Life Cycle Models and Risk Assessment

Abstract

Nanomaterials are incorporated into more and more products. There can be little doubt that they will end up in the natural environment, by different pathways and at different stages right through their life cycle. In this respect, they do not differ from other manufactured substances. However, nanomaterials, that is, objects with at least one dimension measuring less than 100 nm, are likely to display novel characteristics and behaviour due to their small size. And as the size of these particles decreases, so the ratio of their surface area to volume increases, thereby altering fundamental characteristics such as reactivity and magnetic and/or optical properties. Indeed, it is precisely these modifications that make nanotechnology so promising. They can result in useful features, such as increased physical strength, better electron transport, or better control of the response to an incident energy in terms of colour or photoreactivity. Many of these novel properties that make nanomaterials so promising will be retained right through their life cycle, and may therefore induce new responses from organisms and the environment.