Workshop report: strategies for setting occupational exposure limits for engineered nanomaterials.
Occupational exposure limits (OELs) are important tools for managing worker exposures to chemicals; however, hazard data for many engineered nanomaterials (ENMs) are insufficient for deriving OELs by traditional methods. Technical challenges and questions about how best to measure worker exposures to ENMs also pose barriers to implementing OELs. New varieties of ENMs are being developed and introduced into commerce at a rapid pace, further compounding the issue of OEL development for ENMs. A Workshop on Strategies for Setting Occupational Exposure Limits for Engineered Nanomaterials, held in September 2012, provided an opportunity for occupational health experts from various stakeholder groups to discuss possible alternative approaches for setting OELs for ENMs and issues related to their implementation. This report summarizes the workshop proceedings and findings, identifies areas for additional research, and suggests potential avenues for further progress on this important topic.
3M Company, Toxicology Assessment and Compliance Assurance, 3M Center, Bldg. 220-6E-03, Saint Paul, MN 55144, USA. Electronic address: scgordon@mmm.com.
Steven C
SC
Gordon
Toxicology Consultants, Inc., 7 Glasgow Road, Gibsonia, PA 15044, USA. Electronic address: butala@jhbutala.com.
John H
JH
Butala
U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Safety & Health Administration, 200 Constitution Avenue, Washington, DC 20210, USA. Electronic address: carter.janet@dol.gov.
Janet M
JM
Carter
University of Rochester, School of Medicine and Dentistry, Dept. of Environmental Medicine, 601 Elmwood Ave, Box EHSC, Rochester, NY 14642, USA. Electronic address: alison_elder@urmc.rochester.edu.
Alison
A
Elder
New York University School of Medicine, Department of Environmental Medicine, 57 Old Forge Road, Tuxedo Park, NY 10987, USA. Electronic address: terry.gordon@nyumc.org.
Terry
T
Gordon
George Washington University, School of Public Health and Health Services, Dept. of Environmental and Occupational Health and Center for Risk Science and Public Health, 2100 M Street NW, Suite 203A, Washington, DC 20037, USA. Electronic address: gmgray@gwu.edu.
George
G
Gray
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (Mail Code 7403), 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20460, USA. Electronic address: sayre.phil@epa.gov.
Philip G
PG
Sayre
National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 4676 Columbia Parkway, Cincinnati, OH 45226, USA. Electronic address: pas4@cdc.gov.
Paul A
PA
Schulte
Purdue University, School of Health Sciences, Delon and Elizabeth Hampton Hall of Civil Engineering, 550 Stadium Mall Drive, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA. Electronic address: tsai51@purdue.edu.
Candace S
CS
Tsai
American Chemistry Council, Nanotechnology Panel, 700 2nd Street NE, Washington, DC 20002, USA. Electronic address: jay_west@americanchemistry.com.
Jay
J
West
D000395:Air Pollutants, Occupational / Q000592:standards* / Q000633:toxicity; D000818:Animals; D006801:Humans; D019570:Inhalation Exposure / Q000592:standards*; D049329:Nanostructures / Q000592:standards* / Q000633:toxicity; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000592:standards*; D020711:Threshold Limit Values
D000395:Air Pollutants, Occupational
Alternatives; ENM; Engineered nanomaterial; OEL; Occupational exposure limit; Strategies; Workshop