Nanotechnology and nanoscience, both relatively new fields of research, have boomed in terms of academic and industrial interest in the past decade. Nanomaterials have been incorporated into consumer products although their potential effects to the environment and human health are not yet completely understood. To learn about how nanotechnology is entering the marketplace, the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars and the Project on Emerging Nanotechnology created the Nanotechnology Consumer Product Inventory (CPI), in 2005. This first-of-its-kind inventory has grown to well over 1,000 products, some of which have come and gone. The CPI has become one of the most frequently cited resources showcasing the widespread application of nanotechnology in consumer products, but it has also been criticized due to its lack of scientific data to support manufacturer claims. In this unique NGO-academia partnership, we redeveloped the CPI to address these criticisms and to improve the reliability, functionality, and scientific credibility of this database. We also developed a Survey to assess the opinions of over 50 of nanotechnology experts and to address diverse stakeholder needs. The updated CPI links products to published scientific data, where available, and includes a metric to assess the reliability of the data associated with each entry. We created new quantitative descriptors for size, concentration, and potential exposure routes for the nanomaterials contained in listed products. Finally, the improved CPI has enabled crowd-sourcing capabilities, which allow researchers to upload new findings ranging from human and environmental exposure data to complete life cycle assessments. The goal of this work is to create a 'living' inventory for the exchange of accurate information on nano-enabled consumer products. Improved information sharing will allow citizens, manufacturers, scientists, policymakers, and others to better understand how nanotechnology is being used in the consumer marketplace.

Keeping track of nanotechnology in the real world: The Nanotechnology Consumer Products Inventory 2.0

247th National Meeting (2014)

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