Category: Nanotechnology

Celebrating 20 Years of the Nanotechnology Research Center: Measuring the Small Things

Nanotechnology uses science to create very small materials. Engineered nanomaterials are made to have properties that are different from a larger form of the same material. Usually, this change in properties happens when the material gets smaller, so most engineered nanomaterials have at least one dimension that measures less than 100 nanometers. Although this change Read More >

Posted on by Jay Vietas, PhD, CIH, CSP, and Aleksandr Stefaniak, PhD, CIH

NTRC Marks 20 Years of Studying Nanotoxicology: Highlights from the Toxicology and Internal Dose Team

Where It Started As the Nanotechnology Research Center (NTRC) marks its 20th anniversary, we reflect on our achievements in the field of nanotoxicology. Within the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), one NTRC goal is to understand possible harm from nanomaterials in workplaces. Our work has its origins in earlier research. We started by Read More >

Posted on by Jenny R. Roberts, PhD2 Comments

When Nanoparticles Blow Up— Explosion Hazards of Nanoparticles

This blog is part of a series to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the Nanotechnology Research Center. Click here for additional blogs in the series and on other nanotechnology topics.  Engineered nanoparticles are synthesized materials with at least one dimension smaller than 100 nanometers. Reactive nanoparticles pose a special hazard. The heat released by the rapid oxidation of Read More >

Posted on by Leonid A. Turkevich, Ph.D.2 Comments

Celebrating 20 Years of the Nanotechnology Research Center: Highlights from Engineering Controls and Personal Protective Equipment

  As the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Nanotechnology Research Center (NTRC) marks its 20th anniversary, we celebrate the creative work of the Engineering Controls and Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) critical topic area, one of the ten critical nanotechnology topic areas of the NTRC. NIOSH researchers have established both research publications and Read More >

Posted on by Evanly Vo, PhD, DDS; Michael Bergman, MS; and Ziqing Zhuang, PhD1 Comment

NIOSH Risk Assessment of Engineered Nanomaterials

Nanotechnology as we know it today did not exist at the time of the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970. Yet, its provisions to “assure safe and healthful working conditions” apply to nanotechnology workplaces and other workplaces where engineered nanomaterials are produced or used. Engineered nanomaterials are used in a variety of products and Read More >

Posted on by Eileen D. Kuempel, PhD

The Nanotechnology Research Center Carbon Nanotube Registry

  To celebrate the Nanotechnology Research Center’s (NTRC) 20th anniversary, we are highlighting the ongoing efforts of the Center’s Carbon Nanotube Registry. This is a long-term National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) research effort dedicated to understanding workplace health risks associated with carbon nanotubes. What is the Carbon Nanotube Registry? A registry collects Read More >

Posted on by Kaitlin Kelly-Reif, PhD, and Mathew Dahm, PhD

Celebrating 20 Years of Research: Highlights From NIOSH’s Nanotechnology Research Center’s Field Studies Team

  As the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Nanotechnology Research Center (NTRC) marks its 20th anniversary, we celebrate the groundbreaking work of the Field Studies Team. Organized in 2006, the team began by evaluating potential workplace exposures to engineered nanomaterials. Engineered nanomaterials (those created on purpose and not incidentally) have at least Read More >

Posted on by CDR Kevin L. Dunn, MS, CIH; Eric Glassford, MS, CIH; Lilia Chen, MS, CIH

Sweating the Small Stuff: 20 years of NIOSH Research on Engineering Controls for Nanotechnology

Engineered nanomaterials are intentionally produced substances that have at least one primary dimension less than 100 nanometers (nm). Nanomaterials may have properties different from those of larger particles of the same material, making them unique and desirable for specific product applications (e.g., cosmetics, electronics, construction materials). The health effects associated with nanomaterials are not yet Read More >

Posted on by Kevin H. Dunn, ScD, CIH; Samuel Lo, PhD.; Jennifer Topmiller, MS; and Duane Hammond, MS, PE

NIOSH Global Collaborations on Workplace Safety of Nanomaterials

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Nanotechnology Research Center (NTRC) has taken on a global leadership role on research and guidance for nanomaterials in the workplace since the formation of NTRC in 2004 [1]. Global Collaborations is one of the ten critical topic areas for nanotechnology research and communication identified by NTRC Read More >

Posted on by Vladimir Murashov, Ph.D.

Looking to the Past and the Future of NIOSH Nanotechnology Guidance

NIOSH has been at the forefront of research on engineered nanomaterials since the early 2000’s.  As the NIOSH Nanotechnology Research Center (NTRC) celebrates its 20th anniversary, we look back over two decades of NIOSH NTRC published guidance to help reduce worker exposures to engineered nanomaterials (ENMs). Both companies and workers use this guidance to keep workers Read More >

Posted on by Jay Vietas, PhD, CIH, CSP and Lilia Chen, MS, CIH2 Comments

NIOSH News for National Nanotechnology Day!

