Nanomaterials that could address multiple global challenges could be developed without risk to human health

A revolutionary nanomaterial with enormous potential to address multiple global challenges could be further developed without acute risk to human health, research suggests. The study is published in the journal Nature Nanotechnology.

Carefully controlled inhalation of a specific type of graphene – the world’s thinnest, strongest and most flexible material – has no short-term adverse effects on lung or cardiovascular function, the study found. The first controlled exposure clinical trial in humans was conducted with fine, ultra-pure graphene oxide, a water-compatible form of the material.

The researchers say more work is needed to determine whether higher doses of this graphene oxide or other forms of graphene would have a different effect. The team also wants to determine whether longer exposure to this material, which is thousands of times thinner than a human hair, would cause additional health risks.

There has been renewed interest in the development of graphene, a material first isolated by scientists in 2004 and which has been hailed as a “miracle” material. Possible applications include electronics, phone screens, clothing, paints and water purification.

Graphene is being actively explored around the world to contribute to targeted therapies for cancer and other health conditions, as well as in the form of implantable devices and sensors. However, before any medical use, all nanomaterials must be tested for any potential adverse effects.

Researchers from the Universities of Edinburgh and Manchester recruited 14 volunteers to participate in the study under carefully controlled exposure and clinical monitoring conditions. Volunteers breathed the material through a face mask for two hours while cycling in a specially designed mobile exposure chamber brought to Edinburgh from the National Institute of Public Health in the Netherlands.

Effects on lung function, blood pressure, blood clotting and blood inflammation were measured before exposure and at two-hour intervals. A few weeks later, the volunteers were asked to return to the clinic for repeated controlled exposures to a different size of graphene oxide or to clean air for comparison.

There were no adverse effects on lung function, blood pressure or the majority of other biological parameters tested. The researchers noted a slight suggestion that inhaling the material might influence the way blood clots, but they emphasize that this effect was very small.

Dr Mark Miller, from the University of Edinburgh’s Center for Cardiovascular Sciences, said: “Nanomaterials such as graphene hold great promise, but we need to ensure they are manufactured safely before they can be used more broadly in our lives. “Being able to explore the safety of this unique material in human volunteers is a big step forward in our understanding of how graphene might affect the body. With careful design, we can get the most out of nanotechnology safely. “

Professor Kostas Kostarelos, from the University of Manchester and the Catalan Institute of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology (ICN2) in Barcelona, ​​said: “This is the first ever controlled study involving healthy people to demonstrate that Highly pure forms of graphene oxide, of a specific type, size distribution and surface character can be further developed in a way that minimizes the risk to human health.

“It took us over 10 years to develop the knowledge needed to carry out this research, from a materials and biological science perspective, but also the clinical capacity needed to conduct such controlled studies safely in bringing together some of the world’s greatest experts in this field.”

Professor Bryan Williams, Scientific and Medical Director of the British Heart Foundation, added: “The discovery that this type of graphene can be grown safely, with minimal short-term side effects, could open the door to the development of new therapeutic devices and innovations. “