Researchers continue to create and develop novel nanomaterials / nanosystems in response to the accelerating demand of nearly every industry sector—products based on nanotechnology have the potential for revolutionary impact in areas such as health care, energy, defense, and electronics. This growing need for nanotechnology is accompanied by a paramount issue—the need to measure and monitor the ever-expanding matrix of nanomaterials for their effects upon the general environment, the health of living entities, and their safety in both the workplace and areas occupied by the general public. In essence, an understanding of the union between physical and chemical characterization and environmental, health, and safety characterization is critical to fully develop the promise of nanotechnology. Toward this end, an assessment is underway by the National Institute of Standards and Technology's United States Measurement System (NIST USMS) Office to ascertain measurement needs and solutions within Nano-EHS for the benefit of industry, academia, and government.

This special issue of the Journal of Nanomaterials will be based on the increased comprehension and treatment of the Nano-EHS sector's measurement needs, as well as potential solutions. Papers will be welcomed which demonstrate advancements in the understanding of the physicochemical relationships via new metrology techniques. This issue intends to cover significant advancements in physical and chemical metrology–such as heterogeneity, structure, dispersion, purity, surface area, agglomeration, shape, surface charge, porosity, solubility, spatio-chemical composition, and surface chemistry–as they are related to Nano-EHS properties–such as detection, exposure, transport, transformation, cytotoxicity, clearance, cellular response, metabolic pathway, organ distribution, and biocompatibility. Articles are particularly welcomed which demonstrate the potential ability to clearly discern between deleterious and non-deleterious nanomaterials within the context of environment, health, and safety.

Topics of interest include (but are not limited to):

• Methods for detecting and quantifying the presence of nanomaterials in biological matrices, the environment, and the workplace
• Methods for standardizing particle size and size distribution assessment
• Methods and standardized tools for assessing nanomaterial shape, structure, and surface area
• Techniques that improve quantification of the properties of nanoscale materials that elicit a biological response
• Metrology systems which quantify transformation of nanomaterials under different environmental conditions
• Methods for improving the understanding of absorption and transport of nanomaterials throughout the body
• Identification and/or development of appropriate in vitro and in vivo assays/models to predict in vivo human responses to nanomaterial exposure
• Methods which demonstrate significant contributions to internationally recognized standards protocols and reference materials

Authors should follow the Journal of Nanomaterials manuscript format described at the journal site http://www.hindawi.com/journals/jnm/. Prospective authors should submit an electronic copy of their complete manuscript through the journal Manuscript Tracking System at http://mts.hindawi.com/, according to the following timetable: