NanoRelease Information Catalog: Other Relevant Documents

​Life Cycle Analyses Specific to Nanomaterial Uses

• Aschberger, K., H. J. Johnston, V. Stone, R. Aitken, S. Hankin, S. A. Peters, C. L. Tran and M. F. Christensen (2010) Review of carbon nanotubes toxicity and exposure – appraisal of human health risk assessment based on open literature. Critical Reviews in Toxicology. 40: 759-790. This article examines CNT hazards during the life cycle, with a focus on workplace safety related to possible inhalation of unbound CNTs. One release study is mentioned in the article (Bello et al., 2009).

• Blaser, S., M. Scheringer, M. MacLeod and K. Hungerbühler (2008) Estimation of cumulative aquatic exposure and risk due to silver: contribution of nano-functionalized plastics and textiles. Science of the Total Environment. 390: 396-409. This paper focuses on estimating nano-silver accumulation in aquatic environments and then expands to discuss associated risks. This paper is used as the basis of “release” of n-Ag in the Mueller and Nowack (2008) study on LCA modeling.

• French Agency for Environmental and Occupational Health Safety (2010 March 17) Opinion of the French Agency for Environmental and Occupational Health Safety (Afsset): Concerning the "assessment of risks associated with nanomaterials for the general population and the environment.” Afsset, Maisons-Alfort, France [pdf].

• Kaegi R., B. Sinnet, S.Zuleeg, H. Hagendorfer, E.Mueller, R. Vonbank, M. Boller and M. Burkhardt (2010) Release of silver nanoparticles from outdoor facades. Environmental Pollution. 158: 2900-2905.

• Kaegi, R., A. Ulrich, B. Sinnet, R. Vonbank, A. Wichser, S. Zuleeg, H. Simmler, S. Brunner, H. Vonmont, M. Burkhardt and M. Boller (2008) Synthetic TiO₂ nanoparticle emission from exterior facades into the aquatic environment. Environmental Pollution. 156: 233-239. This study investigated the release of titania from exterior paints as a result of weathering. The authors go on to speculate life cycle considerations, and Mueller and Nowack (2008) used it as the basis for titania release in their LCA model.

• Kahru, A. and H.-C. Dubourguier (2010) From ecotoxicology to nanoecotoxicology. Toxicology. 269:105-119. This work considers the possible ecotoxicity of released nanoparticles without directly linking the emission of nanoparticles to the product life cycle. In addition, this article highlights the importance of the characteristics (e.g., solubility) of the “released” nanoparticle.

• Köhler, A., C. Som, A. Helland and F. Gottschalk (2008) Studying the potential release of carbon nanotubes throughout the application life cycle. Journal of Cleaner Production. 16: 927-937. This is a theoretical paper examining the potential for release of CNTs during the life cycle of Li-ion batteries and textiles. This paper also serves as the basis for “release” prediction in the Mueller and Nowack (2008) LCA modeling paper.

• Kuhlbusch T.A., C. Asbach, H. Fissan, D. Göhler and M. Stintz (2011) Nanoparticle exposure at nanotechnology workplaces: A review. Particle and Fibre Toxicology 8:22.

• Lee, J., S. Mahendra and P. J. J. Alvarez (2010) Nanomaterials in the construction industry: a review of their applications and environmental health and safety considerations. ACS Nano. 4:3580-3590. This work discusses nanomaterials used in construction and their possible environmental/human exposures during the full life cycle.
• Mueller, N. and B. Nowack (2008) Exposure modeling of engineered nanoparticles in the environment. Environmental Science and Technology. 42: 4447-4453. This article discusses LCA modeling of nanoparticle release from products containing titania, silver, or CNTs. The model was based on studies by Blaser et al. (2008), Kaegi et al. (2008), and Kohler et al. (2008).
• Pandey, J. K., K. Raghunatha Reddy, A. Pratheep Kumar and R.P. Singh (2005) An overview on the degradability of polymer nanocomposites. Polymer Degradation and Stability. 88:234-250. This work discusses the degradation of polymer nanocomposites under thermo and sun exposure. Although the paper does not link the degradation to a particular stage in a product life cycle, the information is valuable and well presented.
• Reijinders, L. (2009) The release of TiO2 and SiO2 nanoparticles from nanocomposites. Polymer Degradation and Stability. 94:873-876. This work considers the LCA of nanocomposites of organic polymers containing either titania or silica, and highlights that manufacturing could reduce hazards related to release.
• Scheringer, M. (2008) Environmental risks of nanomaterials. Nature Nanotechnology. 3:322-323. This a short overview of the Mueller and Nowack (2008) LCA modeling paper that solidified the “release study” papers as the critical evidence in the field. 
• U.S. EPA. Assessing nanomaterials potential impact with a life cycle approach.
• U.S. EPA (2010) Nanomaterial Case Study: Nanoscale Silver in Disinfectant Spray (External Review Draft). U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, DC, EPA/600/R-10/081.
• van Broekhuizen, P., F. van Broekhuizen, R. Cornelissen and L. Reijnders (2011) Use of nanomaterials in the European construction industry and some occupational health aspects thereof. Journal of Nanoparticle Research. 13:447-462. This article considers worker exposure to aerosolized nanoparticles (typically spray applied coatings) used in construction industries in the European Union.
• Walser, T., E. Demou, D. Lang and S. Hellweg (2011) Prospective environmental life cycle assessment of nanosilver T-shirts. Environmental Science and Technology. 45:4570-4578. This is comparative life cycle assessment (LCA) paper examining six environmental scenarios of T-shirts with and without n-Ag, which indicates differences in impact based on nanoparticle incorporation technologies.
• Wijnhoven, S. W. P., S. Dekkers, W. I. Hagens and W. H. de Jong (2009) Exposure to nanomaterials in consumer products. RIVM Letter Report 340370001. Bilthoven, the Netherlands: RIVM; 2009. [pdf]
• Wohlleben, W., S. Brill, M. W. Meier, M. Mertler, G. Cox, S. Hirth, B. von Vacano, V. Strauss, S. Treumann, K. Wiench, L. Ma-Hock, R. Landsiedel (2011) On the lifecycle of nanocomposites: comparing released fragments and their in-vivo hazards from three release mechanisms and four nanocomposites. Small 7:2384–2395.