Portland, Ore. Nanotechnologists have performed theoretical
calculations predicting that buckyballs, a common nanoparticle,
could disrupt the functioning of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA).
These 60-atom hollow spheres of carbon can be functionalized for
a variety of applications from ultrasmall sensors to drug
dispensers targeting particular sites inside the body.
Buckyballs are developed for a wide variety of applications,
including dry lubricants and semiconductors. The bad news is
that computer simulations performed by Vanderbilt University and
Oak Ridge National Laboratories researchers show that buckyballs
have a strong affinity for animal DNA, attaching to it in a
manner that prevents it from performing the reproductive actions
necessary for cells to mount immune-system responses or even to
repair themselves. Such an outcome represents "a serious
potential health hazard," said Vanderbilt University engineering
professor Peter Cummings, who performed the simulation with
former graduate student Alberto Strio