NIT Andhra Pradesh conducts Online GIAN Course on ‘Risk and Life Cycle Assessment of Engineered Nanoparticles in the Environment’

TADEPALLIGUDEM : National Institute of Technology Andhra Pradesh is conducting a short-term Online GIAN Course on ‘Risk and Life Cycle Assessment of Engineered Nanoparticles in the Environment’ between 14th and 18th March 2022.

The course is open to students pursuing post-graduate degrees in Civil Engineering, Environmental Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Biochemical Engineering and Biotechnology and researchers from government organizations including R&D laboratories and private firms. Also, faculty from academic Institutions from Engineering and Life Sciences interested in risk assessment can also join this online course.

This online course is organized by Department of Civil Engineering, NIT Andhra Pradesh and sponsored by Global Initiative for Academic Networks (GIAN), Ministry of Education, Government of India.

Highlighting the unique aspects of this online course during the Inaugural Session on 14th March 2022, Prof. C.S.P. Rao, Director, NIT Andhra Pradesh, said, “At present, various Nanomaterials (NMs) are widely used in different fields of application and found in various consumer products. Nanoparticles can undergo a number of potential transformations that depend on both the properties of the ENM and the local environment, such as aggregation, dissolution, oxidation, sulfidation, and other surface alterations. These transformations complicate our understanding of their long-term fate and implications are still relatively poorly understood. Concerns about the potential environmental risks induced by the exposure to engineered nanomaterials (ENM) are growing.”

Further, Prof. Rao added, “Although many benefits of NMs applications in various sectors have been reported, the widespread use of NMs in development and applications may exhibit potential health and environmental risks which might not yet be fully understood. There is also a concern on the environmental sustainability of NMs pathways contributing to environmental problems. Accordingly, this course will provide a detailed insight and I strongly feel that this course attempts to fill this void.”

Dr. Dinesh Shankar Reddy, Registrar (i/c), NIT Andhra Pradesh, presented an overview about the progress and evolution of NIT Andhra Pradesh to the participants during the inaugural session on 14th March 2022. Dr. Vinoth Kumar Raja, the coordinator of the Institute’s GIAN section highlighted about the GIAN initiative and the importance of Indian faculty collaborating with the foreign faculty in skill building.

Addressing the Online course, Prof. Brajesh Kumar Dubey, Associate Professor at Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur, said, that Engineered nanoparticles (ENPs) have found applications in over 3000 consumer products with new applications being identified on a daily basis. These man made nanoparticles can reach various sources such as soil, surface water, sub-surface water etc. This scenario leads to exposure of ENPs to humans and have risk of affecting the human health. This course will therefore focus on understanding the risk associated with ENPs in living systems.

Addressing the Online course, Dr. Lok R. Pokhrel, Assistant Professor, Department of Public Health (BSOM) and Department of Health Education and Promotion (HHP), East Carolina University, said, “Nano toxicology is a potential area to promote the sustainable use of ENPs in various product applications. Nano toxicology helps in understanding the toxic effects of ENPs on human health system. This is an interdisciplinary approach which involves in the study of biological changes associated with exposure to ENPs. Hence this course will train the future researchers to understand and address the various challenges associated with Nano toxicology.”

Introducing the Course and Foreign Experts, Dr. Baranidharan S, Courses Coordinator, Head, Department of Civil Engineering, NIT Andhra Pradesh, said that the course would mainly focus on the various Risks associated with Engineered Nanoparticles in the Environment in detail. This course provides an insight into quantifying potential risk associated with ENPs and educate the course participants to identify factors influencing ENP toxicity, their fate and behavior in the aquatic environment, and the methods for life cycle assessment, human health risk assessment, including risk communication and management.

The primary objectives of the course are as follows:

i)Exposing participants to the fundamentals of ENPs behavior in different environmental matrices including water and soil;
ii)Understanding the chemistry behind the interaction of ENPs with microbes, characterization techniques to elucidate interactions, and evaluation of toxicity; and
Enhancing the capability of the participants to:
Determine the Concentration of ENPs in Aqueous Environment.
Risk Assessment, Risk Communication and Risk Management
Life Cycle Analysis

The participants of this course will understand the concepts outlined above, through lectures and case studies.

Dr. J.N.V Pratyusha, Assistant Professor, Department of Civil Engineering, NIT Andhra Pradesh presented the vote of thanks to the dignitaries and GIAN, Ministry of Education, Government of India and the members of the Organizing committee of this programme.