Statement of Task - Research Progress on Environmental Health and Safety Aspects of Engineered Nanomaterials - page 86

Appendix B
Statement of Task
The National Research Council will develop and will monitor the implementation of an integrated
research strategy to address the environmental, health, and safety aspects of engineered nanomaterials.
This study will create a conceptual framework for environmental, health, and safety-related research;
develop a research plan with short- and long-term research priorities; estimate resources necessary to
implement this research plan; and subsequently evaluate research progress over a three year period. The
committee will take into consideration current and emerging uses of engineered nanomaterials and the
scientific uncertainties related to physical and chemical properties, potential exposures, toxicity,
toxicokinetics, and environmental fate of these materials. In its evaluation the committee will also
consider existing research roadmaps and progress made in their implementation.
Two reports will be prepared over a 4-year period. The first report, which will be released within
18 months of study inception, will present a conceptual framework and priorities for the research
program, identify the most important short-term and longer-term research priorities, develop a strategy for
monitoring and evaluating research progress, and estimate the resources needed to implement this
strategy. A second and final report at the end of the study will evaluate research progress and update the
research priorities and resource estimates based on results of studies and emerging trends in the
nanotechnology industry. The committee will not estimate actual risks or benefits associated with
environmental, health, and safety aspects of nanomaterials.
The first report will consider:
 What properties of engineered nanomaterials need to be considered to assess their potential
exposures, toxicity, toxicokinetics, and environmental fate? What standardization of testing
materials is needed?
 What methods and technologies are needed for detecting, measuring, analyzing, and
monitoring engineered nanomaterials? What gaps in analytical capability need to be addressed?
 What exposure, toxicology, toxicokinetic, human health and environmental fate studies are
needed for assessing the risks of engineered nanomaterials?
 What testing methods should be developed for assessing the potential toxicity, toxicokinetics,
and environmental fate of engineered nanomaterials?
 What models should be developed for predicting the impacts of engineered nanomaterials on
human health and the environment?
 What are the research priorities for understanding lifecycle risks to humans and the
environment from applications of nanotechnology?
 What criteria should be used to evaluate research progress?