Mesothelioma Blog

Carbon nanotubes, the wonder material of the 21st Century, may have the potential to become the asbestos of the new century.

Carbon nanotubes are extremely thin sheets of graphite that are rolled to form cylindrical shapes. Hailed as a wonder material, carbon nanotubes are expected to revolutionize the way technology affects the world. In a study conducted by the Project on Emerging Nanotechnologies, scientists examined long, thin carbon nanotubes for the ability to damage lung tissue in the same way as asbestos.

Asbestos is a fibrous mineral that is highly resistant to chemicals and heat. When the material is damaged, it releases lightweight fibers into the air. When inhaled the asbestos fibers become lodged in the lung tissue and resist removal by the body’s natural defenses. Over time, accumulated asbestos in the lungs can cause asbestosis or mesothelioma.

The Emerging Nanotechnologies study exposed mice to long strands of the microscopic carbon nanotubes. In studies, inhaling carbon nanotubes resulted in some of the same internal pre-cursors that are released when asbestos fibers are inhaled. In short, carbon nanotubes have the potential to cause health problems similar to those caused by asbestos, including mesothelioma.

At the beginning of the Industrial Revolution, asbestos was celebrated as a miracle material. Its ability to resist wear and heat led to its use in a wide variety of products. Unfortunately, early studies of the effects of asbestos fibers on human lung tissue were swept under the rug by asbestos manufacturers and the material remained in use for decades.

During that time tens of thousands of people were exposed to harmful asbestos fibers. Many developed asbestos related diseases, including malignant mesothelioma. We know from the epidemic of asbestos related diseases that wonder materials can have very serious consequences.

The end of the 20th Century saw the introduction of dozens of nascent technologies, including nanotechnology. Are carbon nanotubes the next asbestos? We owe it to posterity to thoroughly test these new technologies and avoid re-opening the wounds of the past.