Durability and Inflammogenic Impact of Carbon Nanotubes Compared with Asbestos Fibres
Author Information
Author(s): Osmond-McLeod Megan J, Poland Craig A, Murphy Fiona, Waddington Lynne, Morris Howard, Hawkins Stephen C, Clark Steve, Aitken Rob, McCall Maxine J, Donaldson Ken
Primary Institution: CSIRO Food and Nutritional Sciences
Hypothesis
Carbon nanotubes might conform to the fibre pathogenicity paradigm that explains the toxicities of asbestos and other fibres based on length, aspect ratio, and biopersistence.
Conclusion
Carbon nanotubes are generally durable but may lose pathogenicity in a sample-specific manner, particularly when they are less durable in biological systems.
Supporting Evidence
- Three out of four types of carbon nanotubes showed minimal loss of mass after 24 weeks in Gambles solution.
- CNTLONG1 lost 30% of its mass within the first three weeks, indicating it is less durable.
- CNTSW did not elicit an inflammogenic effect in the peritoneal cavity assay.
- LFA induced a strong inflammatory response regardless of incubation time.
Takeaway
This study looked at how long carbon nanotubes last in the body and how they can cause harm, finding that some types are safe while others can be dangerous like asbestos.
Methodology
The study assessed the durability of four types of carbon nanotubes in simulated biological fluid and their pathogenicity in vivo using a mouse model.
Potential Biases
Potential bias due to the difficulty in measuring individual CNTs within bundles.
Limitations
Sources of error in sample recoveries may include sample preparation by different operators and loss of sample during filtration.
Participant Demographics
C57Bl/6 mice were used for in vivo testing.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p<0.05
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
Want to read the original?
Access the complete publication on the publisher's website