The Risk Assessment of Manufactured Nanoparticles Used in Consumer Products (RAMNUC) Center provides a systematic, multidisciplinary approach that includes both, experimental and computational tools for predicted potential human and environmental risks associated with the use of selected consumer products.

OBJECTIVE AND APPROACH

The Center was established in July 2010 with the overall hypothesis that manufactured nanoparticles (MNPs) at the point of exposure for both, humans and aquatic animals, will substantially differ in both physicochemical and toxicological properties from MNPs at the source (synthesized in the laboratory or acquired commercially). These differences may have significant consequences with respect to MNPs’ bioavailability, alterations of immunity, induction of oxidative stress, inflammation, disease processes, and other toxicity measures.

The Center will assess intracellular and extracellular bioavailability and toxicity of the selected MNPs, as synthesized and as incorporated in consumer products, using both in vitro and in vivo experiments. Tested MNPs will be controlled or well characterized for their physical (e.g., size, shape, state of agglomeration/aggregation) and chemical properties (e.g., composition, functionalization, surface chemistry).