Product Liability - Thursday, September 18, 2008 10:37 - 0 Comments

Carbon nanofibers may mimic asbestos

Once upon a time, asbestos was considered a wonder material. Chemically inert and an impressive insulator, it was put to use in a variety of industrial and structural settings. Epidemiologists eventually traced an otherwise rare form of cancer back to lung exposure to asbestos particles, and building owners have been paying to have asbestos safely removed ever since. These days, nanomaterials are the objects of wonder, but, as early as 2006, some researchers were recognizing similarities in the properties of carbon nanofibers and asbestos. A paper published by Nature Nanotechnology suggests that the similarities go beyond appearances, as preliminary tests suggest carbon nanofibers pose the same health risks that asbestos does.

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