The expanding field of nanotechnology is now one of the most promising areas of science. However, because some nanoparticles can have a negative impact on human health and the environment, the design of novel materials must always be accompanied by a comprehensive risk assessment. Until now, the information on the methods available has been fragmented and incomplete. This book is the first to provide a comprehensive review of recent progress and challenges in the risk assessment of nanomaterials by empirical and computational techniques. Topics covered include: benefits versus risks, carbon based nanomaterials, environmental detection and quantitative analysis, chemometric modelling, human exposure assessment, toxicity testing, nano-QSAR, risk assessment strategies, policy and regulatory frameworks.

Nanomaterials: benefits and risks; Experimental characterizing structural properties of nanoparticles related to their toxicity; Structure-property mapping methods; Modelling properties of nanoparticles based on quantum-mechanical methods; Ontology; Empirical determination of nanoparticles' behavior in environmental media; Computational mass-ballance modeling of environmental transport and fate of engineered nanoparticles; Pharmacokinetics and biological fate of nanoparticles; Pharmacokinetic-based modeling; Modeling kinetics of nanoparticle cellular interaction and transport; Toxicity and Ecotoxicity testing of engineered nanoparticles - experimental point of view; In vitro toxicity of nanomaterials; In vivo testing; Computational modeling of interactions between nanoparticles and other species; Comprehensive Environmental Assessment as a Tool for Nanomaterial Risk Assessment; Predicting oxidative stress; Nano-QSAR