European and international standardisation progress in the field of engineered nanoparticles

CEN-STAR supports researchers to be experts in standardization committees in new challenging issues: Standardization needs to reach consensus from new knowledge. In Europe, pre-normative and co-normative research can be supported financially by the FP7 for research. The area of nanoscience and nanotechnology is developing new standards in Europe within the CEN/TC 352, at the international level at the ISO/TC 229. Particular works are about measurement methods and tests for toxicity at the nanoscale. Some activities are done within the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) and in some other parts of the world, such as the Asian Nano-Forum and the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) in the United States. Main items for standardization include: definition terminology; metrology instrumentation, reference methods, and materials; measurement methods for applications (physical, chemical, material, electronics); and measurement methods for interface in health, environment...