Carbon Nanotubes Could Pose Health Risk

[RobRich]

Researchers warn long-length carbon nanotubes could carry health risks similar to asbestos due to similarities in the two materials' needle-shaped structures.

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When foreign particles like smoke or dust land in the lungs, cells known as macrophages engulf the particles and clear them away. Some asbestos fibers are too long for the macrophages to handle, resulting in lesions. The researchers hypothesized that nanotubes would cause similar problems if they were long, but not if they were short or tangled into a ball.

In their study, the researchers injected four groups of mice: one with short nanotubes about 5 microns in length, one with long nanotubes about 20 microns in length, one with asbestos and one with small carbon clumps. Some of the mice were killed and dissected the next day. Some were dissected a week later.

The mice injected with the short nanotubes or small carbon clumps did not develop disease. Those injected with long nanotubes or asbestos developed lesions on the tissue lining.

Source: New York Times