A company representative tells CosmeticsDesign-Europe.com that based on these results, the final design of the main (two year exposure) project will be feasible as of early spring, prior to being up for discussion with the scientific advisory committee.
The €5 million invested study backed by the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (BMU), and the Federal Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (BAuA), is said to be specifically investigating the potential chronic effects of nanoparticles in the lung, over a four year period.
"This study will for the first time determine chronic effects of nanomaterials in the low-dose range."
Progress
Furthermore, the BASF representative tells this publication that other areas of progress include the completion of the technical set-up for the aersol generation and exposure system.
While “in-life phase of the 28-day pre-study, which examines inter-alia dose-setting and particle-kinetics, is completed and the organ-burden and histopathological examinations are currently on-going.”
"No comparable long-term studies of this scope have yet been performed to determine the impact of nanomaterials. As a company, we want to seize the enormous opportunities offered by nanotechnology. We therefore also consider it our duty to clarify open issues and close gaps in our knowledge," says BASF’s Dr. Andreas Kreimeyer.
With experience in the field of nanosafety research BASF is conducting the inhalation studies,while the stewardship and overall coordination of the project will be carried out by the BMU.
Leading the way for major advances..
"With this large-scale project, Germany is not only assuming the global leadership in safety research for nanomaterials. This trustful cooperation between the Ministry, higher federal authorities and industry is also exemplary and unprecedented in its scope," says Federal Environment Minister Dr. Norbert Röttgen.
“The resulting data will make it possible to estimate risks and establish limit values. With this project, we will be making a major advance in health and environment protection," said Isabel Rothe, President of the Federal Institute for Occupational Safety and Health.