Nanomaterials are used across almost all industrial sectors to add specific properties to many products, including cosmetics. Zinc oxide and titanium dioxide, for example, are used as UV filters in sunscreen which can help to protect you from skin damage caused by the Sun’s rays.

Now users can benefit from the new content that has just been added to the EUON website. You can find information on new topics at EUON in the “Uses” section (e.g., energy, nanomaterials in sunscreens) and in the “Safety” section (toxicity or environmental fate, among others). Below you can find the new pages that have been translated and are available in all 23 official EU languages.

The update to the Appendix for nanoforms applicable to the Guidance on Registration and Substance Identification (version 2.0) published by ECHA is now available in 23 official EU languages.

The deadline to receive study proposals for the EUON has been extended.

The new submission deadline is 1 August.

The guest contributions on the EUON website will be paused in the period between July and August. Nanopinions will be back in September with new and interesting topics covering different areas of nanomaterials.

Read the latest Nanopinion guest column from Vladimir Murashov, Ph.D. and John Howard, M.D. on various models that have been developed to characterise exposure to manufactured nanomaterials, the existing challenges in their application and the proposed solutions.

NanoData website, a searchable database at the EUON, was recently relaunched with an improved look and feel. Now users can benefit from an additional feature which allows them to download data on nanomaterials in different products, research projects, publications, patents and organisations in bulk.

Is there a topic or field related to nanomaterials that you think could benefit from more research? Let us know! The European Union Observatory for Nanomaterials (EUON) is now looking for topics that could be addressed in its upcoming studies. The EUON conducts up to three studies annually to address knowledge gaps on nanomaterials.

The European Commission has updated, as of 10 June 2022, the Recommendation 2011/696/EU on the definition of nanomaterial, that supports a coherent EU regulatory framework for nanomaterials.

NanoData is the knowledge base on nanosciences and -technology hosted by the European Union Observatory for Nanomaterials (EUON). It contains data on different products, research projects, publications, patents and organisations. We have given NanoData a new look and feel to improve the user experience. You can now visualise statistics quickly through built-in charts and graphs. The data can be easily filtered by different sectors and geographic locations. Users will be able to benefit from a bulk download feature at a later date.

Read the latest Nanopinion guest column from Dr. Yasui Takao on using nanowire devices to extract microRNAs from urine to distinguish cancer patients from healthy individuals and improve the early detection of cancer.

Read the latest Nanopinion guest column from Dr. Anita Jemec Kokalj and Dr. Dana Kühnel about defining the criteria to evaluate which properties of nanoplastics should be reported in future studies to decrease uncertainties in the risk assessment of nanoplastics.

ECHA has published an update to the Appendix for nanoforms applicable to the Guidance on Registration and Substance Identification (v.2.0).

The main changes include additional guidance on the joint submission of data, clarifications regarding the need for one dataset per nanoform/set of nanoforms and information on the registration of sets of nanoforms versus single nanoforms.

Read the latest Nanopinion guest column from Dr. Alberto Bianco, Dr. Maurizio Prato and Dr. Kostas Kostarelos, from Graphene Flagship, about graphene and why it’s not the same as carbon nanotubes.

Read the latest Nanopinion guest column from Dr. Eugenia Valsami-Jones about ACEnano, a Horizon2020 project which has recently completed its 4.5-year course. The main goal of the project was to strengthen clarity into nanomaterial risk assessment by a tiered approach to nanomaterials physiochemical characterisation. 

A new report shows that limited data is available on the amount of waste streams containing nanomaterials in the EU. However, despite this, existing public data on waste is highly valuable for waste managers, scientists, regulatory bodies, and potentially consumers.

Read the latest Nanopinion guest column from Dr. Michael Riediker about nanomaterials at the workplace. Curiosities a few years ago, nanomaterials are now part of our lives. When talking about the workplace, protective measures and guidance are needed.

Read the latest Nanopinion guest column from Dr. Daniel Ruiz-Molina about a novel nanotechnological encapsulation approach to deliver dopamine to the brain. The delivery could be used to treat Parkinson’s disease, which is caused by a deficit of dopamine due to the death of the neurons responsible for its production.

Read out latest Nanopinion guest column from Frank Le Curieux, Scientific Area Leader for Genotoxicity at the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA). Our author presents the ECHA Nanomaterials Expert Group (NMEG) by writing about its creation and history, its organisation, its main tasks and its future after 2021.

Read out latest Nanopinion guest column from Chiara Venturini, Director General at Nanotechnology Industries Association (NIA), who talks about the lack of precision with the word “nanomaterials” and the need to have a more detailed language when talking about them.

The European Chemicals Agency (ECHA), as part of the activities of the European Union Observatory for Nanomaterials (EUON), have launched a stakeholder survey on the substances available as nanomaterials in the EU market. Survey is conducted by the NovaMechanics Ltd.

The European Commission is working on a review process of its Recommendation 2011/696/EU on the definition of nanomaterial. As part of this process, the Commission is now launching an online targeted stakeholder consultation.

