Nanosafe 2008: International Conference on Safe production and use of nanomaterials

Abstract

The first international conference on ‘Safe production and use of nanomaterials’: NanoSafe2008 was held on 3–7 November at the Minatec congress center located in Grenoble, France. As recognised, the rapidly developing field of nanotechnologies presents many opportunities and benefits for new materials with significantly improved properties as well as revolutionary applications in the fields of energy, environment, medicine, etc. However, the potential impact of these new materials on human health and the environment is viewed with apprehension. All the security aspects have to be solved in order to reach an acceptable level of risk. The new nano industry can only develop dynamically if these legitimate fears are satisfactory allayed. This event was organized by the French Commissariat à l'Energie Atomique (CEA) in the frame of the Integrated European project NanoSafe2 funded by the European Commission under FP6 programs. NanoSafe2008 had broad international participation from 25 countries representing the 5 continents, with registered delegates numbering over 250. The scientific program involved the presentation and discussion of 112 papers, classified as 8 plenary lectures, 65 oral and 39 posters.The conference attracted many of the best known leading scientists and specialists in almost all the different fields of expertise covering nanosafety issues: Exposure, Characterisation, Detection, Monitoring, Life cycle, Toxicology, Personal protection, Secure industrial production, Safety parameter evaluation, Standardization, Regulation and Education. In parallel with the conference an exhibition took place where 10 exhibitors presented the commercial equipment available today in relation to safety during the production or the use of nanomaterials.We believe that this conference, with the above topics, has provided a forum where the many matters of interest to the NanoSafety community have been debated. The success of the conference was such that attendees asked the organizers to perpetuate this event on a two year basis in order to become a global manifestation with greater success in bridging the gap between the best scientists, engineers, exhibitors and participants from countries concerned with safe and responsible nanomaterial activities. Therefore, the second International NanoSafe Conference ‘NanoSafe2010’ will be held in Grenoble at Minatec, 15–19 November 2010.The meeting was financially supported by generous contributions from the European Commission, La Région Rhône Alpes, la Ville de Grenoble, la Metro, and partners such as CEA, INERIS, Cilas, Niro A/S, Nanosight, Arkema, Faure Ingénierie, Philips, Sperian, TSI, Ecomesure, Mecachrome, Nanogate, INRSand CordouanTechnologies. Carole Sentein Frédéric Schuster Francois Tardif The conference Organizers