Implementation of innovative safety assessment methods and sustainable development of chemicals and materials, particularly nanomaterials, in the European Union.

In 2020, the European Union adopted the Chemicals and Materials Sustainability Strategy (CSS), aimed at addressing the challenge of producing and using chemicals and materials to meet societal needs while respecting the environment and protecting people and ecosystems from pollution from all sources.

Considering the urgent need to develop new hazard assessment methods for chemicals or improve existing ones to support the safety assessment and sustainable development of chemicals, a project titled "Implementation of Innovative Methods for Safety Assessment and Sustainable Development of Chemicals and Materials, Particularly Nanomaterials, in the European Union (CheMatSustain)" has been proposed. This project will investigate quantum effects (DFT analyses) and identify them using experimental techniques (XPS and UPS analyses) and analyze their impact on the natural environment using biology methods (in-vitro cell cultures, in-vitro microfluidic cultures, and in-vivo ecotoxicity models) and molecular biology (transcriptomics and proteomics).

Information obtained from the conducted research will be integrated to develop new in-silico models for predicting the (eco)toxicological properties of advanced chemicals and materials, including nanomaterials.

As a result, this will allow for the development of a new methodology for complementary use of risk assessment of chemicals and materials and their life cycle assessment to improve the criteria and principles for the safe and sustainable development of new chemicals and nanomaterials already at the design stage.

The project work is divided into eight task packages, with a duration of 48 months.

The consortium participating in the project consists of 10 scientific partners from 7 EU countries, in cooperation with 1 associated partner from the UK.

The project coordinator is the University of Applied Sciences in Hamburg (HAW).

Duration: 01.01.2024/31.12.2027

Budget: 4,924,128.50 €

Contact person (PŁ, Poland): Prof. Bogdan Walkowiak (bogdan.walkowiak@p.lodz.pl)