The Working Party on Manufactured Nanomaterials (“WPMN”) of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (“OECD”) has revised its nanomaterial testing guidance document, first published in 2009 to support nanotechnology safety in the industry.

The guidance manual was conceived primarily to assist sponsors of the OECD Sponsorship Programme for the Testing of Manufactured Nanomaterials, who conduct testing in support of the WPMN’s exploratory testing program. The manual addresses includes general and common issues in nanomaterials safety as well as specific consideration on sample preparation and dosimetry for the safety testing of manufactured nanomaterials. Specific consideration includes  i) physic-chemical properties; ii) ecotoxicity studies; iii) degradation, transformation and accumulation; and iv) health effects.