Defra: NANOLIFECYCLE

Lifecycle Assessment Study on Human Exposure to Carbon Nanotubes

This study, funded by the UK Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra) in 2009, aimed at analysing the likely route and extent of human exposure to carbon nanotubes (CNTs) via inhalation for a set of representative CNT-containing products in a lifecycle perspective.

The study was conducted by the Safety of nanomaterial Interdisciplinary Research Centre (SnIRC), led for this study by the Food and Environment Research Agency, with participation of other Academic and Industrial Experts.

As part of the study, a review of all available CNT-containing products was carried out, and a representative subset of the products was identified for exposure analysis. The three CNT-containing products selected for the study included lithium-ion batteries, epoxy adhesive resins, and textiles.