• Project number: F 2477
• Institution: Federal Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (BAuA)
• Status: Completed Project

Description:

In order for regulation to keep pace with innovation, OECD Test Guidelines need to remain up to date and fit for purpose. The Test Guidelines of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) are important instruments for obtaining reliable information on the hazard properties and risks of chemicals for humans and the environment. Test Guidelines are agreed on by the OECD Member states and follow the principle of mutual acceptance of data. For a number of endpoints, however, the existing Test Guidelines are not applicable to nanomaterials.

This BAuA project was part of the second work package of the Gov4Nano project funded under Horizon 2020. It contributed to the development of the scientific basis for Test Guidelines for the characterisation and testing of nanomaterials and to the preparation of harmonisation as OECD Test Guidelines. The research was focused on test methods for physical-chemical characterisation, transformation, exposure and risk assessment.

BAuA participated in the development of the scientific evaluation for an OECD Test Guidelines on the dustiness of nanomaterials. The "Fluidizer" dustiness test was for granular nanoparticles as part of an interlaboratory comparison. The test method specifies the requirements for the registration of nanomaterials under the European Chemicals Regulation REACH and supports the derivation of suitable occupational health and safety measures. BAuA also compiled a literature review on the subject of release tests for nanomaterials. Building on this, a project was launched with the OECD Working Party on Manufactured Nanomaterials and a guidance is currently being developed with other international partners.

Work on the development of necessary OECD Test Guidelines for innovative materials and their coordination is being continued in cooperation with the Malta Initiative.