Feb 07, 2019
(Nanowerk News) Graphene, a single layer of hexagonally arranged carbon atoms, is regarded as the miracle material of the future: it is flexible, transparent, strong, can assume different electrical properties and has the highest thermal conductivity of all known materials. This makes it extremely interesting for countless possible applications.
Europe has recognized this as well: The large-scale research programme "Graphene Flagship" has been running for five years and is dedicated to this material. It is the largest research initiative that Europe has launched to date - this shows the enormous importance of graphene.
(click on image to enlarge)
An important part of the graphene flagship is therefore dedicated to the question: Are graphene-based materials safe for humans and the environment? To this day, numerous studies have been carried out within the framework of the flagship. Empa researchers from the Particles-Biology Interactions Lab investigated for example how graphene oxide affects the human lung, gastrointestinal tract or placental barrier.
A comprehensive review article (ACS Nano, "Safety Assessment of Graphene-Based Materials: Focus on Human Health and the Environment") has now been published in the halfway stage of the graphene flagship project, which links the data produced within the framework of the major international research project with other published studies and thus shows the current state of knowledge on the subject of the safety of graphene-based materials. Partners from 15 European universities and research institutes participated in the review, including Empa researchers Peter Wick and Tina Bürki.
The article provides an overview of when parts of graphene-based materials can even enter the environment or the human body during their life cycle: during production, use, ageing or in the disposal or recycling process. The majority of the studies evaluated were devoted to the question of how graphene-based materials interact with the human body. These include the different ways in which materials can enter the body, for example by inhalation, ingestion or skin contact, as well as the distribution and interaction with important organs such as the central nervous system, lungs, skin, immune system, cardiovascular system, gastrointestinal tract and reproductive system.
Biological effects under the microscope
But despite all the euphoria: As with any new technology, the potential downsides have to be taken into account early on. In the past, these were often investigated too late. For example, asbestos, once appreciated for its fire retardant properties, was used in the early 20th century to manufacture numerous products - but health hazards were only gradually discovered. In 1970, asbestos fibres were officially classified as carcinogenic.![reviewing graphene safety](https://www.nanowerk.com/nanotechnology-news2/id52073_1.jpg)