Could Carbon Nanotubes be linked to Mesothelioma cancer?

In recent months, the possible link between exposure to carbon nanotubes and the development of mesothelioma has been making headlines. These minute particles had been shown in one study to possibly cause mesothelioma in lab animals, but further research was needed to determine what risk, if any, faced humans exposed to carbon nanotubes.

Now, breaking research from overseas research teams working with the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health and the University of Pennsylvania has revealed that carbon nanotubes can be easily broken down by an enzyme that is present in white blood cells. The enzyme, myeloperoxidase (MPO), is able to break down carbon into harmless water and carbon dioxide.

"Previous studies have shown that carbon nanotubes could be used for introducing drugs or other substances into human cells," said Bengt Fadeel, associate professor at the Swedish medical university Karolinska Institutet. "The problem has been the lack of knowledge on how to control the breakdown of the nanotubes, which can cause unwanted toxicity and tissue damage. Our study now shows how they can be broken down biologically into harmless components."

Carbon nanotubes are a microscopic material made of a small cluster of carbon atoms that are rolled into a tube. Both lighter and stronger than steel, carbon nanotubes are used in engineering and consumer goods. Mesothelioma is a rare form of cancer that is almost always caused by exposure to asbestos, a known carcinogen. Mesothelioma kills within 2 years of being diagnosed, and remains incurable at the present time.

"This [study's findings] means that there might be a way to render carbon nanotubes harmless, for example in the event of an accident at a production plant," said Dr Fadeel. "But the findings are also relevant to the future use of carbon nanotubes for medical purposes."