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Working safely with nanomaterials – but how?

The market for engineered nanomaterials (ENMs) is growing significantly. These substances are found in many products, from electronic goods to food. As a result, more and more people are coming into contact with ENMs in their everyday working lives. Defining occupational exposure limits, however, is complex.

 04.03.2026
Nanomaterials must be regulated to ensure safe handling. (Photo: iStock / demaerre)

While consumers are mainly exposed to engineered nanomaterials through skin contact or ingestion, their exposure tends to be shorter and less intense compared to workers who regularly handle these materials. They are not only exposed to the end product, but also to intermediate products that are released during the manufacturing process through various processing steps, ie milling or the manipulation of dry powders. Inhalation of nanoparticles and fibres constitutes the most common route of occupational exposure.

The Institute of Technology Assessment (ITA) of the Austrian Academy of Sciences has been working on developments related to nanotechnology in the NanoTrust project since 2007 and passes on its findings to Austrian decision-makers. The newly published NanoTrust dossier, written by the project team Jean Schmitt and Gudrun Lettner, provides an overview of occupational exposure limits for ENMs in Europe. It highlights the challenges of setting these limits and effectively safeguarding workers in a rapidly evolving field, and presents initiatives to accelerate the toxicity assessment of nanomaterials.

Inhalation can cause illness

Inhalation of nanoparticles and fibres constitutes the most common route of occupational exposure. Due to their minuscule size, nanomaterials can penetrate deeply into the lungs, triggering inflammation and increasing the risks of cancer and cardiovascular diseases. In addition, they can enter the bloodstream and other organs.

The wide variety of engineered nanomaterials – varying in size, shape, chemical composition, and surface functionalisation – makes defining occupational exposure limits a particularly challenging and resource-intensive task. This complexity requires a thorough toxicological assessment for each material. The authors therefore emphasise in the dossier that regulatory measures must ensure the protection of workers while still promoting innovation in the development of new nanomaterials.

Read more

NanoTrust Dossier No. 69: ‘Occupational exposure limits for nanomaterials Regulation, challenges and outlook’

ITA project NanoTrust Beyond

News: The ITA has two new nano experts