Assessment of health, safety, and economics of surface-modified nanomaterials for catalytic applications

Harnessing nanomaterials' (NMs) unique attributes and surface-modified NMs (SNMs) as catalysts have found applications in various fields, including chemical engineering, construction industries, aerospace, and biomedical and environmental remediation, among others. Understanding the potential health and safety of these SNM catalysts is critical as the SNMs could be released in the workplace and environmental matrixes such as water and soil, potentially exposing humans and other ecological organisms, presenting health hazards. This focused review summarizes the state of the knowledge on the health, safety, and economic aspects of various SNMs that are purportedly used in catalytic applications. We hope that this review will inform the academic researchers and industry partners on the development of guidance for safe handling and use of SNMs used in catalysis.