Intermediate

Welcome to the GoodNanoGuide-Intermediate Section.

Short Courses: Training Opportunities

In this section, the GoodNanoGuide assumes that you already are already familiar with nanotechnologies and nanomaterials and are looking for guidelines or, where available, protocols for working with specific types of engineered nanomaterials. This section then is structured according to nanomaterial types. As there are different ways to categorize nanomaterial types, review the various categorization of nanomaterial types set forth below to pick the pathway you think is best for your particular situation:

Classification System #1: Control Banding affords a means by which to figure out how to control workplace exposures to engineered nanomaterials in situations where there is some uncertainty over the health and safety risks presented.

Classification System #2: British Standards suggests that “{a} useful starting point in the assessment of hazard {with respect to engineered nanomaterials} is to categorize the type of hazards which might be relevant to the material.” Based on this suggestion, British Standards categorize nanomaterial types into four groups -

• Fibrous – “a high aspect ratio insoluble nanomaterial"
• CMAR – “any nanomaterial which is already classified in its larger particle form as carcinogenetic, mutagenic, asthmagenic or a reproductive toxin”
• Insoluble – “insoluble or poorly soluble nanomaterials not in the fibrous or CMAR category”
• Soluble – “nanomaterials not in fibrous or CMAR category”

Classification #3 (Work in Progress): This system categorize nanomaterial type based on chemical structure -

• Carbon nanomaterials
• Macromolecules (e.g., dendrimers)
• Metal nanomaterials
• Oxide nanomaterials
• Quantum dots
• Self-assembled nanomaterials
• Semiconductor nanomaterials

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