Although nanotechnology is still an emerging field, and the enthusiasm for the potential societal benefits of engineered nanomaterials continues, a number of industries currently utilize nanoscale materials, Concerns are being raised about whether our knowledge of possible health risks is keeping pace with products going to market. Some nanomaterials (e.g., carbon nanotubes) are being assessed for their potential hazard in occupational environments, but also are being explored for therapeutic applications. Thus, an understanding of toxicological and biocompatible properties within a variety of exposure settings is critical. This roundtable will present the current state of the science regarding the particle characteristics and exposure/dose metrics that most influence toxicity for different nanomaterials, and how these parameters might be altered to be compatible with human health and the environment. The mechanisms of toxicity of incidental and engineered nanoscale particles will be compared, and the approaches being used to evaluate the hazards of various nanomaterials will be reviewed. These factors will be considered in light of exposures in industrial settings and implications for future occupational exposure limits.
• Engineered Nanoparticles: Occupational Hazard or Therapeutic Platform? M. Philbert, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI.
• Physicochemical Characteristics of Nanoparticles that Determine Toxicity. A.K. Madl, ChemRisk, Inc., San Francisco, CA.
• Mechanisms of Nanoparticle-Induced Toxicity: Incidental to Engineered Nanoparticles. K.E. Pinkerton, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA.
• Approaches for Testing the Toxicity of Nanoparticles. L. Sweet, ChemRisk, Inc., Pittsburgh, PA.
• Physicochemical Characteristics of Nanoparticles in the Workplace and Implications for Occupational Exposure Limits. T. Peters, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA.