Carbon nanotubes (CNT) trigger fascination as well as anxiety, given their unique physical and chemical properties, and continuing concerns around their possible health effects. CNT exposure assessment is an integral component of occupational and environmental epidemiology, risk assessment, and management. We conducted a systematic review to analyze the quality of CNT occupational exposure assessments in field studies and to assess the relevance of available quantitative data from occupational hygiene and epidemiological perspectives. PubMed and Scopus databases were searched for the period 2000–2018. To grade the quality of each study, we used a standardized grid of seven criteria. The first criterion addressed 12 items deemed most relevant CNT physical-chemical properties with respect to their in vitro and in vivo toxicity. We included 27 studies from 11 countries in the review and graded them high (n = 2), moderate (n = 15) and low quality (n = 10). Half of the studies measured elemental carbon mass concentration (EC) using different methods and aerosol fractions. In 85% of studies, the observed values exceed the US National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health Recommended Exposure Limit. The quantification of CNT agglomerates and/or CNT contained fibers becomes increasingly common although lacking methodological standardization. Work activities with the greatest mean CNT mass concentrations were non-enclosed and included sieving, harvesting, packaging, reactor cleaning, extrusion and pelletizing. Some of the large studies defined standardized job titles according to exposure estimates at corresponding workstations and classified them by decreasing CNT exposure level: technicians > engineers > chemists. The already initiated harmonization of CNT exposure assessment and result reporting need to continue to favor not only studies in the field, but also to identify companies and workers using CNTs to characterize their exposures as well as monitor their health. This will enable an objective and realistic evaluation of risks associated with CNT applications and an appropriate risk management.

碳纳米管（CNT）具有独特的物理和化学特性，并引起人们对其健康影响的持续关注，这引发了人们的着迷和焦虑。CNT暴露评估是职业和环境流行病学，风险评估和管理的组成部分。我们进行了系统的审查，以分析田间研究中CNT职业接触评估的质量，并从职业卫生和流行病学角度评估可用定量数据的相关性。搜索了2000–2018年期间的PubMed和Scopus数据库。为了对每个研究的质量进行评分，我们使用了七个标准的标准化网格。第一项标准针对的12个项目在体外和体外均被认为是最相关的CNT物理化学性质。体内毒性。我们纳入了来自11个国家/地区的27项研究，并将其分为高（n = 2），中（n = 15）和低质量（n = 10）。一半的研究使用不同的方法和气溶胶分数测量了元素碳质量浓度（EC）。在85％的研究中，观测值超过了美国国家职业安全与健康研究所建议的暴露极限。尽管缺乏方法学上的标准化，但对CNT团聚体和/或包含CNT的纤维的量化变得越来越普遍。没有封闭具有最大平均CNT质量浓度的工作活动，包括筛分，收获，包装，反应器清洁，挤压和造粒。一些大型研究根据相应工作站的暴露估算值定义了标准化的职称，并通过降低CNT暴露水平对其进行了分类：技术人员>工程师>化学家。已经开始统一的CNT暴露评估和结果报告的统一不仅需要继续支持该领域的研究，而且还需要确定使用CNT表征暴露量并监测其健康的公司和工人。这将能够客观，现实地评估与CNT应用相关的风险，并进行适当的风险管理。而且还可以识别使用CNT来表征暴露量并监控其健康的公司和工人。这将能够客观，现实地评估与CNT应用相关的风险，并进行适当的风险管理。而且还可以识别使用CNT来表征暴露量并监控其健康的公司和工人。这将能够客观，现实地评估与CNT应用相关的风险，并进行适当的风险管理。