Scientists Figure Out a Way That Our Bodies Can Break Down Carbon Nanotubes

Tuesday, April 6, 2010 - 10:14 in Physics & Chemistry

Paves way for better nanomedicine as well as remediation of nanotoxic events Carbon nanotubes may not be so bad for you after all. Past studies have suggested that carbon nanotubes are biopersistent -- that the human body cannot break them down -- but a team of Swedish and American researchers has discovered that an enzyme found in white blood cells can break down nanotubes into harmless water and carbon dioxide. Carbon nanotubes are, of course, tiny tubular structures made of single layers of carbon atoms that are stronger and lighter than steel. Potential medical applications for carbon nanotubes include drug delivery systems and tiny implantable devices, but there's been a persistent concern among scientists that the nanotubes wouldn't break down over time, leading to toxicity and tissue damage. But the most recent findings show that bacteria-neutralizing endogenous myeloperoxidase (MPO) found in certain types of white blood cells can easily break down the tiny...

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