A three year project entitled “Assessment of Individual Exposure to Manufactured Nanomaterials By Means of Personal Monitors and Samples” (nanoIndEx) published “Assessment of Personal Exposure to Airborne Nanomaterials” last month.

The guidance highlights that based on their findings, many toxicology studies of nanomaterials to date have used “unrealistically high” doses, limiting the conclusions that can be drawn and applicability of these studies for real-world exposures to humans. Future studies would be more relevant using realistic exposure scenarios, adopting doses identified in environmental sampling of nanomaterials; however, data on occupational exposure levels are still sparse. More extensive collection and characterization of occupational exposures to nanomaterials is needed.