Risk Assessment of Gold Nanomaterials: An OECD Sponsorship Programme

This project was initiated to fill in the information gap necessary for human and environmental risk assessment of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) that will soon be commercialized in South Africa. This project focuses on generating data on the hazard and exposure to AuNPs. Through the methodologies and the infrastructure established and the human capacity developed by training of expertise needed in the hazard identification, dose-response assessment, exposure assessment, and risk characterisation of the risk assessment paradigm, as well as in the development of predictive modelling, this project will establish the necessary platform for the risk assessment of other nanomaterials that will soon be produced in large quantities in South Africa. In addition, this project will contribute to the establishment of biological and environmental standards for these nanoparticles. This project is funded by the Department of Science and Technology.