The OECD has released Test Guideline (TG) 127, establishing a harmonised approach for measuring the dustiness of materials containing nano-objects and their aggregates and agglomerates (NOAA).
The guideline provides standardised methods for assessing the tendency of powders containing granular or fibrous nano-objects to generate airborne dust during handling and processing. These measurements are important for exposure assessment, workplace safety and risk management, particularly where inhalation of airborne particles may occur.
TG 127 describes six recognised test methods: the Rotating Drum, Small Rotating Drum, Continuous Drop, Vortex Shaker, Fluidizer and Venturi methods. Together, these approaches allow the dust-generating potential of a wide range of nanomaterial-containing powders to be characterised under different testing conditions.
