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(NHI Nanoblog) European researchers report new results that again raise the possibility that feather-light, ultra-strong nanotubes might cause cancer.
The study, recently published online in the academic journal Nanotoxicology, looked at the impact of multi-walled carbon nanotubes on mouse cells. The authors, from the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre and an Italian public health organization, found that exposure didn’t kill the cells, but that the material did induce changes that could point to a “carcinogenic potential.”
The paper recommends more testing to tease out the larger risks, a key part of mapping out a way to protect workers and, ultimately, the public should these early concerns prove serious.
Nanotechnology leverages the often-unique properties of super-small particles to create products with amazing qualities. These materials can make better batteries or lighter and stronger bike frames, as well as new medical instruments and medicines that can save lives. They’re increasingly common in consumer products, from “mineral-based” sunscreens to stain-repellent pants to boat paints that resist algae growth.
Nanomaterials are believed to hold great promise for a wide variety of applications. But their ultra-tiny size also gives them different properties, and scientists are struggling to figure out whether that can make them dangerous in the process, and how and why it happens.
Carbon nanotubes are prized for their ability to strengthen without adding weight or bulk, and are widely used in electronics because of their conductive and insulating capabilities. The material has been a focus of safety researchers for some time. It’s known that inhaling the tiny cylinders can cause lung inflammation in rats, prompting frequent comparisons to asbestos.
That inflammation could conceivably cause cancer, raising concerns about occupational safety as well as public health. In late 2010, the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health issued draft guidelines that essentially set the level of recommended workplace exposure at zero, urging manufacturers to use respirators and other protective garb for their employees.
Many companies already have such safeguards in place, as well as disposal protocols set in concert with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
Disposal is a serious question, especially as nanotubes become more common in smartphones and other electronics. While the material is typically encapsulated in a larger medium, there are few studies that have examined what happens when, for example, you smash that nanotube-strengthened tennis racket on the ground after a frustrating double fault.
Right now, there are no firm answers — and an urgent need for more research, as this latest paper notes.