Broad Research Categories

Research has been categorized into nine broad categories that are related to risk assessment and management.

Multiple categories may apply to research projects:

Exposure:

Research on exposure to nanomaterials, including human exposure and environmental exposure. This category covers exposure evaluation but not methods development (which comes under Characterization).

Hazard:

Research associated with the hazardous nature and hazard potential of nanomaterials, including human toxicity and ecotoxicity.

Response:

Research into the environmental and human health response to, or impact from, exposure to nanomaterials. This category includes epidemiology and environmental impact studies.

Generation, dispersion, transformation, etc.:

Research into the physical, chemical (and some biological) processes that potentially influence the impact of nanomaterials on the environment or human health. This category includes research into material generation and release, transport, accumulation, and physical/chemical transformation.

Safety:

Research into aspects of nanotechnology which may potentially lead to physical injury—for instance, fire or explosion hazards.

Control:

Research relevant to controlling the release of nanomaterials and controlling exposure to nanomaterials.

Characterization:

Research into the characterization of nanomaterials related or relevant to exposure, hazard, response, and control studies.

Risk assessment:

Development and application of quantitative and qualitative risk assessments for nanotechnology/nanomaterials.

Risk management:

Development and application of risk management models and frameworks for nanotechnology/nanomaterials.