Carbon nanotubes- the new asbestos?

摘要

1. Nanomaterials may behave differently from their bulk counterparts and therefore require additional research to determine their potential health and safety risksrn2. Nanomaterials are not a single category of material, but present different risks according to their size, shape, and compositionrn3. Because of their fibre-like shape, some types of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) seem to cause an asbestos-like reaction in animal studiesrn4. Airborne CNTs are difficult to measure; studies so far indicate that they clump together, making high inhalation exposures less likelyrn5. No governments have adopted quantitative exposure limits for CNTs. Guidelines in the UK, US and elsewhere call for keeping exposures to a minimum by enclosing operations and, if necessary, using protective clothing and equipmentrn6. The British Standards institute proposes an exposure limit of 0.01 fibres/ml for 'fibrous nanomaterials'.