The NANEX project is a new FP7 project aiming to develop a catalogue of generic and specific (occupational, consumer and environmental release) exposure scenarios for manufactured nanomaterials MNMs taking into account the entire lifecycle of these materials. Within REACH, exposure scenarios are defined as sets up information describing the conditions under which the risk associated within the identified use (s) of a substance can be controlled, including operational conditions and risk management measures. They are currently no provisions in REACH referring specially to MNMs. NANEX collect and review available exposure information, focussing on three very relevant MNMs: (1) high aspect ratio nanomaterials- HARNs) (e.g. carbon nanotubes); (2) mass-produced nanomaterials (e.g. TiO2); and (3) specialised nanomaterials that are currently only produced on a small scale (e.g. Ag). The exposure information will include both quantitative (measurement results) and qualitative contextual exposure information (risk management measures). The applicability of existing models for the development of occupational and consumer exposure scenarios and models for estimating environmental release during lifecycle are investigated as well. The main results expected from this project are to identify gaps in the knowledge/regularisation/standardisation with respect to the development of exposure scenarios for REACH, exposure assessment and risk management measures. Finally NANEX will provide recommendations to fill gaps and identify future research needs as well. Nanosafe 2010 conference will host the final dissemination meeting of NANEX project. This project has duration of 12 months and has 12 partners.   For further information, visit www.nanex-project.eu or contact Dr. Martie Van Tongeren (Martie.VanTongeren@iom-world.org).

The SAPHIR project is supported by the European Commission through FP6. The general objective of the SAPHIR project (which is perfectly in line with the NANOSAFE 2 project), is the safe, integrated and controlled production of high-tech multifunctional nano-structured products including their recycling, and ensuring competitiveness. It means that: i) all along the production sequence, no nanoparticle release will be encountered. This includes synthesis, recovery (direct liquid recovery), conditioning (advanced granulation), processing and handling; ii) the whole production sequence will consist in linking in a safe way existing or emerging elementary processes (direct plasma spraying, laser 3D direct manufacturing, and powder consolidation techniques); iii) the production sequence will be controlled by innovative systems covering process efficiency, product reliability, global safety production, & traceability; iv) recyclability issues will be addressed and v) generic tools will be developed.    The project started on 1 October 2006 and will last 48 months. For further information, visit www.saphir-project.eu or contact Christophe Goepfert (goepfert@cilas.com).