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Boron-nitride-nanotube epoxy microplastic sanding dust

Respirable microplastic-containing dust released while machining or sanding boron-nitride-nanotube-enabled epoxy composites, including after weathering.

Airborne form

dustmicroplasticnanomaterialaerosolmixed

The form describes what is suspended in air at the point of exposure. A material can produce more than one form, such as dust during handling and fume during heating.

Health effects

respirable particulate exposuremacrophage cytotoxicityreactive oxygen speciescell-death responseemerging nanomaterial hazard concern

Evidence

A CDC/NIOSH-authored 2025 study found that sanding boron-nitride-nanotube epoxy composites released respirable particulate; collected dust caused dose-dependent cytotoxicity, reduced live human macrophage counts, mixed pyroptosis and apoptosis, and increased intracellular reactive oxygen species in vitro. The authors describe these results as an initial hazard characterization rather than evidence of disease in exposed people.

Source: pdf ↗ · saved source
page 2 · Abstract or Summary · 1–3
Collected respirable BNNT epoxy sanding dust exposure ... caused dose-dependent increase in cytotoxicity ... a 10–15% decrease in live cell count due to mixed pyroptosis and apoptosis in human macrophages. A dose-dependent increase in intracellular reactive oxygen species ... was also observed.

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