Nanosafety - with Project
Nanosäkerhet - med projekt

MAM035F, 7.5 credits

Valid from: Spring 2026
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 Part 1 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, nanotoxicology, precautionary principle, safe-by-design, human-technology interaction, risk assessment, risk management, risk communication, life cycle analysis, legislation, and ethical aspects will be covered. The aim of Part 2 is to analyze, estimate, evaluate, judge, and communicate the human, societal, and environmental impacts of nanomaterials in one's own research/occupational activities, using terms, concepts, and risk management models obtained during Part 1.

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 laboratories of nanotechnology research and development, as well as in occupational settings across the life cycle of the nanomaterial
• 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
• be able to use terms, concepts and risk models from Part 1 of the course when doing risk assessment and risk management for human, society, and environment of nanomaterials from one's own research
• identify risks in different stages (production, incorporation in consumer product, handling of product, end-of-life) of nanomaterials from one's own research

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
• be able to collect relevant scientific literature and use it critically
• be able to apply and argument for precautionary measures of nanomaterials, and the handling of these materials, from one's own research
• orally and in writing, with authority, be able to present a risk assessment and risk management of one's own research
• suggest and argue for strategies towards implementing safe-by-design in one's own research

Judgement and Approach

For a passing grade the doctoral student must

• be able to choose and motivate instruments to design an occupational emission and exposure measurement campaign
• 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
• based on scientific literature be able to identify knowledge gaps in nanosafety related one's own research
• orally and in writing be able to discuss ethical and legal aspects related to nanomaterials from one's own research
• evaluate and judge the human, societal, and environmental impact of nanomaterials from one's own research

Course Contents

Particle properties (size, shape, aspect-ratio, solubility, chemical composition), lung deposition and clearance, emissions, exposure, toxicity, risk management, human-technology interaction, 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. Part 1: 1)Approved individual home assignment before the first seminar (summarize two scientific papers), and discussion of these in groups; 2) 80% minimum participation to the lectures; 3) Approved group task presented in writing and orally; 4) Active participation in laboratory exercise; 5) Approved final home assignment. Part 2: Approved report and oral presentation of health risk assessment (hazard, dose-response, exposure analysis), risk management and risk communication plan related to 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, government, NGOs, municipalities and regions, as well as master students with a documented interest in nanosafety, or doing there master's thesis in this field. The course is also open for representatives from industry, government, NGOs, municipalities and regions, as well as master students with a documented interest in nanosafety, or doing there master's thesis in this, or a related, field.

Further Information

Part 1 in this course overlaps completely with the course Nanosafety (MAM030F, 5 hp). Part 2 of this course is a project work. Course credits are delivered to masters and doctoral students. A course certificate will be given out to professionals participating in the course.

Course Occasion Information

Contact and Other Information

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