Abstract

In the last quarter of century, the new allotropic forms of carbon, i.e., carbon nanotubes and graphene, have been at the forefront of attention due to their potential toxic effects in leaving systems, including mammalian species and the environment. While carbon nanotubes are still under strong debate if they should be definitely banned for use, graphene has been suspected to have the same behaviour, as sharing the same graphenic nature of the tubes. But not all graphenic carbon materials are alike in terms of impact on health and the environment.

In this lecture, I’ll cover our research on the development of safe carbon nanotubes and graphene for biomedical applications. The health risks associated to the similarity between carbon nanotubes and asbestos fibres can be removed by appropriate chemical modifications, that can also trigger their degradability. The assessment of the potential impact of graphene-based materials on health and the environment is also a key step in the development of current and future technologies based on these materials. In this context, I will highlight the potential risks of using graphene-based materials and the solutions to overcome them, in view of their registration as new and “safe” chemicals.