ASTM Nanotechnology Committee Creates Subcommittee on Nano-Enabled Consumer Products

Last month, the ASTM International Committee E56 on Nanotechnology announced the creation of Subcommittee E56.06 on Nano-Enabled Consumer Products. According to ASTM, the Subcommittee will develop standards for determining the presence of engineered nanomaterials in consumer products and understanding the potential for exposure from the use of these consumer products. The Subcommittee will focus its initial efforts on the identification and evaluation of engineered nanomaterials in consumer products.

Projects under consideration include:

• Standards for measurement of silver in textiles and liquids (including atomic spectroscopy to assess mass);
• Standards for evaluating the form of silver in textiles and liquids (including electron microscopy to evaluate size, shape, and chemical composition; and ultraviolet-visible spectrophotometry to evaluate size using surface plasmon resonance absorbance); and
• Standards for assessment of nanosilver exposure potential from use of textile and liquid consumer products (including release from consumer products in biological fluids [skin surface, lung, gastrointestinal tract]; release from consumer products in environmental matrices [air, water, soil] throughout a product lifecycle).

The Subcommittee is seeking expertise for participation from the following areas:

• Analytical chemistry, including atomic spectroscopy;
• Scanning or transmission electron microscopy and analytical techniques such as energy dispersive X-ray analysis or auger spectroscopy;
• Ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy;
• Materials characterization, including crystallinity and surface area;
• Textiles;
• Consumer product safety;
• Exposure assessment; and
• Environmental chemistry (air, water, soil).