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Topics on this page:
Responsibility for our products
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Nanoporous materials and nanostructured surfaces: No new risks from nanostructures
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Products containing nanoparticles assessed in conformity with chemicals law
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Even greater safety through research
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Safety research at the highest level
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Wide-ranging goals of our safety research
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Information for experts and the public
More knowledge about nanomaterials
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Responsibility for our products
We are responsible for ensuring that our products are safe and do not pose a danger to people or the environment when they are used in the manner intended. This is why we continuously broaden our substance data and are quick to include new information in risk assessments. This applies to nanomaterials as well as to all other materials from our portfolio.
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Nanoporous materials and nanostructured surfaces: No new risks from nanostructures
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Materials of the future: foams with nanoscale pores for significantly improved heat insulation |
We classify our nanomaterials into nanostructured materials and materials that contain nanoparticles. Nanostructured materials have nanoscale surfaces, cavities or structures. These nanostructures present no risk. Examples include nanoporous foams, nanostructured construction materials or nanopore systems organized in the form of cubes.
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Products containing nanoparticles assessed in conformity with chemicals law
We assess our products that contain nanoparticles - like all our products - according to the regulations and requirements of the valid chemicals legislation. We also determine whether exposure to nanoparticles is possible during production, processing and for the end consumer. If it is, we perform further special toxicology studies. Our existing research results show that, when used as intended, none of our products can present any hazard to health.
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Even greater safety through research
Advances in nanotechnology are also accompanied by advances in toxicology which will allow an even more comprehensive assessment of nanomaterials in future. In the spirit of our Nanotechnology Code of Conduct, we have been participating for a number of years in research on the safety of nanomaterials. Because more knowledge about the effect of our products also means greater safety - for customers, end users and the environment.
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Safety research at the highest level
We pursue our own safety research on nanomaterials in our experimental toxicology and ecology department. We also participate in national and international research projects such as NanoCare, Nanosafe2, CellNanoTox and the HESI/ILSI Nano Safety Project. We are one of the few companies in the chemical industry which still operates its own toxicological and eco-toxicological research laboratory. These facilities are internationally recognized and are also GLP and AAALAC certified by independent third parties. Our research results are consequently of the highest quality.
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Wide-ranging goals of our safety research
One central aspect is the form in which nanoparticles are present in the air, water or the body. For the experts, this raises the question of how the materials should be introduced into toxicological testing. We have investigated this subject thoroughly in several research projects. We have also been busy developing a short-term inhalation test. This test is designed to allow the toxicological effects of nanomaterials to be assessed rapidly and realistically after inhalation. We are also developing an alternative test system which in a few years should help us evaluate the pulmonary toxicity of nanomaterials in the test tube without having to perform animal tests. Besides investigating toxicity through inhalation, we are also looking at possible effects of nanomaterials on the skin, the entire body, genetic material and the environment.
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Information for experts and the public
We publicize our results soon after they are known and make them available to all scientifically interested persons worldwide. For this purpose we present our results at international symposia and have them printed in international scientific journals. But as well as informing the experts, we also consider it important to keep the interested public informed about our research activities. To do this, we have created this website.
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