Pulmonary toxicity of well-dispersed single-wall carbon nanotubes after inhalation

Nanotoxicology. 2012 Nov;6(7):766-75. doi: 10.3109/17435390.2011.620719. Epub 2011 Sep 26.

Abstract

Single-wall carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) were well-dispersed by ultrasonication to conduct an inhalation study. SWCNTs were generated using a pressurised nebuliser with liquid suspension of SWCNTs. Wistar rats were exposed to the well-dispersed SWCNT (diameter of bundle: 0.2 μm; length of bundle: 0.7 μm) for 4 weeks. The low and high mass concentrations of SWCNTs were 0.03 ± 0.003 and 0.13 ± 0.03 mg/m(3), respectively. The rats were sacrificed at 3 days, 1 month, and 3 months after the end of exposure. There were no increases of total cell or neutrophil counts in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF), or the concentration of cytokine-induced neutrophil chemoattractant in the lungs or BALF in both the high and low concentration-exposed groups. Pulmonary infiltration of neutrophils was not observed in either exposed group throughout the observation period. Well-dispersed SWCNT did not induce neutrophil inflammation in the lung under the conditions in the present study.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Administration, Inhalation
  • Alkaline Phosphatase / metabolism
  • Animals
  • Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid
  • Chemokine CXCL1 / metabolism
  • Heme Oxygenase-1 / metabolism
  • Histocytochemistry
  • Inhalation Exposure / analysis*
  • Lung / chemistry
  • Lung / drug effects*
  • Lung / metabolism
  • Macrophages, Alveolar / chemistry
  • Macrophages, Alveolar / drug effects*
  • Macrophages, Alveolar / metabolism
  • Male
  • Microscopy, Electron
  • Nanotubes, Carbon / toxicity*
  • Particle Size
  • Phagocytosis
  • Rats
  • Rats, Wistar
  • Statistics, Nonparametric

Substances

  • Chemokine CXCL1
  • Cxcl1 protein, rat
  • Nanotubes, Carbon
  • Heme Oxygenase-1
  • Alkaline Phosphatase