With reference to the carbon nanotubes, consider the following statements:

With reference to the carbon nanotubes, consider the following statements:

1. They can be used as carriers of drugs and antigens in the human body.
2. They can be made into artificial blood capillaries for an injured part of the human body.
3. They can be used in biochemical sensors.
4. Carbon nanotubes are biodegradable

Which of the statements given above are correct?(2020)

a) 1 and 2 only

b) 2, 3 and 4 only

c) 1, 3 and 4 only

d) 1, 2, 3, and 4

C

The nanotube’s structure allows it to be used as a container for transporting a drug in the body. A molecule of the drug can be placed inside the nanotube cage. This keeps the drug ‘wrapped up’ until it reaches the site where it is needed. In this way, a dose that might be damaging to other parts of the body can be delivered safely to, for example, a tumour.

NASA has successfully demonstrated a miniaturized electronics technology for in-vitro detecting specific biomarker signatures, which is based on incorporating embedded vertically aligned carbon nanotubes…in diagnostics devices.

The use of carbon nanotubes to make artificial blood capillaries is not examined properly and there are reports that it can lead to blood clotting.