This programme aims at understanding and assessing potential environmental risks of manufactured nanoparticles and nanomaterials (MNP). Nanotechnology has enormous technological and economic potential. To take full economic and societal advantage of these opportunities, it is crucial to understand and effectively manage potential environmental risks of these materials. Any misconception on environmental risks may seriously hamper application of nanotechnology.
Currently, understanding on environmental risks posed by MNP is largely lacking. This programme aims at understanding and predicting emission routes, environmental fate processes, exposure of organisms in the ecosystem, and (eco)toxicity of nanoparticles. For this purpose, analytical methods to determine MNP environmental matrices are developed and applied. Furthermore, the obtained knowledge will be applied to adapt the current environmental risk assessment for MNP.
Programme Director:
Prof. dr. Annemarie van Wezel (KWR Water B.V.)