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Carbon Nanotubes display asbestos-like behaviour
20/05/2008
Today saw publication of what will certainly become one of the defining papers describing the toxicity of multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT).
The paper, by Poland, C. et. al. - "Carbon nanotubes introduced into the abdominal cavity show asbestos-like pathogenic behaviour in a pilot study" describes a study into nanotube toxicity conducted under the leadership of Professor Ken Donaldson of Edinburgh University and SnIRC .
In the study, long and short nanotubes were compared with long and short asbestos in an assay in which these materials were injected into the peritoneal cavity of a mouse. This research provides evidence that MWCNT show the same toxicological behaviour as asbestos, and therefore that exposure to some types of nanotubes could carry a high risk.
Ken Donaldson has provided an exclusive commentary to the paper for SAFENANO - click here to read this
Further background reading and commentary on this paper is also available on the International Council for Nanotechnology (ICON) website - click here for access.
The paper itself will be accessible from the Nature Nanotechnology website. Click on the link below for further information.
Craig A Poland, Rodger Duffin, Ian Kinloch, Andrew Maynard, William AH Wallace, Anthony Seaton, Vicki Stone, Simon Brown, William MacNee and Ken Donaldson (2008 in press). Carbon nanotubes introduced into the abdominal cavity display asbestos-like pathogenic behaviour in a pilot study. Nature Nanotechnology (doi:10.1038/nnano.2008.111).
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