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Provisional nano-reference values β
Provisional nano-reference values
Abstract of the RIVM-report: Provisional nano-reference values. Applicability of the concept and of published methods
RIVM Report 601044001/2010; RIVM Bilthoven, the Netherlands, 2010
The current body of scientific knowledge is inadequate to enable health-based occupational exposure limits for nanomaterials to be derived. As an alternative, provisional nano-reference values can be used as pragmatic benchmark levels to reduce the exposure of employees to nanomaterials.
This was the primary conclusion of a study commissioned by the Ministry of Social Affairs and Employment and carried out by the Knowledge and Information Centre Risks of Nanotechnology (KIR-nano) of the RIVM in cooperation with the expert platform on working conditions. Little information is available at the present time on the possible health risks of nanoparticles. Consequently, the possibility that substances in nano form are more toxic than substances in conventional (non-nano) form cannot be ruled out.
This study evaluates the usefulness of provisional nano-reference values and of two published methods to derive such reference values. One of these methods was considered useful and subsequently used to derive provisional nano-reference values for the 23 most commonly applied nanomaterials, such as carbon nanotubes (used to strengthen materials) and nanosilver (used because of its antibacterial properties). The derived values are only to be used as pragmatic benchmark levels - they do not guarantee that an exposure to nanomaterials below these values is safe. It therefore remains important that employers minimise the exposure of their employees to nanomaterials as much as possible. In addition, the development of adequate knowledge to derive specific health-based exposure limits that actually do protect the health of employees should be given the highest priority.