Mesothelioma threat of nanotubes

Carbon nanotubes, a new material used in electronics drugs, and energy efficient batteries, can the risk to workers, who use them for the development of mesothelioma. Carbon nanotubes are either short and curly, or long and thin. Long, thin carbon nanotubes are comparable to microscopic asbestos fibers in the form and size. A recent study showed that carbon nanotubes behave like asbestos fibers in the body, and have the same potential for causing> Mesothelioma.

Mesothelioma is a cancer of the mesothelium of slow growing, tissue lining of the lungs and the abdominal organs and the belly. By the time mesothelioma is diagnosed, it is far advanced so that it is always fatal. Life expectancy after diagnosis is a matter of months, sometimes a few years ago. There are treatments for mesothelioma symptoms, but there's no known cure.

Half a century of medical research has foundthat the main cause of mesothelioma is the inhalation of microscopic asbestos fibers. The fibers are so dangerous because it is thin enough to be inhaled easily, and once inhaled, they lodge in the lung tissue. The body has mechanisms for clearing debris from the lung, but also because of its length, asbestos fibers are not easily erased, and can remain for decades, leading to changes at the cellular level, to mesothelioma.

Carbon nanotubes are very lightby weight but extremely strong. Because of these properties, they are increasingly in many high-tech applications used. But for more than a decade, nanotechnology has increased concern among scientists about the health effects of working with nanotubes, especially the consequences of inhaling them.

In the study, recently published in Nature Nanotechnology, researchers at the University of Edinburgh studied the effects of published long and short asbestos fibers, short and long nanotubes andSoot on mice. The materials were injected mice developed the abdominal cavity, where mesothelioma, findings from the abdominal procedures can anticipate the effect in the lungs. The mice answer to long carbon nanotubes was the same as their response to long asbestos fibers in both materials, mice showed the pathological changes in their tissue, mesothelioma are meaningful.

The study authors for further study of the environment calledHealth and safety hazards nanotubes. It is not clear how much risk of inhalation resulting current manufacturing processes, and whether these nanotubes, once inhaled, will be embedded in lung tissue. The producers need to know if their processes nanotubes in order to allow in the air, and if so, what protective equipment is needed to protect workers from inhalation. Disposal of materials, the long fiber carbon nanotubes raises similar questions about the security.

The most importantSupporters of security in the United States government agencies like the Environmental Protection Agency, EPA and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, OSHA. Neither is currently financing studies of carbon nanotubes security.

The study only on the diameter and the length of the carbon nanotube fibers. Many other questions remain about who nanotubes, in which other elements associated with the carbon and the impact on human health of these connections.

Nanotube technology andManufacturing is still in its infancy, and the pressure, these versatile materials are used to be huge. This is the time to determine what the health and environmental impacts of these materials, and in the implementation of necessary security measures. If not, a new breed of American workers face the prospect of a disastrous and avoidable cancer.

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