| Jun 14, 2011 |
Carbon nanotubes could pose health risk to production line staff, study suggests
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(Nanowerk News) Certain types of carbon nanotubes - cylindrical molecules about one-thousandth of the width of a human hair - could cause cancer in the lining of the lung, University of Edinburgh research shows.
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The study in mice found short carbon nanotubes appear relatively harmless if they entered lung cavities.
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However, longer nanotubes were more likely to get stuck there and ultimately cause a type of cancer known as mesothelioma.
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Need for risk assessment
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Researchers are looking at assessing the level of risk involved, for instance examining how many of the long fibres are present in the air at workplaces.
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The study was published in the American Journal of Pathology ("Length-Dependent Retention of Carbon Nanotubes in the Pleural Space of Mice Initiates Sustained Inflammation and Progressive Fibrosis on the Parietal Pleura").
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"The industrial-scale manufacture of carbon nanotubes is increasing, with a global market in excess of £1 billion. This research shows that there is a potential hazard in the manufacture of certain types of carbon nanotubes" says Ken Donaldson, Professor of Respiratory Toxicology.
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Similarities with asbestos
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The research found that longer carbon nanotubes caused a reaction in the lung lining similar to that of asbestos.
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Longer asbestos fibres are more harmful than shorter fibres since they also get stuck in the lung cavity where they can cause diseases including mesothelioma.
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Finding safest kind of nanotube
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The study demonstrates the need for industry to design safe nanofibres that are long enough to be useful but short enough to avoid causing disease.
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It follows previous research in mice looking at the effect of carbon nanotubes on the stomach cavity.
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