Nanosafety
Nanosäkerhet

MAM030F, 5 credits

Valid from: Autumn 2022
Decided by: Mats Ohlin
Date of establishment: 2019-02-07

General Information

Division: Ergonomics and Aerosol Technology
Course type: Third-cycle course
Teaching language: English

Aim

The aim of the course is to mediate knowledge of safe manufacturing and handling of engineered nanoparticles and of nanomaterials i.e. materials containing nanoparticles, in the perspective of human health and of environment. Aspects such as safety important particle characteristics, exposure- and emission assessment, nano toxicology, precautionary principle, safe-by-design, human-technology interaction, risk assessment, risk management, risk communication, life cycle analysis, legislation, and ethical aspects will be covered.

Goals

Knowledge and Understanding

For a passing grade the doctoral student must

• be able to describe the concept of risk and how risk can be assessed in different stages (production, incorporation in consumer product, handling of product, end-of-life) of an engineered nanoparticle/nanomaterial
• be able to describe the concepts of precautionary principle and safe-by-design and how these concepts are employed in the nano technology research and development
• be able to connect different properties of an engineered nanoparticle/nanomaterial to human uptake through skin, lung and gastrointestinal tract
• describe the connections between handling of nanoparticle-containing products, nanoparticle emissions and environmental exposure
• describe basic mechanisms and health endpoints related to nanoparticle toxicity

Competences and Skills

For a passing grade the doctoral student must

• be able to carry out simple measurements of airborne nanoparticles and understand the results
• orally and in writing, with authority, be able to communicate safety aspects of nano technology research and development
• have compiled basic strategies, and motivations to these, to work towards implementing safe-by-design

Judgement and Approach

For a passing grade the doctoral student must

• be able to choose and motivate instruments to design an occupational exposure measurement
• demonstrate insight into the possibilities and limitations of research with a set of toxicological approaches (human, animal models, cell studies)
• be able to judge and interpret risk assessments related to production and handling of nanoparticles and nanomaterials.
• be able to identify knowledge gaps in nanosafety
• be able to discuss ethical and legal considerations related to nanosafety

Course Contents

Particle properties (size, shape, aspect-ratio, solubility, chemical composition), lung deposition and clearance, emissions, exposure, toxicity, risk management, human-technology interaction, biomarkers, engineering controls and personal protection, risk- and safety communication, food chain transport, life cycle analyses, ethical aspects, and legislation.

Course Literature

Course literature will be provided by the lecturers.

Instruction Details

Types of instruction: Lectures, laboratory exercises, project, self-study literature review

Examination Details

Examination formats: Written report, written assignments, seminars given by participants. Detailed description of the different examination formats: 1) Approved individual home assignment before course start (summarize two scientific papers), and discussion of these in groups at start of course week 1; 2) 80% minimum participation to the lectures (1.5 weeks); 3) Approved group task to be done between course week 1 and course week 2, presented in writing and orally during course week 2; 4) Participation in laboratory exercise; 5) Approved final home assignment after course week 2 (hazard identification connected to doctoral student’s own research).
Grading scale: Failed, pass
Examiner:

Admission Details

Admission requirements: The course is open for all PhD students within the fields of engineering, science, and medicine. The course is also open for representatives from industry and legislation, as well as master students with a documented interest in nanosafety, or doing there master's thesis in this field.

Further Information

This course overlaps completely with Part 1 in the course Nanosafety – with Project (MAM035F, 7.5 hp). Part 2 of the course MAM035F is a project work and is thus not included in this course.

Course Occasion Information

Contact and Other Information

Course coordinators:
Web page: https://www.design.lth.se/utbildning/forskarutbildning/forskarutbildningskurser/