New Publication in NanoToday Emphasizes Importance of Nanoforms' Environmental Fate and Hazard Assessment

20.02.2024

Recent research underscores the significance of even minor alterations in the physicochemical attributes of nanoforms (NFs), which can significantly influence their environmental behavior and potential risks. With a plethora of NFs continuously emerging, individually testing and characterizing each one becomes impractical. Complicating matters further are NF transformations throughout their lifecycle, altering the dynamics governing their risks, particularly through processes like dissolution. To streamline risk assessment, focusing on the most pertinent form of NF for a given exposure becomes crucial. The study proposes an Integrated Approaches to Testing and Assessment (IATA) framework, particularly targeting aquatic systems, which can justify grouping NFs and implementing read-across strategies for similar endpoints. By prioritizing factors like dissolution, dispersion stability, and toxicity contributions from particles and solutes, the framework offers a systematic approach to assess NFs' environmental impact."