Project data
- Starting date: 01/11/2020
- Duration in months: 36
- Call (part) identifier: Subvenciones del programa de apoyo a proyectos de investigación de la Junta de Castilla y León, cofinanciadas por el Fondo Europeo de Desarrollo Regional (2020).
- Project reference number: BU058P20
- EC Funding: 264.000,00 €
- Keywords Safe by Design, Nanosafety, Multiscale Modelling, Toxicology, Risk Assessment, Risk Management, MCNMs, HARNs, Nanomaterials
Project Summary
Nanotechnology is conceived as a Key Enabling Technology (KET), becoming an increasingly relevant sector providing functional materials to many industrial sectors. Nevertheless, the risks to health and environment posed by the characteristics of nanomaterial enabled products (NEPs) are a significant barrier for their commercialization and hinders the societal perception of the benefit of nanotechnologies. Most of the research done on nanosafety has focused on pristine or simple nanoforms and deeper knowledge is needed to understand the hazard that NMs pose when being part of complex multicomponent formulations. To meet this challenge, NANOCOMP aims to bring new methodologies to guarantee long-term nanosafety for multicomponent nanomaterials (MCNMs) and functionalized high-aspect ratio nanomaterials (HARNs) along their life cycle, making emphasis in the interactions between NM constituents, with other particles and the environment, as well as their release rate and fate, relying on on-site exposure assessments, experimental (in vitro) and modelling (in silico) research. All the knowledge generated will be the basis to create specific RM guidelines and Safe by Design (SbD) tools, integrating Life Cycle Sustainability (Sustainable by Design, SusbD) to make the material not just safer but greener and economically feasible.
To implement the planned work, the project will be supported by two industrial demonstrators, who will provide (i) material samples, (ii) industry insight, (iii) application and validation of computational tools and SbD strategies redesigning their products/processes, (iv) helping mainstreaming safe innovations across their value chain and sector. All the knowledge, tools and guidelines will be exploited according to the Open Innovation principles.