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HARN Dimension and Pleural Retention
Created by snadmin on 26/07/2011 15:28:38

SAFENANO’s Craig Poland explores the fibre pathogenicity paradigm, and explains why all nanotubes are not like asbestos.





Within the June edition of The American Journal of Pathology (vol. 178, No. 6), Fiona Murphy and colleagues of the University of Edinburgh, have published an article further addressing the issue of high aspect ratio nanoparticles such as carbon nanotubes and pathology occurring in the space between the lung surface and the chest wall known as the pleural space, a site known to be a target for harmful fibres such as asbestos.




The study found that long carbon nanotubes and other high aspect ratio nanomaterials that find their way into the pleural space are likely to be retained and cause adverse effects (similar to that seen with asbestos), whilst short fibres are not.




Professor Ken Donaldson, Chair of Respiratory Toxicology at the University of Edinburgh and lead investigator of the study group, said: "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."




In our second Feature Article for summer 2011, Craig Poland – Research Toxicologist for SAFENANO and co-author on the paper – provides an insightful commentary on this important study and its contribution towards investigating the fibre pathogenicity paradigm, and explains the danger of blanket statements such as ‘all carbon nanotubes are like asbestos’.








Click here to read the article in full. 








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