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OECD Publishes Guidance on Sample Preparation and Dosimetry for Nanomaterials
Created by sheona.read on 04/01/2013 16:26:55

The OECD has published a guidance document on sample preparation and dosimetry for the safety testing of manufactured nanomaterials.


The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development Working Party on Manufactured Nanomaterials (OECD WPMN) has published a new document in the Series on Safety of Manufactured Nanomaterials entitled "Guidance on Sample Preparation and Dosimetry for the Safety Testing of Manufactured Nanomaterials" [pdf].  

The document, which updates Preliminary Guidance Notes published in May 2010, covers the following aspects:
  • Terminology;
  • Considerations on appropriate dose-metrics;
  • Common issues regarding sample preparation and dosimetry;
  • Specific considerations in relation to preparing samples for physico-chemical characterisation, ecotoxicity studies and degradation, transformation and accumulation studies; health effects, preparation of a test substance and dosimetry.
This guidance principally refers and applies to water insoluble manufactured nanomaterials as the OECD WPMN considered that soluble nanomaterials are unlikely to need different sample preparation techniques than other chemicals, apart from precautions dictated by the specific reactivity of each material.

The original purpose of this guidance was primarily to assist sponsors as they conduct testing in support of the WPMN Sponsorship Programme for the Testing of Manufactured Nanomaterials.  It therefore focuses on the kinds of tests that address the endpoints and the types of nanomaterials being tested under the sponsorship programme. Nevertheless, the OECD WPMN hopes that this guidance will also be of use to the scientific community at large, in particular to those investigators conducting tests to advance understanding of the environmental, health, and safety implications of manufactured nanomaterials. It is acknowledged, however, that due to the wide variety of nanomaterials, it is difficult to develop advice applicable to all nanomaterials; accordingly, the performer of a study will have to exert some judgment on a case-by-case basis on the applicability of the recommendations given in this guidance to their particular material.

It has been recognised that this guidance should be a living document, subject to amendments and refinements as researchers gain greater understanding of how to handle nanomaterials in test situations. Actually, as best methods for sample preparation, dosimetry, and safety testing do not yet have full consensus within the field, detailed methods cannot be prescribed. Thus, regular updates of this guidance can be anticipated.

Further documents in the Series on Safety of Manufactured Nanomaterials are available to download from the OECD website. 

Source: OECD

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