Risks associated with graphene

Risks associated with graphene

By the AVICENN team – Last modification May 2023

• In 2013, a British team of researchers recommended extreme caution in the use of graphene¹Cf. Safety considerations for graphene: lessons learned from carbon nanotubes. Accounts of Chemical Research, 46(3), 692-701, 2013 (see abstract here).. They propose to first capitalize on the knowledge acquired about the risks associated with carbon nanotubes, which are partly similar.
• In 2014, SCENIHR warned the Commission on the fact that²Reviews suggest that graphene may have considerable toxicity and that considerable emission of graphene from electronic devices and composites is possible in the future. It is also suggested that graphene is both persistent and hydrophobic. While these results indicate that graphene may have adverse environmental and health effects, they mostly show that there are still many gaps in knowledge about the risks.”:”Reviews³See for example: – Bianco, A. Graphene: Safe or Toxic? The Two Faces of the Medal Bianco, A. Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 52, 4986-4997, 2013
  – Review of Potential Environmental and Health Risks of the Nanomaterial Graphene, Arvidsson, R et al, Human and Ecological Risk Assessment, 19: 873-887, 2013. suggest that graphene nanomaterials could exert a considerable toxicity and that considerable emission of graphene from electronic devices and composites are possible in the future. It is also suggested that graphene is both persistent and hydrophobic. Although these results indicate that graphene may cause adverse environmental and health effects, the results primarily show that there are many riskrelated knowledge gaps to be filled”⁴Position Statement on emerging and newly identified health risks to be drawn to the attention of the European Commission, Vermeire T, SCENIHR, 2014.
• In 2015, French and European researchers were more reassuring⁵Cf. Is graphene toxic?, CNRS, Le Journal, March 2015 even though toxicity studies were still in their infancy.
• More recently though, published articles identified significant risks, especially with regard to graphene oxide⁶See the references listed in the bibliography below (section “elsewhere on the web”).
• In March 2018, Andrew Maynard warned against the hasty promises of some Northwestern University scientists promoting the use of graphene in hair dyes⁷Cf. Eager to dye your hair with ‘nontoxic’ graphene nanoparticles? Not so fast!, Andrew Maynard, The Conversation, March 20, 2018.
• At the end of 2018, a “Validation Service” of the European program Flagship Graphene was set up: LNE and the Instituto de Nanociencia de Aragón – Universidad de Zaragoza, independent national metrology laboratories and infrastructures are making their measurement expertise available to academic and industrial stakeholders in the field, with the aim of increasing quality and confidence in graphene-based and related materials (performance and risk control, throughout the value chain right up to finished products).
  The Flagship program lasted for 10 years (2013-2023), and the lessons learned from this decade of research have been published, among other outcomes.
• Between March and May 2021, Canadian, Spanish and French authorities announced, as a precaution, the withdrawal of masks containing graphene due to the potential for lung toxicity from graphene inhalation.
• In April, several manufacturers and their representatives emphasized that there were many types of graphene and processes for incorporating it into masks; not all graphene masks were the same, so there was no need to “panic” but just pay close attention to health concerns. However, in order to know what precise types of graphene have been integrated into the masks on the market, information from the manufacturers is essential; otherwise, tests are necessary in order to carry out a risk assessment (on release and toxicity).
• This lack of toxicological data on graphene was also highlighted by ANSES in a report published in December 2021, which concluded that “Since graphene-free masks that comply with the standards and have demonstrated their particulate filtration efficiency are also available on the market, (…) it is not relevant that masks containing graphene be placed on the market, either for the general public or for professionals⁸Cf. Companies respond to graphene masks “health hazard” scare, Graphene Info, April 6, 2021 and Statement from the Graphene Council on face masks with graphene, April 9, 2021..
• In May 2021, a study was also published warning about the development of applications for graphene-based eye products, as the risks are still very inadequately studied⁹Cf. Graphene Family Nanomaterials in Ocular Applications: Physicochemical Properties and Toxicity, Borandeh S et al, Chem. Res. Toxicol., 34, 6, 1386-1402, May 2021.
• On July 16, 2021, the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) launched a call for tenders to conduct a study “Health and Environmental Impact Assessment of Graphene, Graphene Oxide and Other 2D Materials”, carried out under the European Observatory for Nanomaterials (EUON).
  → The report, written by Innovamol Consulting, was published in December 2022: Assessment of the potential impact of graphene, graphene oxide and other 2D materials on health, and the environment. It provides a scientific literature review on the subject based on existing public information.
• In 2023, the Graphene Flagship research program concluded its activities. In a “Nano opinion” published on the European Observatory of Nanomaterials website, researchers reflect on the lessons learned from these 10 years of graphene and other 2D materials research, including the need for a multidisciplinary approach in nanosafety, the importance of ongoing funding for the development of new evaluation methods, the study of risks throughout the life cycle of graphene-containing products, the necessity for increased funding in fundamental research to better understand biological interactions, and the urgent need for harmonized and validated test protocols to support regulation.