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Assessing cellular responses to milled recycled carbon fiber in alveolar macrophages

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Abstract

Carbon fibers and their composites are finding their way into applications in a variety of industrial fields; however, insight into the safety of carbon fibers remains scarce. In this study, the cytotoxicity of milled recycled carbon fiber was examined using NR8383 cells (alveolar macrophages) in a comparison with multi-walled/single-walled carbon nanotubes and carbon black nanoparticles. Following exposure, no significant cytotoxicity or metabolic inhibition of milled recycled carbon fiber was evident. Phagocytosis into macrophage cells was observed, but which significantly increased NO production, indicative of macrophage cell activation. No significant effect on intracellular reactive oxygen species production or the inflammatory response occurred at the gene expression level. Although milled recycled carbon fibers are taken up into cells and affect NO production, other cellular responses were smaller compared with those of carbon nanotubes and carbon black. The reason for the smaller responses and the effects on other cellular processes require further study.

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Abbreviations

CB:

Carbon black

mrCF:

Milled recycled carbon fiber

MWCNT:

Multi-walled carbon nanotube

PCR:

Polymerase chain reaction

ROS:

Reactive oxygen species

SWCNT:

Single wall carbon nanotube

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by Grant-in-Aid for Japan Society for the Promotion of Science Fellows #20J11212. The author would like to thank Hiroshi Moritomi (Moritomi Environmental Engineering Laboratory; Meel) for valuable suggestions.

Funding

Grant-in-Aid for Japan Society for the Promotion of Science Fellows, 20J11212, Akihiro Moriyama

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Research Institute of Science for Safety and Sustainability (RISS), National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 305-8569, Japan

    Akihiro Moriyama & Katsuhide Fujita

  2. The United Graduate School of Agricultural Science, Gifu University, 1-1 Yanagido, Gifu, Gifu, 501-1193, Japan

    Hitoshi Iwahashi

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  1. Akihiro Moriyama
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Correspondence to Akihiro Moriyama.

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Moriyama, A., Iwahashi, H. & Fujita, K. Assessing cellular responses to milled recycled carbon fiber in alveolar macrophages. J Mater Cycles Waste Manag (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10163-024-01950-6

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