Graphistrength© C100 MultiWalled Carbon Nanotubes (MWCNT): thirteen-week inhalation toxicity study in rats with 13- and 52-week recovery periods combined with comet and micronucleus assays

Graphistrength© C100 provides superior electrical and mechanical properties for various applications and is one of the industrial MWCNT referenced in the OECD sponsorship program for the safety testing of nanomaterials. Graphistrength© C100 is formed of MWCNT (ca. 12 walls, outer mean diameter ca. 12 nm, length ca. 1 µm) agglomerated in particles with a granulometry centered on 400 µm. A general feature of MWCNT after inhalation or intratracheal exposures is the induction of an inflammatory reaction in the lungs sometimes associated with local genotoxic effects. Most of the in vitro and in vivo genotoxicity data available on Graphistrength© C100 are negative. However, a weak DNA damage activity in the in vitro and in vivo FPG-modified Comet assays and a weak clastogenic effect in the in vitro micronucleus test were reported. After investigating different parameters for the aerosol generation, male and female Wistar rats were exposed by nose-only inhalation (6h/day, 5d/week) to target concentrations of 0.05, 0.25 and 5.0 mg/m3 air of a respirable aerosol (MMAD < 3 µm) and sacrificed immediately after 4 and 13 weeks of exposure and 13 and 52 weeks of recovery after the 13-week exposure. Clinical, biological and histological evaluations were performed according to the OECD TG 413. Broncho-alveolar lavage fluid (BALF) was collected and analysed for cytokines and inflammatory parameters. Immediately after 13 weeks of exposure, chromosomal aberrations in the bone marrow cells of males and females were evaluated by the micronucleus test (OECD TG 474) and DNA damage in the lung, kidney and liver cells of males were assessed by both the standard and the human 8-oxoguanine DNA N-glycosylase 1 (hOGG1)-modified comet assay (OECD TG 489). Concentration-related deposition of black particles (MWCNT) was observed in lungs. At all sacrifice periods, an inflammatory lung reaction was observed in rats exposed to 5.0 mg/m3 associated with changes in the differential white blood cells counts. The lung inflammation was characterized by changes in the cytological, biochemical and cytokine parameters of the BALF, an increase of the lung weight, an interstitial inflammation mainly around the alveolar ducts at the bronchiole-alveolar junction and a cell hypertrophy/hyperplasia in the terminal and respiratory bronchioles. The slight changes in BALF parameters observed at 0.25 mg/m3 recovered after the 13-week treatment-free period and were not associated with any of the histological changes observed in lungs at 5.0 mg/m3. Signs of lung clearance of the MWCNT were observed at 0.05 and 0.25 mg/m3. After a one year treatment-free period, the inflammatory lung reaction was slight and of similar intensity that at the earlier sacrifice periods. Additional findings were minimal/slight bronchiolar/alveolar cell hypertrophy/hyperplasia and focally extensive alveolar septal fibrosis. No other pathological change was observed, nor was there any brain translocation via the olfactory bulb. The microscopic observations of the pleura were unremarkable. Neither increase in the number of micronucleated polychromatic erythrocytes nor increase in percent DNA damage were observed at any concentration. In conclusion, a lung inflammation characteristic of an overload with insoluble particles was observed after a 13-week inhalation exposure to 5.0 mg/m3 of Graphistrength© C100. A No-Observed Adverse Effect Concentration (NOAEC) of 0.25 mg/m3 was established for the repeated-dose toxicity and Graphistrength© C100 appears of low concern in term of local and systemic genotoxicity.