title: 5-Day repeated inhalation and 28-day post-exposure study of graphene.
abstract: Graphene has recently been attracting increasing attention due to its unique electronic and chemical properties and many potential applications in such fields as semiconductors, energy storage, flexible electronics, biosensors and medical imaging. However, the toxicity of graphene in the case of human exposure has not yet been clarified. Thus, a 5-day repeated inhalation toxicity study of graphene was conducted using a nose-only inhalation system for male Sprague-Dawley rats. A total of three groups (20 rats per group) were compared: (1) control (ambient air), (2) low concentration (0.68 ± 0.14 mg/m(3) graphene) and (3) high concentration (3.86 ± 0.94 mg/m(3) graphene). The rats were exposed to graphene for 6 h/day for 5 days, followed by recovery for 1, 3, 7 or 28 days. The bioaccumulation and macrophage ingestion of the graphene were evaluated in the rat lungs. The exposure to graphene did not change the body weights or organ weights of the rats after the 5-day exposure and during the recovery period. No statistically significant difference was observed in the levels of lactate dehydrogenase, protein and albumin between the exposed and control groups. However, graphene ingestion by alveolar macrophages was observed in the exposed groups. Therefore, these results suggest that the 5-day repeated exposure to graphene only had a minimal toxic effect at the concentrations and time points used in this study.
authors.affiliation: a Occupational Lung Diseases Institute, KCOMWEL , Ansan , Korea .
authors.forename: Jae Hoon
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Shin
authors.affiliation: b Toxicology Laboratory , College of Animal Bioscience and Technology, Konkuk University , Seoul , Korea .
authors.forename: Sung Gu
authors.initials: SG
authors.lastname: Han
authors.affiliation: c Institute of Nano Products Safety Research, Hoseo University , Asan , Korea .
authors.forename: Jin Kwon
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: a Occupational Lung Diseases Institute, KCOMWEL , Ansan , Korea .
authors.forename: Boo Wook
authors.initials: BW
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: a Occupational Lung Diseases Institute, KCOMWEL , Ansan , Korea .
authors.forename: Joo Hwan
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Hwang
authors.affiliation: a Occupational Lung Diseases Institute, KCOMWEL , Ansan , Korea .
authors.forename: Jong Seong
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: c Institute of Nano Products Safety Research, Hoseo University , Asan , Korea .
authors.forename: Ji Hyun
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: a Occupational Lung Diseases Institute, KCOMWEL , Ansan , Korea .
authors.forename: Jin Ee
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Baek
authors.affiliation: c Institute of Nano Products Safety Research, Hoseo University , Asan , Korea .
authors.forename: Tae Gyu
authors.initials: TG
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: c Institute of Nano Products Safety Research, Hoseo University , Asan , Korea .
authors.forename: Keun Soo
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: d Department of Chemical Engineering , Donga University , Busan , Korea .
authors.forename: Heon Sang
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: e Korea Research Institute of Standards and Science , Daejeon , Korea , and.
authors.forename: Nam Woong
authors.initials: NW
authors.lastname: Song
authors.affiliation: f Department of Mechanical Engineering , Hanyang University , Ansan , Korea.
authors.forename: Kangho
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ahn
authors.affiliation: c Institute of Nano Products Safety Research, Hoseo University , Asan , Korea .
authors.forename: Il Je
authors.initials: IJ
authors.lastname: Yu
mesh_terms: D000280:Administration, Inhalation; D000418:Albumins / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D001835:Body Weight / Q000187:drug effects; D006108:Graphite / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000633:toxicity*; D007770:L-Lactate Dehydrogenase / Q000378:metabolism; D016676:Macrophages, Alveolar / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D009929:Organ Size / Q000187:drug effects; D011506:Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D000418:Albumins; D011506:Proteins; D006108:Graphite; D007770:L-Lactate Dehydrogenase
keywords: Nano-structured materials; nanoparticles; nanotoxicology; particle toxicology; toxicology