Read out latest Nanopinion guest column from Dr. Fazel A. Monikh, who talks about the importance of understanding the behaviour of nanomaterials in organisms’ tissues and bodies

Read our latest Nanopinion guest column from various authors from BASF and ECETOC, who talk about ways to assess the safety of nanomaterials while minimising animal testing

The EUON is looking for topic suggestions that could be addressed in its upcoming studies. Up to 3 studies are conducted annually to address knowledge gaps on nanomaterials that are of interest to the general public and the research community.

A recent survey carried out in five selected EU countries shows that citizens demand better labelling of everyday products containing nanomaterials and increased awareness of the risks and benefits of products containing nanomaterials.

The Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety (SCCS) has published its preliminary opinion on the safety of nanomaterials in cosmetics. Give your comments by 2 November 2020.

Read our latest Nanopinion guest column from Dr Monita Sharma and Dr Andreas Stucki from Peta International Science Consortium Ltd. (PISC) who talk about alternatives to animal testing for nanomaterials.

Read our latest Nanopinion guest column from Professor Andrew Nelson, Project Coordinator of the EU funded HISENTS project who talks about an experimental screening platform that mimics a living organism. The nearest thing to a “human-on-a-chip”.

Read our latest Nanopinion guest column from Dr Dorota Napierska, Health Care Without Harm Europe who talks about the benefits and risks of using nanosilver as an antimicrobial agent in clinical settings.

The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) has published two guidance documents for the testing of manufactured nanomaterials. They cover dissolution and dispersion stability and aquatic and sediment toxicity. Both are applicable for testing under the REACH Regulation.

The European Food Safety Authority has launched an open consultation on its draft guidance on technical requirements for regulated food and feed product applications to establish the presence of small particles, including nanoparticles.

REACH Annex II has been amended with specific safety data sheet requirements for nanomaterials that apply from 1 January 2021. They align safety data sheets with the revised information requirements for nanoforms that entered into force on 1 January 2020.

A recent study has analysed existing research on whether nanomaterials used in consumer products and at workplaces are absorbed through the skin. The study calls for more comparable and high-quality data through well-organised and structured research programmes that follow OECD test guidelines.

A study commissioned by the EU Observatory for Nanomaterials found a lack of data on female fertility. Studies on reproductive performance were also scarce. The study calls for more coordinated tests and follow up of outcomes when concerns are identified.

ECHA has so far received a low number of registration dossiers for nanomaterials. By 1 January 2020, only 36 substances covering nanoforms have been registered according to the updated REACH requirements – 10 % of what the Agency expected.

The European Commission has requested the SCCS for advice on the safety of nanomaterials used in cosmetics to establish a priority list for risk assessment and to assess if a potential risk can be identified.

The European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) is hosting a webinar to present key lessons learnt and best practices for companies registering the nanoforms of their substances under the REACH Regulation. The event takes place on 24 February 2020.

The EU’s Joint Research Centre (JRC) has published a call to access its nanobiotechnology laboratory for training and capacity building. The call is open to applicants from enlargement and integration countries and it is open from 16 January to 16 March 2020.

A report by the EU’s Joint Research Centre outlines measurement options and factors to take into account when determining if a material fits the definition of a nanomaterial. It may also be helpful for companies registering their nanoforms under the REACH Regulation.

Read our latest guest column from Carlos-Eduardo Lima Da Cunha from the European Commission who explains how the EU is supporting safe by design approaches to new technologies such as nanomaterials, to deliver safer products to the market.

The European Commission has published an updated catalogue of nanomaterials used in cosmetic products on the EU market. It lists nanomaterials used as UV-filters, colourants and preservatives and indicates the cosmetic product categories where they are used together with foreseeable exposure conditions.

A new study has shown that a significant fraction of nanoparticles tested in the toxicity studies of nanoparticles and to develop nanomedicines, may remain in the plastic syringes used to dose the nanoparticles. This has implications on the reliability and reproducibility of the studies and on efforts to reduce animal testing.

Read the latest guest column from Elke Schneider from the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work who explains what the EU is doing to protect its workers and what different tools and guidance are available.

The EUON is looking for topic suggestions that could be addressed in its upcoming studies. Up to 3 studies are conducted annually to address knowledge gaps on nanomaterials that are of interest to the general public and the research community.

Why should we strengthen societal engagement and what does it even mean? That may be the question at the forefront of many readers. In our latest guest post, Lise Bitsch from the EU-funded GoNano project writes about why the research and innovation world of nanotechnologies and other key enabling technologies should care about societal engagement.

An overview of test guidelines relevant for the safety testing of nanomaterials is now available on the EUON. The list focusses on companies needing to meet updated regulatory requirements under the REACH Regulation.

A study commissioned by the EU nanomaterials observatory has found that the current EU regulatory framework for characterising and identifying “next generation” nanomaterials is able to address the majority of them and that no significant changes will be needed in the near future.

GoNano, an EU funded Horizon 2020 project invites you to share your thoughts on the first suggestions for future nanotechnology applications in the health, energy and food sectors as part of its co-creation process.

Two years since its launch, the EUON has carried out a mid-term review to evaluate how it has met its objective of giving reliable information on the markets and safety aspects of nanomaterials in the EU. The findings show that the EUON is adding value to the EU debate on nanomaterials but more frequent and up-to-date information could strengthen it further.