  Every year on October 9th we celebrate National Nanotechnology Day. The date 10-9 pays homage to the nanometer scale: 10–9 (one billionth of a meter). Anything that can be measured in nanometers is extremely small! For instance, the width of a strand of human hair is about 90,000 nanometers, bacteria are between 300–5,000 nanometers, Read More >

Posted on by LCDR Adrienne Eastlake, MS, RS/REHS; Gary Roth, PhD; Nicole Neu-Baker, MPH

National Nanotechnology Day: A big day for small things

Every year on October the 9th we celebrate National Nanotechnology Day. The date 10-9 pays homage to the nanometer scale: 10-9. Anything that can be measured in nanometers (nm) is extremely small!  For instance, bacteria can be between 300-5,000 nm, a virus can be 5-300 nm, the diameter of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) is 2.5 nm, Read More >

Posted on by Laura Hodson, MSPH, CIH, FAIHA, and Adrienne Eastlake, MS, RS/REHS, MT (ASCP)1 Comment

Understanding the Broad Class of Carbon Nanotubes and Nanofibers (CNT/F) Used or Produced in U.S. Facilities

  Engineered nanomaterials, such as carbon nanotubes and nanofibers (CNT/F), hold great promise for society by revolutionizing many industries with applications from medicine to manufactured composites. The properties that make them so promising may also have the potential to cause harm to people if inhaled. Understanding potential health effects, conducting field exposure studies, and developing Read More >

Posted on by Aaron Erdely, Ph.D.; Kelly Fraser; Vamsi Kodali Ph.D.; Charles Geraci, Ph.D., CIH, FAIHA; Matthew Dahm, PhD, MPH; and Mary K. Schubauer-Berigan, PhD2 Comments

Are There Nano- and Microplastics in the Workplace?

The growing problem of plastic pollution in the environment is receiving an increasing amount of attention (see article in Nature). Small particles of plastics are often referred to as microplastics (plastic particles smaller than 5 mm [1]) and nanoplastics (the nanoscale fraction of plastic particles). Nano- and microplastic particles (NMPPs) can be formed through environmental Read More >

Posted on by Vladimir Murashov, PhD; Charles L. Geraci, Jr., PhD, CIH, FAIHA ; Paul Schulte, PhD; and John Howard, MD9 Comments

Nanotechnology Research at NIOSH

Engineered nanomaterials (ENMs) are materials that are intentionally produced to have at least one primary dimension less than 100 nanometers. These materials have new or unique properties different from those of larger forms of the same material, making them desirable for specific product applications. These properties can contribute to increased elasticity, tensile strength, electrical conduction, and reactivity. Consumer products using nanomaterials include Read More >

Posted on by Adrienne Eastlake, MS, RS/REHS, MT (ASCP) and John P. Sadowski, Ph.D.2 Comments

WHO Guidelines to Protect Workers from Nanomaterials

Introduction from NIOSH Director, John Howard, MD The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) has been at the forefront of research on working safely with nanomaterials. NIOSH leads the U.S. federal government health and safety initiative for nanotechnology coordinating research and activities through the NIOSH Nanotechnology Research Center (NTRC) established in 2004. The Read More >

Posted on by John Howard, MD, and Vladimir Murashov, PhD 4 Comments

The Art and Science of OELs for Nanomaterials

This guest blog post from our Finnish colleagues summarizes the challenges of identifying OELs for new nanomaterials as part of the development of a WHO guideline for working safely with nanomaterials.   Engineered nanomaterials are fascinating. Just by making stuff smaller researchers have discovered forms of materials and even completely new materials that can be Read More >

Posted on by Jos Verbeek and Raluca Mihalache 9 Comments

Occupational Health Issues in the USA

Happy New Year. As we start afresh in 2017 I wanted to share my recent editorial in the British journal, Occupational Medicine, “Occupational health issues in the USA”.  The article highlights some of the occupational safety and health issues identified as needing attention by the industry sector groups of the National Occupational Research Agenda (NORA).  Read More >

Posted on by John Howard, MD11 Comments

Never fear! NEAT 2.0 is here! – How to perform nanomaterial exposure assessment in the workplace

Please see the Technical Report: Occupational Exposure Sampling for Engineered Nanomaterials released in July 2022.  Do you think you might have exposure to nanomaterials in your workplace? Never fear! NEAT 2.0 is here! Engineered nanoparticles are unique. They are generally smaller than both red blood cells and viruses, don’t weigh much, and have a great amount Read More >

Posted on by Lt. Adrienne Eastlake, MS, RS/REHS

Nickel Nanoparticles: A Case of Sensitization Associated with Occupational Exposure

  In an article published online May 8, 2014 by the American Journal of Industrial Medicine, researchers W. Shane Journeay, Ph.D., M.D., and Rose H. Goldman, M.D., MPH, report the case of a worker who developed sensitization to nickel when working with nickel nanoparticle powder. According to the details of the case presented by Journeay and Read More >

Posted on by Charles L Geraci, PhD; Paul Schulte, PhD; Vladimir Murashov, PhD2 Comments