REACH) were revised and now clarify the technical data requirements for nanomaterials (NMs). These new provisions, effective from January 1, 2020, introduce requirements for manufacturers, importers and downstream users regarding registration and safety assessment of NMs. This study aims to assess the availability and suitability of methods needed to comply with the new regulatory provisions on NMs for physico-chemical characterisation and environmental fate and effects. The scientific literature and relevant test guideline frameworks were reviewed to identify applicable methods. These were subsequently evaluated and categorised as either: 'internationally accepted test guideline or standard (TGS)', 'internationally accepted test guideline or standard under development (TGSUD)', 'established as standard methods in scientific literature (SCI)', 'other methods and/or more research needed (O)' or 'no method (N)'. We find that 80% of the information requirements and a bit more than 40% of the waiving criteria in the new REACH Annexes are supported by methods that are available as TGS, TGSUD or SCI. Most of the relevant methods in the scientific literature are included in recent OECD guidance documents or ECHA guidance. We recommend that a targeted effort is made to develop protocols and guidelines for methods to determine NM adsorption/desorption, degradation, exposure scenarios and ability to cross biological membranes. Here methods to fulfil the information requirements and waiving criteria are currently lacking. Furthermore, we recommend that increasing attention is directed towards regulatory reliability and relevance of the information that is submitted by the registrants.

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organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
in
Environmental Science: Nano
volume
8
issue
3
pages
17 pages
publisher
Royal Society of Chemistry
external identifiers
  • scopus:85103358663
ISSN
2051-8153
DOI
10.1039/d0en01123a
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
f2b9f312-7957-4bf8-988b-0a8ad0d96322
date added to LUP
2021-04-08 09:04:47
date last changed
2023-11-08 12:26:24
@article{f2b9f312-7957-4bf8-988b-0a8ad0d96322,
  abstract     = {{<p>In the European Union the Annexes of its chemical legislation (REACH) were revised and now clarify the technical data requirements for nanomaterials (NMs). These new provisions, effective from January 1, 2020, introduce requirements for manufacturers, importers and downstream users regarding registration and safety assessment of NMs. This study aims to assess the availability and suitability of methods needed to comply with the new regulatory provisions on NMs for physico-chemical characterisation and environmental fate and effects. The scientific literature and relevant test guideline frameworks were reviewed to identify applicable methods. These were subsequently evaluated and categorised as either: 'internationally accepted test guideline or standard (TGS)', 'internationally accepted test guideline or standard under development (TGSUD)', 'established as standard methods in scientific literature (SCI)', 'other methods and/or more research needed (O)' or 'no method (N)'. We find that 80% of the information requirements and a bit more than 40% of the waiving criteria in the new REACH Annexes are supported by methods that are available as TGS, TGSUD or SCI. Most of the relevant methods in the scientific literature are included in recent OECD guidance documents or ECHA guidance. We recommend that a targeted effort is made to develop protocols and guidelines for methods to determine NM adsorption/desorption, degradation, exposure scenarios and ability to cross biological membranes. Here methods to fulfil the information requirements and waiving criteria are currently lacking. Furthermore, we recommend that increasing attention is directed towards regulatory reliability and relevance of the information that is submitted by the registrants. </p>}},
  author       = {{Nielsen, Maria Bille and Baun, Anders and Mackevica, Aiga and Thit, Amalie and Odnevall Wallinder, Inger and Gallego, Julián Alberto and Westergaard Clausen, Lauge Peter and Rissler, Jenny and Skjolding, Lars and Castro Nilsson, Alejandra and Cedervall, Tommy and Foss Hansen, Steffen}},
  issn         = {{2051-8153}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{3}},
  pages        = {{731--747}},
  publisher    = {{Royal Society of Chemistry}},
  series       = {{Environmental Science: Nano}},
  title        = {{Nanomaterials in the European chemicals legislation-methodological challenges for registration and environmental safety assessment}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1039/d0en01123a}},
  doi          = {{10.1039/d0en01123a}},
  volume       = {{8}},
  year         = {{2021}},
}