Carbon Nanomaterials: Potential Risks to Human Health and the Environment

Abstract

Carbon nanomaterials, such as carbon nanotubes, graphene, and graphene oxide, are perspective for application in electronics, energy storage, aerospace and defense industries, biomedicine, etc. In the chapter, we briefly overview the structure, unique properties, current and future applications of carbon nanomaterials. Their effects on living systems are considered in details. We identify the potential health and environmental risks related to the release of the carbon nanoparticles to the environment. The chapter addresses the issues of bioaccumulation and biodegradation of the carbon nanomaterials.