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The toxicological assessment of nanomaterials risks has not been completed comprehensively and/or at all in all cases. Therefore, the mitigation of the exposure to nanomaterials has great importance. In addition to the wide use of a low number of high volume nanomaterials produced in large scale,a high quantity of different nanomaterials are applied in a laboratory scale such as during subsequent processing of nanomaterials into various products in many laboratories including the research level.

For this reason, a particular interest exists regarding assessment criteria for the handling of nanomaterials in laboratories. Institutions as well as companies entering the nano-sector in all countries are producing and utilizing nanomaterials in a laboratory scale. Several strategies for assessment and implementation of protection measures must have been developed in those areas.

In the framework of the objective Exposure Mitigation In Occupational Settings
ENV/CHEM/NANO(2007)24/ADD2, one prioritized scope of the OECD’s project on Exposure
Measurement and Exposure Mitigation (SG8) was the implementation of the project “Compare exposure mitigation guidance for laboratories”. This document is the outcome of this project covering activities and contributions of several OECD delegations.

Based on the fact that there is a large amount of literature available, this compilation is carefully focused on different available institutional guidelines. Such guidelines are compiled in a structured manner taken their nature (i.e. general, specific to certain manufactured nanomaterials and targeted to laboratories) into account.