The project is backed by €3.5 million of EU funding and will attempt to generate a cost-effective technology that can separate, detect and quantify nanoparticles in a variety of complex matrices such as cosmetics to provide a method of measuring these substances at all stages from source to end of life.
Ultimately this miniaturized, modular, cartridge-based platform will integrate all analytical steps needed for separation, detection, and quantification of engineered nanoparticles.
The collaboration involves the European Seventh Framework Programme (FP7), researchers from the Swiss Centre of Electronics and Microtechnology and industry groups from the Netherlands, Germany, UK, Israel, Croatia and Italy.
Participants also include; Centre Suisse d'Electronique et de Microtechnique (Switzerland, Coordinator), JRC (Institute for Health and Consumer Protection), FeyeCon (Netherlands), Postnova Analytics (Germany), Avid Nano (United Kingdom), AHAVA (Israel), Ruđer Bošković Institute (Croatia), and ABICH (Italy).
Triggering discussion in Nanotechnology
Earlier in the month the JRC and FP7 also hosted a meeting to trigger discussion and networking amongst experts in various fields of nanosafety to address safety issues and regulatory challenges in nanomaterials.
For the third year in a row presentations were based around risk assessment and LCA of nanomaterials in a regulatory context, while outlining the needs and challenges for policy making and regulation of nanotechnology based materials.
The conference also addressed what is required from the scientific community for policy making as well as presenting the most up to date in regulatory issues.
There scientists discussed how to approach nanosafety through different disciplines, regulatory testing, challenges in research, exposure and risk assessment, life cycle assessment analysis processes, and sustainability.