January 24, 2025

Authors: Stoycheva et al.

To achieve a sustainable future and meet the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), business model innovation (BMI) must integrate traditional innovation management (IM) and new product development (NPD) with sustainability considerations. The European Green Deal and EU Chemicals Strategy for Sustainability (CSS) challenge existing BMI and NPD theories, with the Safe-and-Sustainable-by-Design (SSbD) concept being central to the CSS. SSbD demands a novel approach that integrates safety and sustainability into innovation without compromising functionality or commercial viability. Companies need to design products with minimal environmental impact, adopt circular economy principles, and ensure social responsibility while maintaining economic viability. A conceptual framework is proposed to integrate traditional IM tools with SSbD, using life cycle thinking, and considering both external and internal drivers. The framework suggests embedding SSbD and life cycle thinking in training for IM professionals, as they play a key role in driving this transition.

January, 2025

Authors: Hunt et al.

In 2018, the European Commission revised REACH's Annexes to include nanomaterial-specific provisions. This paper examines REACH's readiness for multicomponent nanomaterials (MCNMs), which have complex structures. It highlights uncertainties in applying REACH definitions to MCNMs, such as when surface modifications or physisorption occur, or when the nanoform definition no longer applies. The paper concludes that REACH's guidance should be updated, particularly to align the definition of "nanoform" with the latest European Commission recommendations.

December 2, 2024

Authors: Cassee et al.

The adoption of innovative advanced materials holds vast potential, contingent upon addressing safety and sustainability concerns.

November 27, 2024

Authors: Hong & Nowack

This study evaluates the environmental risks of graphene-based materials (GBMs) using dynamic probabilistic material flow analysis (DPMFA) to estimate future production and distribution in European freshwaters. Predicted environmental concentrations by 2030 are minimal: 0.67 ng/L for pristine graphene and 0.33 ng/L for graphene oxide and reduced graphene oxide. Hazard assessments based on species sensitivity distributions indicate negligible risk (RCRs < 1) for all GBM forms. These findings support sustainable material design and provide a foundation for regulatory decisions and further research into GBM environmental fate.

May 8, 2024

Authors: Cassee et al.

Safe and Sustainable Design of innovative advanced materials is crucial to avoid repeating past mistakes and ensure a proactive transformation toward a toxic-free, sustainable future, as outlined in this roadmap.

February 29, 2024

Authors: Serwatowska et al.

This study evaluates the long-term, size-dependent toxicity of novel SiC/TiO2 core–shell nanostructures to Daphnia magna, highlighting their potential environmental impact. Experiments under realistic conditions showed that humic acid exacerbates toxicity by reducing nanoparticle aggregation and sedimentation. The EC50 values for 60nm and 500nm particles revealed increased toxicity with higher humic acid concentrations. These findings emphasize the need to consider environmental factors in nanomaterial risk assessments, particularly for advanced materials.

January 1, 2024

Authors: Brunelli et al.

This review highlights the need for standardized protocols in assessing the ecotoxicity of engineered nanomaterials (NMs) in marine environments, which remain underexplored compared to freshwater systems. Analyzing 89 studies since 2010, it found that less than 5% used standardized dispersion protocols with NM characterization, while many lacked complete procedural details. Metal oxide NMs were most studied, with growing attention to nanoplastics and multicomponent NMs. Primary producers like algae and bacteria dominated research focus, while higher trophic organisms were less represented. The review emphasizes adopting standardized methods to improve ecological hazard assessments of NMs in marine ecosystems.

January 1, 2024

Authors: Antonello & Fenoglio

This review explores the impact of biomolecular coronas on the transformation and behavior of nanomaterials (NMs) following various exposure routes, including inhalation, ingestion, blood, and dermal or ocular contact. It highlights how coronas formed in different biological media alter NM properties and influence their biological fate. Emphasizing the need for detailed characterization of coronas, particularly in lung and gastric fluids, the review underscores the importance of understanding NM interactions to predict in vivo outcomes and address nanosafety concerns.

September 7, 2021

Authors: Salassi et al.

Citrate capping is a common method to stabilize gold nanoparticles (CNPs), which can undergo ligand exchange to acquire specific functionalities or interact with lipid membranes. This study presents a computational model for CNPs compatible with the Martini force field, validated through molecular dynamics simulations and spectroscopy data. The model explores CNP interactions with phosphatidylcholine lipid membranes, showing that citrate is spontaneously replaced by lipids, with nanoparticle size and shape influencing the resulting NP-membrane complex structure.