UPTAKE AND DEPURATION BEHAVIORS OF CARBON-14 SINGLE- AND MULTI-WALLED CARBON NANOTUBES BY L. VARIEGATUS

摘要

Carbon nanotubes represent one of the highlights to emerge from nanotechnology to date. First discovered by Sumio Iijima in 1991 (Iijima, 1991), these materials have attracted significant research attention over the past decade due to their potential for breakthroughs in a broad range of applications. Carbon nanotube research has been driven to date by potential applications and extensive information regarding their relevant electrical, thermal and mechanical properties has been forthcoming. On the other hand, the potential environmental impacts have not been similarly characterized and the risks they pose to the welfare of humankind and the environment are not well understood (Colvin, 2003). Characterizing the environmental behaviors of these nanomaterials thus constitutes a pressing research need.