Heart test for "grey goo"
Tuesday August 2nd, 2011
Britain's Prince Charles famously condemned it as "grey goo" - and now German researchers have warned that nano-technology may pose a risk to the heart.
The researchers also say they have also developed a way to test nano-particles for their effect on the heart and circulation - with a view to preventing complications from the new technology.
Early studies suggest some nanoparticles will affect the heart while others will not.
So far the researchers have tested a number of particles used in industrial products, including those used widely by the public. These include carbon black - found in tyres - and titanium dioxide, used in white paints and sunscreens.
The researchers, at Helmholtz Zentrum Muenchen, Munich, Germany, used a device called a Langendorff heart - created from the heart of a rodent, adding their own enhancements to test the impact of nanoparticles on the heart rate.
They found several nano-substances that increased heart rate by up to 15 per cent and seemed to do so permanently. However polystyrene and silica-based particles seemed to have no effect.
The researchers say most prototypes of nano-drugs are currently using carbon or silicate. And they stress that it may be the design of nano-particles, not their chemical composition that causes problems.
Researcher Andreas Stampfl said: "We now have a model for a superior organ that can be used to test the influence of artificial nanoparticles.
“The next thing we want to do is to find out why some nanoparticles influence the heart function, while others do not influence the heart at all.”
Tags: Europe | General Health | Heart Health
Printer friendly page