The world's first to find carbon nanotubes from the lungs of human children

ByStefano Montagner

"carbon nanotube"Is a tubular carbon (carbon) in nanometer (one billionth of a meter) size and boasts a thickness of 1: 50,000 and a strength equivalent to that of a diamond. It is a carbon nanotube discovered by Dr. Sumio Iijima who was working at the Tsukuba Laboratories of NEC at that time in 1991, but it is also discovered and found in the lungs of a child living in Paris in France.

Carbon nanotubes found in children's lungs for the first time | New Scientist
https://www.newscientist.com/article/dn28370-carbon-nanotubes-found-in-childrens-lungs-for-the-first-time/


Carbon nanotubes have the same strength as diamonds, although they are nanosized extremely small materials, can withstand current up to 1,000 times of copper while having high conductivity, and are extremely lightweight. Carbon nanotubes are expected to be useful in the fields of computing, clothing and healthcare, and in fact "carbon nanotube computers" were produced and called for a hot topic.

Succeeded in making the world's first 'carbon nanotube computer', actual operation also - GIGAZINE


Although it is such carbon nanotube,Research published in 2008According to the results, when carbon nanotubes are injected into the body of a mouse, a reaction resembling "an immune reaction induced by asbestos" has been confirmed, and it is suggested that some influence may be seen in the human body.

And what was newly released was "Fluid flowing from the air route" by Mr. Fati Musa of the University of Paris · SacreyInvestigationresult. In this survey, we investigate the influence of aircraft on the air environment by inspection with high resolution electron microscope and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. In this survey, carbon nanotubes were found in one of 64 asthmatic children.

Carbon nanotube is located in the red arrow portion of the following image.


Immune cells having the role of removing unnecessary particles from the body from the lungs of five children among 64 asthmatic children "Macrophage"Has been detected.

Although it is unknown how unusual it is to detect carbon nanotubes from the inside of the body at present, in the survey we conduct a similar survey even in places with environmental pollution levels equivalent to airways, but in the lungs of children Carbon nanotubes were never found from. Also, we can not demonstrate the link between carbon nanotubes and diseases. Still, "Musa says," People with asthma have weak ability to remove unwanted matter, especially by macrophages. "

Even if carbon nanotubes are not directly harmful, carbon nanotubes have a large surface area that can stick to other molecules, so that pollutants that cause some kind of harm to the body can penetrate deep into the lungs and body There is a possibility of playing a role in restraining it, Mr. Moussa.

ByGeoff Hutchison

Dr. James Borner of North Carolina State University insists that the detection of carbon nanotubes should be treated as a "warning" for studies on other air pollution that has been underway in recent years, that carbon nanotubes could not be found I will.

As for the influence of carbon nanotube, Jonathan Grigg of University of London commented that "There is little possibility that carbon nanotube causes cancer like asbestos." Also, since carbon nanotubes are much smaller than asbestos, even if you inhale carbon nanotubes, Grigg guesses "nothing will happen, probably as when fossil fuel is drawn".