碳納米管材料具有重量輕,、強(qiáng)度高等優(yōu)點(diǎn),，被廣泛應(yīng)用于自行車和球拍等產(chǎn)品生產(chǎn)中。是英國研究人員提醒說,，生產(chǎn)碳納米管和利用該材料制造其他產(chǎn)品的工人,，需防范因吸入碳納米管而致癌的風(fēng)險(xiǎn)。
英國愛丁堡大學(xué)的研究人員在新一期《美國病理學(xué)期刊》上報(bào)告說,，碳納米管的粗細(xì)只有頭發(fā)絲直徑的千分之一,，動物實(shí)驗(yàn)顯示，如果它進(jìn)入實(shí)驗(yàn)鼠的肺部,，可能引起間皮瘤等癌癥,。此前該校研究人員曾報(bào)告說，碳納米管可在實(shí)驗(yàn)鼠的腹腔中引發(fā)癌癥,。這些研究均顯示,，必須警惕碳納米管給生產(chǎn)者帶來的健康風(fēng)險(xiǎn)。
研究人員說,，碳納米管引發(fā)癌癥的機(jī)理與石棉纖維類似,。石棉已被確認(rèn)為致癌物質(zhì)，其細(xì)小纖維被吸入后會誘發(fā)胸膜間皮瘤,。
不過研究人員發(fā)現(xiàn),，容易引發(fā)癌癥的是那些較長的碳納米管,，這可能是因?yàn)樗鼈兏菀卓ㄔ诜尾炕蚋共考?xì)胞間的空腔中。實(shí)驗(yàn)顯示,，長度較短的碳納米管引發(fā)癌癥的風(fēng)險(xiǎn)相對較小,。這也許意味著可以在碳納米管生產(chǎn)中找到一個(gè)平衡點(diǎn)，設(shè)計(jì)出既能滿足生產(chǎn)需求,，致癌風(fēng)險(xiǎn)又低的碳納米管,。
領(lǐng)導(dǎo)這一研究的肯·唐納森教授說，上述研究結(jié)果提醒生產(chǎn)商,，在賺取利潤的同時(shí),，要設(shè)法防范生產(chǎn)線上的工人因接觸碳納米管而患癌,。（生物谷Bioon.com）
生物谷推薦原文出處：
The American Journal of Pathology DOI：10.1016/j.ajpath.2011.02.040
Length-Dependent Retention of Carbon Nanotubes in the Pleural Space of Mice Initiates Sustained Inflammation and Progressive Fibrosis on the Parietal Pleura
Fiona A. Murphy,Craig A. Poland,Rodger Duffin,Khuloud T. Al-Jamal,Hanene Ali-Boucetta,Antonio Nunes,Fiona Byrne,Adriele Prina-Mello
Abstract Full Text PDFImages References The fibrous shape of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) raises concern that they may pose an asbestos-like inhalation hazard, leading to the development of diseases, especially mesothelioma. Direct instillation of long and short CNTs into the pleural cavity, the site of mesothelioma development, produced asbestos-like length-dependent responses. The response to long CNTs and long asbestos was characterized by acute inflammation, leading to progressive fibrosis on the parietal pleura, where stomata of strictly defined size limit the egress of long, but not short, fibers. This was confirmed by demonstrating clearance of short, but not long, CNT and nickel nanowires and by visualizing the migration of short CNTs from the pleural space by single-photon emission computed tomographic imaging. Our data confirm the hypothesis that, although a proportion of all deposited particles passes through the pleura, the pathogenicity of long CNTs and other fibers arises as a result of length-dependent retention at the stomata on the parietal pleura.
