ACEnano · Project

Reliable Testing Toolbox to Prove Your Nanomaterials Are Safe for Market

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Imagine you make sunscreen or food packaging that contains tiny nanoparticles — but every lab tests those particles differently, so you never get consistent safety results. ACEnano built a standardized testing toolbox: a clear decision tree that tells you which measurement technique to use, step-by-step procedures so any lab gets the same answer, and a shared data system so results are comparable worldwide. Think of it like creating a universal ruler for the nano world, so regulators and companies finally speak the same measurement language.

By the numbers

consortium partners across the value chain

countries represented in the consortium

EUR 7,000,000

EU funding for development

industry partners involved in validation

SMEs in the consortium

completed deliverables including SOPs and tools

demonstrated characterization techniques

The business problem

What needed solving

Companies producing or using nanomaterials in consumer products face a critical bottleneck: there is no consistent, widely accepted way to characterize what their nanomaterials actually are and whether they are safe. Different labs using different methods get different results, making regulatory submissions unreliable and expensive. This uncertainty slows product launches and creates legal risk as EU regulations tighten around nano-enabled products.

The solution

What was built

A tiered characterization decision toolbox with standardized operating procedures, including 4 demonstrated analytical techniques: TG-IR-GC/MS for quantifying organic coatings on nanomaterials, nanoparticle tracking analysis integrated with field-flow fractionation for size measurement, capillary electrophoresis coupled to mass spectrometry for protein corona characterization, and a released ontology with data management system aligned to OECD regulatory templates.

Audience

Who needs this

Cosmetics companies using nano-TiO2 or nano-ZnO needing regulatory characterization dataFood packaging manufacturers using nano-coatings or nano-silver antimicrobial treatmentsAnalytical testing laboratories wanting to offer standardized nano-characterization servicesChemical companies producing engineered nanomaterials for industrial customersPharmaceutical companies using nanoparticle drug delivery systems

Business applications

Who can put this to work

Cosmetics & Personal Care

mid-size

Target: Cosmetics manufacturers using nano-ingredients (nano-TiO2, nano-ZnO in sunscreens, anti-aging products)

If you are a cosmetics manufacturer struggling to get consistent characterization data for your nano-ingredients across different testing labs — this project developed standardized measurement procedures and a tiered decision toolbox that tells you exactly which technique to use for your specific nanomaterial type. With 31 partners across 10 countries validating these methods, the SOPs are designed to produce reproducible results that regulators will accept.

Food Packaging & Safety

enterprise

Target: Food companies using nano-coatings or nano-additives in packaging

If you are a food company that needs to prove your nano-enabled packaging is safe under EU Novel Foods or food contact regulations — this project demonstrated capillary electrophoresis and TG-IR-GC/MS techniques specifically designed to characterize nanomaterial coatings and their organic corona. The ontology-based data management system lets you store and compare characterization results in a format aligned with OECD harmonized templates for regulatory submission.

Contract Testing & Analytical Services

SME

Target: Testing laboratories and CROs offering nanomaterial characterization services

If you are an analytical services lab looking to expand into nanomaterial testing but unsure which techniques to invest in — this project created a tiered characterization approach with demonstrated integrations like nanoparticle tracking analysis coupled with field-flow fractionation, and standardized SOPs validated through round-robin tests across 11 industry partners. Adopting these methods positions your lab as a go-to provider for nano-safety compliance testing.

Frequently asked

Quick answers

What would it cost to implement these characterization methods in our facility?

The project does not publish per-method implementation costs. However, the tiered approach is specifically designed to avoid unnecessary expensive testing — simpler, cheaper methods are used first, and advanced techniques like CE-SI-MS or TG-IR-GC/MS are only triggered when needed. Contact the consortium for equipment and licensing specifics.

Can these methods work at industrial scale with high sample throughput?

The demonstrated techniques (NTA integration with FFF, CE for corona characterization) include improved sample delivery methods designed for easier workflow integration. Malvern Panalytical, an industry partner, specifically worked on making NTA output more user-friendly and easier to hyphenate with other online technologies. Full production-line throughput was not the primary goal — these target quality control and regulatory compliance testing.

