Abstract
During the last decade, the use of nanomaterials, due to their multiple utilities, has exponentially increased. Nanomaterials have unique properties such as a larger specific surface area and surface activity, which may result in health and environmental hazards different from those demonstrated by the same materials in bulk form. Besides, due to their small size, they can easily penetrate through the environmental and biological barriers. In terms of exposure potential, the vast majority of studies are focused on workplace areas, where inhalation is the most common route of exposure. The main route of entry into the environment is due to indirect emissions of nanomaterials from industrial settings, as well as uncontrollable releases into the environment during the use, recycling and disposal of nano-enabled products. Accidental spills during production or later transport of nanomaterials and release from wear and tear of materials containing nanomaterials may lead to potential exposure. In this sense, a proper understanding of all significant risks due to the exposure to nanomaterials that might result in a liability claim has been proved to be necessary. In this paper, the utility of an application for smartphones developed for the insurance sector has been validated as a solution for the analysis and evaluation of the emerging risk of the application of nanotechnology in the market. Different exposure scenarios for nanomaterials have been simulated with this application. The results obtained have been compared with real scenarios, corroborating that the use of novel tools can be used by companies that offer risk management in the form of insurance contracts.
Highlights
The main principle of insurance is that one party, identified as “the insurer,” shall guarantee payment for an uncertain future event related to an incident where potential damages can be expected on different subjects, including human health or the environment
Possible exposure to graphene during paint spraying was measured using a condensation particle counter (CPC—TSI-3007) and an optical particle sizer (OPS—TSI-3330)
The utility of the NanoSerpa app for nanomaterial risk assessments was tested by simulating different accidents for small- and big-scale scenarios
Summary
Special types of insurance policies that insure against specific types of risks faced by a particular company are required. In this regard, a nanotechnology-based company needs a policy that covers damage or injury that occurs as a result of an accidental event in the factory, including accidents involving nanomaterials. Today, engineered nanomaterials (ENMs) are frequently used. Their applications range from scratch-resistant or self-cleaning surface coatings to enhanced cosmetics. Potential applications in other sectors include environmental remediation to detect and eliminate toxic substances, energy generation and storage plus multiple other commercial uses of novel materials [1]. Besides the wide range of new opportunities offered by these novel materials, concerns have been raised
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