Home > Press > Coating Nanotubes with Aluminum Oxide Lowers Risk of Lung Injury
Image of a multi-walled carbon nanotube. Image credit: Eric Wieser, via WikiMedia Commons. |
Abstract:
A new study from North Carolina State University and the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) finds that coating multiwalled carbon nanotubes (CNTs) with aluminum oxide reduces the risk of lung scarring, or pulmonary fibrosis, in mice.
"This could be an important finding in the larger field of work that aims to predict and prevent future diseases associated with engineered nanomaterials," says James Bonner, a professor of environmental and molecular toxicology at NC State and senior author of a paper describing the work. "Our goal is to find ways to make sure that carbon nanotubes don't become the next asbestos."
Multiwalled CNTs have a wide array of applications, ranging from sporting goods to electronic devices. And while these materials have not been associated with adverse health effects in humans, research has found that multi-walled CNTs can cause pulmonary fibrosis and lung inflammation in animal models.
"Because multiwalled CNTs are increasingly used in a wide variety of products, it seems likely that humans will be exposed to them at some point," Bonner says. "That means it's important for us to understand these materials and the potential risk they pose to human health. The more we know, the better we'll be able to engineer safer materials."
For this study, the researchers used atomic layer deposition to coat multiwalled CNTs with a thin film of aluminum oxide and exposed mice to a single dose of the CNTs, via inhalation.
The researchers found that CNTs coated with aluminum oxide were significantly less likely to cause pulmonary fibrosis in mice. However, the coating of aluminum oxide did not prevent lung inflammation.
"The aluminum oxide coating doesn't eliminate health risks related to multi-walled CNTs," Bonner says, "but it does lower them."
The research was conducted under NIEHS grants R01ES020897 and RC2-ES018772, with support from NIEHS's Intramural Research Program.
####
For more information, please click here
Contacts:
Matt Shipman
Copyright © North Carolina State University
If you have a comment, please Contact us.Issuers of news releases, not 7th Wave, Inc. or Nanotechnology Now, are solely responsible for the accuracy of the content.
Related Links |
Related News Press |
News and information
Researchers develop artificial building blocks of life March 8th, 2024
Govt.-Legislation/Regulation/Funding/Policy
What heat can tell us about battery chemistry: using the Peltier effect to study lithium-ion cells March 8th, 2024
Researchers’ approach may protect quantum computers from attacks March 8th, 2024
Optically trapped quantum droplets of light can bind together to form macroscopic complexes March 8th, 2024
Discoveries
What heat can tell us about battery chemistry: using the Peltier effect to study lithium-ion cells March 8th, 2024
Researchers’ approach may protect quantum computers from attacks March 8th, 2024
High-tech 'paint' could spare patients repeated surgeries March 8th, 2024
Nanoscale CL thermometry with lanthanide-doped heavy-metal oxide in TEM March 8th, 2024
Announcements
What heat can tell us about battery chemistry: using the Peltier effect to study lithium-ion cells March 8th, 2024
Nanoscale CL thermometry with lanthanide-doped heavy-metal oxide in TEM March 8th, 2024
Interviews/Book Reviews/Essays/Reports/Podcasts/Journals/White papers/Posters
Researchers develop artificial building blocks of life March 8th, 2024
Nanoscale CL thermometry with lanthanide-doped heavy-metal oxide in TEM March 8th, 2024
Safety-Nanoparticles/Risk management
Tests find no free-standing nanotubes released from tire tread wear September 8th, 2023
Billions of nanoplastics released when microwaving baby food containers: Exposure to plastic particles kills up to 75% of cultured kidney cells July 21st, 2023
The latest news from around the world, FREE | ||
Premium Products | ||
Only the news you want to read!
Learn More |
||
Full-service, expert consulting
Learn More |
||