Figure 21.

Hazard assessment of thermoplastic composites reinforced with reduced graphene oxide. (A) Characterization of rGO and abraded particles from PA6-rGO composites. SEM images of rGO, abraded particles from PA6-rGO composite and abraded particles from neat PA6. Animals (n = 3) were exposed by oropharyngeal aspiration to abraded polymer (PA6, 15 μg), abraded composite (PA6-rGO, 15 μg; with 2.5% rGO, hence 0.375 μg of rGO in 15 μg of PA6-rGO), reduced graphene oxide (rGO, 0.3 μg or 15 μg; 2.5% of 15 μg equals to about 0.3 μg), or negative control (BSA 0.1% in water). (B) Representative images of hematoxylin and eosin (H&E)-stained lung sections from mice exposed to rGO and abraded composites, following 1, 7, and 28 days after oropharyngeal aspiration. Arrows indicate the formation of granulomas after treatment with rGO.²⁸⁰ Reproduced with permission from Chortarea, S.; Kuru, O. C.; Netkueakul, W.; Pelin, M.; Keshavan, S.; Song, Z.; Ma, B.; Gomes, J.; Abalos, E. V.; Luna, L. A. V.; Loret, T.; Fordham, A.; Drummond, M.; Kontis, N.; Anagnostopoulos, G.; Paterakis, G.; Cataldi, P.; Tubaro, A.; Galiotis, C.; Kinloch, I.; et al. Hazard Assessment of Abraded Thermoplastic Composites Reinforced with Reduced Graphene Oxide. J. Hazard. Mater. 2022, 435, 129053. Copyright 2022, Elsevier.