Achievement

In hopes of filling in some of the apparent knowledge gaps in understanding and analyzing the environmental health and safety concerns surrounding nanomaterials, one IGERT trainee team examined a nanomaterial touted for use in advanced energy technologies, carbon nanotubes. Studies have suggested that the inhalation of carbon nanotubes may pose a health risk. Many studies have likened the health effects, such as inflammation and lung lesions, to that of asbestos. To assess the potential health effects associated with carbon nanomaterials we conducted a series of experiments to characterize common exposure mechanisms in terms of airborne nanotubes. Our study suggests that carbon nanotubes may pose an inhalation risk to people in a manufacturing or laboratory setting. More work needs to be done and test processes that can be used to understand any nanomaterial inhalation risk should be developed.