Exposure to engineered nanomaterials poses a risk to human and environmental health. To date, hazard assessment studies conducted on ENMs have focused on short-term, high-dose exposures. However, in reality, exposure to nanomaterials is long-term, repetitive and occurs at low doses. 

PATROLS is an international project combining a team of academics, industrial scientists, government officials and risk assessors to deliver advanced and realistic tools and methods for nanomaterial safety assessment.  It was launched in January 2018 and will continue for 3.5 years. It involves 24 partners, across Europe, the USA and Asia.

Deliverables

PATROLS will provide an innovative and effective set of laboratory techniques and computational tools to more reliably predict potential human and environmental hazards resulting from longer-term engineered nanomaterial (ENM) exposures. These tools will minimise the necessity of animal testing and will support future categorisation of ENMs in order to support safety frameworks.

RIVM role

During the project, data from long-term hazard assessment studies will be collected and interpreted to determine which target organs and test concentrations need be used in in vitro test systems.  This data will also be used to predict toxic effects after long-term oral or inhalation exposure by using computer modelling. RIVM is involved in all aspects of the improvement of the safety assessment with a specific focus on developing an in vitro lung model.

RIVM Centres Sustainability, Environment and Health,  Safety of Substances and Products and Health Protection are involved in the project. RIVM brings its expertise regarding invitro models, computer modelling and bio-kinetics to the PATROLS project.  

Funding

This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 760813.