Wednesday, October 21, 2015

CARBON NANOTUBES FOUND IN CHILDREN'S LUNGS

Carbon nanotubes found in children's lungs for the first time
Carbon nanotubes have turned up in the lungs of children living in Paris – the first time they have been detected in humans.
Incredibly strong, light and conductive, nanotubes have shown great potential in areas such as computingclothingand healthcare technology. Nevertheless, there has been some concern over their use after mouse studies showed that injected nanotubes can cause immune reactions similar to those produced by asbestos.
To investigate, Fathi Moussa and colleagues at the University of Paris-Saclay, France, studied fluid from the airways of 64 asthmatic children, and discovered carbon nanotubes in all of the samples. Five other children studied also had them in their macrophages – immune cells that clear unwanted particles – taken from the lungs.
The level at which the nanotubes are present is unclear, as is their source, although the team found similar structures in dust and vehicle exhaust collected in Paris

No comments:

Post a Comment