INRS conducted a study to improve knowledge about the potential toxicity of multi-walled carbon nanotubes, one of which is already classified by IARC as “possibly carcinogenic to humans”. The work aimed to evaluate the influence of the diameter and length of nanotubes on health, and therefore to reinforce the prevention of hazards in the event of inhalation by staff that are required to produce or handle them.
This study provided additional information about the carcinogenic potential of short and thin CNTs, which are not included in the classification proposal submitted to ECHA. The findings appear to indicate that it is relevant to not categorise CNTs differently based on their size, and that it is necessary to handle short and thin CNTs with as much precaution as the long and thick ones. The effects of CNTs must be carefully evaluated regardless of their morphology.
Read more about the INRS study
More information
carole.seidel@inrs.fr
References
Barthel, H.; Darne, C.; Gaté, L.; Visvikis, A.; Seidel, C. Continuous Long-Term Exposure to Low Concentrations of MWCNTs Induces an Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition in BEAS-2B Cells. Nanomaterials 2021, 11, 1742. https://doi.org/10.3390/nano11071742
Hélène Barthel, Sylvie Sébillaud, Mylène Lorcin, Henrik Wolff, Stéphane Viton, Frédéric Cosnier, Laurent Gaté & Carole Seidel (2023) Needlelike, short and thin multi-walled carbon nanotubes: comparison of effects on wild type and p53+/− rat lungs, Nanotoxicology, 17:3, 270-288, DOI: 10.1080/17435390.2023.2204933
