Occupational Risk of Engineered Nanoparticles Assesment and Prevention-Control Measures

A new revolution based on nanotechnology is currently booming. Nanotechnology and nanoparticles applications will substantially improve the performance of numerous products, promoting economic development, quality of life improvement and environmental protection. The extremely small size of nanoparticles that undergo engineering processes gives them their unique properties overwhelmingly differing from those of the larger products made of materials having the same chemical composition. Meanwhile, ever increasingly numerous evidence shows that this materials science revolution can generate significant health, safety and environmental hazards, in addition to the social, economic and ethical challenges involved. In Romania there was no clear policy in this area, but there were significant accumulations in recent years. To support the safe development of nanotechnology, both in industry and in research, this paper aims to summarize the main strategic guidelines on hazard identification, assessment and management of risks from nanoparticles synthesis, providing a basis for further development of good practice at national level.