What is the IP situation — can we license these methods?

The project involved 11 industry partners and 6 SMEs, suggesting commercial interest in the outputs. The SOPs and ontology were designed to be 'widely implementable.' Specific IP and licensing terms should be discussed directly with The University of Birmingham as coordinator or the relevant industry partner that developed the specific technique.

How do these methods align with current EU nanomaterial regulations?

The ontology and data structures are explicitly aligned with OECD harmonized templates and consider requirements for regulatory reporting, including Adverse Outcome Pathway development. The characterization toolbox was designed from the ground up to support the EU regulatory risk assessment process for nanomaterials.

Is the characterization toolbox ready to use today?

The project closed in June 2021 with 27 completed deliverables, including 4 demonstrated techniques and a released ontology. The tools reached demonstration stage with validated SOPs from round-robin testing. Some partner companies like Malvern Panalytical may have already integrated improvements into their commercial instruments.

Can this integrate with our existing lab information management systems?

The project built a dedicated ontology and data management system aligned with eNanoMapper, OpenTox, and other nano-data platforms. The ontology follows scientific research and computing standards, which means integration with existing LIMS is architecturally considered, though specific connectors would need to be evaluated with the consortium.

Consortium

Who built it

ACEnano assembled a strong 31-partner consortium from 10 countries, with a 35% industry ratio (11 industry partners, 6 of which are SMEs). This is a well-balanced mix of 13 research organizations providing scientific depth, 6 universities anchoring the academic rigor, and industry players ensuring practical relevance. The presence of instrument manufacturers like Malvern Panalytical alongside end-user companies signals that the characterization tools were developed with commercial viability in mind. The international spread across Europe plus China and South Korea suggests the methods are designed for global regulatory acceptance, not just EU compliance.

THE UNIVERSITY OF BIRMINGHAMCoordinator · UK
BUNDESINSTITUT FUER RISIKOBEWERTUNGparticipant · DE
AB SCIEX UK LIMITEDparticipant · UK
CSEM CENTRE SUISSE D'ELECTRONIQUE ET DE MICROTECHNIQUE SA - RECHERCHE ET DEVELOPPEMENTparticipant · CH
UNIVERSITAT WIENparticipant · AT
NATIONAL CENTER FOR NANOSCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGYparticipant · CN
EDELWEISS CONNECT GMBHparticipant · CH
HELMHOLTZ-ZENTRUM FUR UMWELTFORSCHUNG GMBH - UFZparticipant · DE
NANOFUTURES ASBLparticipant · BE
FUNDACION IDONIALthirdparty · ES
SVERIGES LANTBRUKSUNIVERSITETparticipant · SE
UNITED KINGDOM RESEARCH AND INNOVATIONparticipant · UK
BIONANONET FORSCHUNGSGESELLSCHAFT MBHthirdparty · AT
UK CENTRE FOR ECOLOGY & HYDROLOGYparticipant · UK
MALVERN PANALYTICAL LIMITEDparticipant · UK
BUNDESANSTALT FUER MATERIALFORSCHUNG UND -PRUEFUNGparticipant · DE
EIDGENOESSISCHE TECHNISCHE HOCHSCHULE ZUERICHparticipant · CH
INDUSTRY-UNIVERSITY COOPERATION FOUNDATION OF HANYANG UNIVERSITYparticipant · KR
VITROCELL SYSTEMS GMBHparticipant · DE
THE CHANCELLOR, MASTERS AND SCHOLARS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF OXFORDparticipant · UK
TOFWERK AGparticipant · CH
STICHTING WAGENINGEN RESEARCHparticipant · NL
JRC -JOINT RESEARCH CENTRE- EUROPEAN COMMISSIONparticipant · BE

How to reach the team

The University of Birmingham (UK) coordinated this project. SciTransfer can facilitate an introduction to the research team.

Order a report on this consortium See THE UNIVERSITY OF BIRMINGHAM profile →

Next steps

Talk to the team behind this work.

Want to know which ACEnano characterization methods fit your nanomaterial compliance needs? SciTransfer can match you with the right consortium partner and arrange a technical briefing — contact us for a free one-page summary.

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