NIOSH to Publish Information and Comment Request for Silver Nanoparticles

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) is scheduled to publish in the December 19, 2012, Federal Register a request for information and comment on silver nanoparticles. According to the notice, NIOSH has initiated an evaluation of the scientific data on silver nanoparticles “to ascertain the potential health risks to workers and to identify gaps in knowledge so that appropriate laboratory and field research studies can be conducted.” NIOSH has identified a number of “relevant publications” on silver nanoparticles, and this listing will be available in Docket CDC-2012-0014, at http://www.regulations.gov, once the Federal Register notice is published. NIOSH requests additional information concerning:

1. Published and unpublished reports and findings from in vitro and in vivo toxicity studies with silver nanoparticles;
2. Information on possible health effects observed in workers exposed to silver nanoparticles;
3. Information on workplaces and products in which silver nanoparticles can be found;
4. Description of work tasks and scenarios with a potential for exposure;
5. Information on measurement methods and workplace exposure data; and
6. Information on control measures (e.g., engineering controls, work practices, personal protective equipment) that are being used in workplaces where potential exposures to silver nanoparticles occur.

Comments will be due 60 days after the notice is published in the Federal Register.