A review of suitable analytical technology for physio-chemical characterisation of nanomaterials in the customs laboratory

Customs laboratories are typically exposed to a large range of products requiring screening for tariff classification and for regulatory control purposes. Often this can be novel products coming to the marketplace for the first time. One emerging area of significance is innovative products and equipment arising from applications of nanotechnology. From a commercial prospective, some of these products may have tariffs, regulatory policy requirements, quotas or other trade barriers in place now, or potentially they may have in the future. Internationally there is growing concern that some nanomaterials have potential human, animal and environmental health risks. An important role of the Customs Laboratories European Network (CLEN) is to provide a scientific support service to customs administrations to control the distribution of potentially dangerous or controlled products within the European customs territory. Customs laboratories are generally equipped with a broad range of equipment; however, it is important that these laboratories keep pace with advancing measurement technologies, methodologies and international protocols to facilitate trade, to continue to protect the consumers and to implement relevant regulatory controls. It is crucial that customs laboratories are maintained at the very edge of scientific development with suitable techniques for screening and for characterisation of ‘nano’ products. This review will focus on this emerging technology to introduce the science of nano characterisation, and it will provide some relevant international recommendations towards characterisation of these novel materials. An overview of some of the more prominent European regulatory policies and member state registration/inventory requirements relating to nanotechnology controls is provided along with some practical considerations for characterisation and measurement of nanomaterials.