An EPA database on the effects of engineered nanomaterials - NaKnowBase
The US EPA Office of Research and Development (ORD) has conducted a research program assessing potential risks of emerging materials and technologies, including engineered nanomaterials (ENM). As a component of that program, a nanomaterial knowledge base, termed the “NaKnowBase”, was developed containing the results of published ORD research relevant to the potential environmental and biological actions of ENM. The experimental data address issues such ENM release into the environment; fate, transport and transformations in environmental media; exposure to ecological species or humans; and the potential for effects on those species. The database captures information on the physicochemical properties of ENM tested, assays performed and their parameters, and the results obtained. The NaKnowBase is coded as a relational SQL database, and may be queried either with SQL code or through a user-friendly web interface. Filtered results may be output in spreadsheet format for subsequent user-defined analyses. Potential uses of the data might include input to quantitative structure-activity relationships (QSAR), meta-analyses, or other investigative approaches.