Nanotubes Boost Plant Pollutants

Summary posted by Meridian on 6/10/2009
Source: Royal Society of Chemistry
Author: Phillip Broadwith

Researchers at the University of Lancaster, United Kingdom, have shown that carbon nanotubes can pierce plant root cells, allowing other pollutants to easily infiltrate the cellular structure of plants. The researchers, Edward Wild and Kevin Jones, wanted to better understand the fate and interaction of nanoscale materials in the natural environment, due to the growth in production of these materials. Wild says "[T]here are also suggestions that nanomaterials might be useful in bioremediation, whether that's cleaning up groundwater or removing pollutants from contaminated sites, so we were interested to see what interactions there would be [with typical contaminants]." Wild and Jones used a special technique that allowed them to see exactly where molecules end up within the cellular structure of plants, bacteria, or fungi. The team examined nanoparticles of titanium dioxide, cerium dioxide, and multiwall carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs), and found that the nanotubes pierced the cells, significantly accelerating the uptake, by the plant, of phenanthrene, a typical atmospheric pollutant arising from the burning of fossil fuels. The acceleration appeared to be caused by the nanotubes piercing the cells and acting as pipes, allowing the phenanthrene to infiltrate much more rapidly than it could have done otherwise. Jamie Lead, a specialist in environmental nanoscience from the University of Birmingham, UK, said "[T]his kind of 'Trojan horse' scenario has been talked about a lot, but it's nice to have confirmation and data to show that it is the case." The article can be viewed online at the link below.

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our team contact us site map	Nanotubes Boost Plant Pollutants Summary posted by Meridian on 6/10/2009 Source: Royal Society of Chemistry Author: Phillip Broadwith Researchers at the University of Lancaster, United Kingdom, have shown that carbon nanotubes can pierce plant root cells, allowing other pollutants to easily infiltrate the cellular structure of plants. The researchers, Edward Wild and Kevin Jones, wanted to better understand the fate and interaction of nanoscale materials in the natural environment, due to the growth in production of these materials. Wild says "[T]here are also suggestions that nanomaterials might be useful in bioremediation, whether that's cleaning up groundwater or removing pollutants from contaminated sites, so we were interested to see what interactions there would be [with typical contaminants]." Wild and Jones used a special technique that allowed them to see exactly where molecules end up within the cellular structure of plants, bacteria, or fungi. The team examined nanoparticles of titanium dioxide, cerium dioxide, and multiwall carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs), and found that the nanotubes pierced the cells, significantly accelerating the uptake, by the plant, of phenanthrene, a typical atmospheric pollutant arising from the burning of fossil fuels. The acceleration appeared to be caused by the nanotubes piercing the cells and acting as pipes, allowing the phenanthrene to infiltrate much more rapidly than it could have done otherwise. Jamie Lead, a specialist in environmental nanoscience from the University of Birmingham, UK, said "[T]his kind of 'Trojan horse' scenario has been talked about a lot, but it's nice to have confirmation and data to show that it is the case." The article can be viewed online at the link below. The original article may still be available at www.rsc.org/chemistryworld/News/2009/June/10060904.asp As tagged by Meridian Institute: Implications: Human Health Risks, Environmental Risks Materials And Manufacturing: Electronics, Manufacturing Nanomaterials: Carbon Nanoparticle, Metal Nanoparticle Regions: Europe Stakeholders: Academia Water And Sanitation: Purification, Quality Minerals And Metals: Metals Food And Agriculture: Agriculture, Crops Environment: Remediation Related Forums: Materials and Manufacturing Water and Sanitation Metals and Minerals Food and Agriculture Environment Human Health Risks and Worker Safety Environmental Risks print format	NDN Home Subscribe Manage Subscription Search News Archives 3rd International Seminar on Nanosciences and Nanotechnology -- Seminario Naotecnologias Cuba (7/29/2010) The 3rd International Seminar on Nanosciences and Nanotechnology, organized by the Office of the Scientific Advisor to the State Council of the Republic of Cuba and the Center for Advanced Cuban Studes (CEAC), will take place from September 6-10, 2010, in Havana, Cuba. The aim of the conference is to open new paths of cooperation for the development of CEAC, consolidate existent and emerging networks in the country, and provide elements for the design of a national strategy in this field. [More] Super-sizing a Cancer Drug Minimizes Side Effects -- MIT News (7/29/2010) Scientists at the Harvard-MIT Division of Health Sciences and Technology (HST) have designed a new version of the drug cisplatin, one of the first chemotherapy drugs given to patients diagnosed with cancer, that spares the kidneys, allowing doctors to use higher doses. [More] An Asphalt Pact Cut Fumes—& Created A Model -- New Haven Independent (7/29/2010) At a recent conference hosted by the United States National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), convened to talk about the potential health hazards in the nanotechnology industry, a successful partnership between government, industry, and workers to tackle worker safety in the asphalt industry was looked to as a possible model for addressing worker safety in the nanotechnology industry. [More] Nanomagnets Remove Pathogens from Blood -- Nanowerk (7/28/2010) Researchers from the Institute for Chemical and Bioengineering of the ETH Zurich, Switzerland, have demonstrated a novel use of nanomagnets to rapidly and selectively remove heavy metal ions, overdosed steroid drugs and proteins from human blood. [More] More News... Learn how to include these headlines on your own website by clicking here. Please email us if you require text-only versions of the daily emails.