Toward responsible development and effective risk management of nano-enabled products in the U.S. construction industry

Details

• Personal Author:
  Burrelli LG ; Cooper MR ; Griffin KN ; Lippy BE ; Marsick D ; Segrave AM ; West, Gavin H.
• Description:
  The global construction sector is experiencing major improvements to building materials used in large quantities through commercial applications of nanotechnology. Nano-enabled construction products hold great promise for energy efficiency and resource conservation, but risk assessments lag as new products emerge. This paper presents results from an inventory, survey, and exposure assessment conducted by the authors and explores these findings in the broader context of evolving research trends and responsible development of nanotechnology. An inventory of 458 reportedly nano-enabled construction products provided insight into product availability, potential exposures, and deficiencies in risk communication that are barriers to adoption of proactive safety measures. Seasoned construction trainers surveyed were largely unaware of the availability of nano-enabled construction products. Exposure assessment demonstrated the effectiveness of ventilation to reduce exposures during mechanical abrasion of photocatalytic tiles containing titanium dioxide (TiO2). Dissociated particles of TiO2 just above the nanoscale (138 nm) were detected in the debris collected during cutting of the tiles, but measurements were below recommended exposure limits for TiO2. Exposure assessments remain scarce, and toxicological understanding primarily pertains to unincorporated nanomaterials; less is known about the occupational risks of nano-enabled construction products across their life cycle. Further research is needed to characterize and quantify exposure to debris released from nanocomposite materials for realistic risk assessment, and to ascertain how nanocomposite matrices, fillers, and degradation forces interact to affect release dynamics. Improving risk communication strategies and implementing safe work practices will cultivate responsible development of nanotechnology in construction, as will multidisciplinary research efforts. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Construction Industry Construction Materials Engineering Hazardous Substances Occupational Exposure Occupational Health Polymers Risk Assessment Safety Silicon Dioxide Staff Development Titanium Toxicology Ventilation Workplace

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• Keywords:
  Author Keywords: Construction Industry Carbon Nanotubes Cements Coatings Construction Construction-industry Construction-workers Construction Materials Employee Exposure Engineering Controls Environmental And Health Effects Exhaust Ventilation Exposure Assessment Hazard Communication Nanomaterials Nanostructures Nanotechnology Nanotoxicology Risk Communication Risk Management Safety-research Silica Titanium Dioxide Training Worker-health Workplace-monitoring Zinc Oxide

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• ISSN:
  1388-0764
• Document Type:
  Text
• Funding:
  Cooperative Agreement
• Genre:
  Journal Article
• Place as Subject:
  Georgia ; Maryland ; OSHA Region 3 ; OSHA Region 4 ; Virginia
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Pages in Document:
  49
• Volume:
  18
• Issue:
  2
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20048681
• Citation:
  J Nanopart Res 2016 Feb; 18(2):49
• Contact Point Address:
  Bruce E. Lippy, CPWR- The Center for Construction Research and Training, 8484 Georgia Ave, Suite 1000, Silver Spring, MD 20910 USA
• Email:
  blippy@cpwr.com
• CAS Registry Number:
  Carbon nanotubes (CAS RN 308068-56-6) ; Quartz (SiO2) (CAS RN 14808-60-7) ; Silica (CAS RN 7631-86-9) ; Titania (CAS RN 13463-67-7) ; Zinc oxide (ZnO) (CAS RN 1314-13-2)
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2016
• NORA Priority Area:
  Construction
• Performing Organization:
  CPWR - The Center for Construction Research and Training, Silver Spring, Maryland
• Peer Reviewed:
  True
• Start Date:
  20090901
• Source Full Name:
  Journal of Nanoparticle Research
• End Date:
  20240831
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:394e6ef3d47c6e920c26e20756b7bee3d4cb8bc97a0f2897dc126dd92101285ce8d87e1d3a8ccf8a459a6752032e93155574a6574c64b89ac6310547240f63c7
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/203379/cdc_203379_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 1.17 MB ]