title: Current surveillance plan for persons handling nanomaterials in the National University of Singapore.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The number of research projects involving engineered nanomaterials within the National University of Singapore is increasing. We aim to characterize typical exposures in our laboratories and to develop a health surveillance protocol for persons working with nanomaterials in this project that has recently been launched.
  
  
  METHODS
  Our surveillance project builds on existing occupational safety and health risk assessment systems in the National University of Singapore.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Environmental monitoring will be conducted in all laboratories handling nanomaterials, encompassing airborne nanomaterial concentrations, characterizing chemical and physical properties and assessing dermal exposure potential and significance. Health surveillance will initially follow the occupational health program already in place, to be progressively fine-tuned as more nanotoxicity data become available.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our vision is to build an adequate base for a cohort study that can provide good data on the health outcomes of nanomaterials-exposed persons.
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117597. ephjsgk@nus.edu.sg
authors.forename: Judy
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sng
authors.forename: David Koh Soo
authors.initials: DK
authors.lastname: Quee
authors.forename: Liya E
authors.initials: LE
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: Saravanan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gunaratnam
mesh_terms: D000395:Air Pollutants, Occupational / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000032:analysis*; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D006801:Humans; D007753:Laboratories; D049329:Nanostructures / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000032:analysis*; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000032:analysis* / Q000517:prevention & control; D011159:Population Surveillance; D017751:Safety Management / Q000458:organization & administration; D012846:Singapore; D014495:Universities
chemical_list: D000395:Air Pollutants, Occupational