Two days ago, we introduced the results of a breaking study on the relationship between nanotubes, asbestos, and mesothelioma. As the study gains more and more exposure, readers begin wondering what the information means and how this risk could affect them personally.

Nanotubes were developed in the 1990s when scientists discovered how to arrange carbon atoms into a cylinder. Today, they are becoming increasingly popular; they are used in sporting goods like baseball bats, golf clubs, and tennis racquets. But their prevalence is not yet cause for concern, as scientists are not sure that nanotubes can be inhaled. They do know that injecting nanotubes into the lining of lungs will induce inflammation, but they are unsure "whether people can breathe it in and if they do, whether these fibres can work their way to the outer edge of the lung and then cause an effect," said scientist Dr. Andrew Maynard.

Maynard continued and said that the real danger lies among nanotech factory workers. Even though manufacturers are not required to indicate that products contain nanotubes, it is unlikely that nanotubes in sporting goods can be dislodged. However, workers who may deal with discarded nano products are at high risk of exposure because incineration can loosen the bonds and possibly release the tubules.

The study comes at a crucial time in the scientific and business realms. Researchers are on the cusp of developing tubes mere billionths of a meter in diameter, but many of the properties remain mysterious. For example, in large quantities, carbon does not conduct electricity, but carbon nanotubes conduct it easily. Properties such as this make nanotubes excellent candidates for use in computers and will likely generate a lot of profit; it is estimated that within a few years, nanotubes alone are expected to be a $2 billion industry. But before this technology becomes mainstream, it is important to investigate health implications. Currently, only about 5% of the $1.5 billion in federal funding for nanotechnology is devoted to health and safety research, while the rests funds the fledging industry.

The study was an excellent starting point for the frenzy of research that is sure to follow. Maynard's most resonating and pertinent message is this: nanotubes could conceivably become as widely used as asbestos once was. Which is why, he emphasized, it is important to research the potential dangers before putting the public at risk. "We are in a position where we could actually do great things with this technology if we had the knowledge to be able to use it safely," he said. "Unfortunately, a lot of that knowledge is lacking at the moment. We need the research to fill in those information gaps."

One of the most promising materials for the future of technology, carbon nanotubes, might be as harmful as asbestos if inhaled, according to a new study published today in the scientific journal Nature Nanotechnology.

The study presented in Nature Nanotechnology used an animal model developed in the 80s to study the development of mesothelioma, which can be caused by asbestos exposure. In this model, the nanotubes were injected into the abdominal cavity of mice, which is lined by the same kind of tissue as the human lung, and which is a sensitive predictor of mesothelioma. After one week, there was an inflammatory response.

"The problem of asbestos was caused when it was released into the air, if it was handled inappropriately or incorrectly. Carbon nanotubes could do the same. With this information we should assume the worst, we should think of them as asbestos. But more research might relax that point of view," said Andrew Maynard, chief science adviser to the Project on Emerging Nanotechnologies in Washington and one of the authors of the study.

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