Prelims 2020 · Science and Technology · Question 1
With reference to carbon nanotubes, consider the following statements:
- They can be used as carriers of drugs and antigens in the human body.
- They can be made into artificial blood capillaries for an injured part of human body.
- They can be used in biochemical sensors.
- Carbon nanotubes are biodegradable.
Which of the statements given above are correct?
Answer
1, 2, 3 and 4
1. Correct. Carbon nanotubes are used as drug/antigen delivery carriers because they can be functionalized and enter cells.
2. Correct. Carbon nanotubes have been explored in tissue engineering and vascular graft/microtube applications, including making artificial capillary-like structures for damaged tissues.
3. Correct. They are used in biochemical/biosensors due to high conductivity, sensitivity, and large surface area.
4. Correct. Carbon nanotubes can be biodegraded under biological/enzymatic conditions (for example by certain peroxidase enzymes), so the statement is taken as correct.
Hence, all four statements are correct.