Life cycle assessment of nanomaterials and laboratory consumables: toward safer and sustainable nanotechnology

Abstract The increasing integration of nanoparticles into laboratory studies and consumables, such as filters, pipette tips, test kits, and coatings, has raised critical concerns about their environmental sustainability, occupational safety, and end-of-life disposal. This review provides a comprehensive examination of the life cycle impacts of nanoparticle-based laboratory products, covering stages from synthesis and in-lab use to waste generation and disposal. Drawing upon ISO 14040/44 life cycle assessment (LCA) frameworks, we highlight methodological challenges in evaluating nano-enabled systems, including data gaps, toxicity uncertainties, boundary selection, and the influence of intrinsic nanoparticle properties (e.g., size, shape, and surface coating) on fate and impact modeling. We assess the environmental burden of nanoparticle synthesis methods, energy inputs, and hazardous byproducts, and explore their property-dependent transformation in laboratory waste streams. Comparative LCA analyses of nano-enabled versus conventional lab consumables reveal performance trade-offs with substantial implications for environmental policy and green lab practices. Furthermore, this review situates LCA within the emerging Safe and Sustainable by Design (SSbD) framework, emphasizing its role in guiding early-stage material innovation, risk prevention, and circularity strategies for nanotechnology. The review also evaluates regulatory responses and proposes safety and circular economy recommendations tailored for laboratories, manufacturers, and policymakers. By connecting LCA with nanowaste management, physicochemical risk factors, and SSbD-guided sustainability principles, this work establishes a foundational platform for safer, more sustainable adoption of nanomaterials in research environments. These findings are particularly relevant as nano-enabled products proliferate across biomedical, energy, environmental, and analytical laboratory domains. Graphical Abstract