Carbon black has a proven effect on the heart, say scientists

ERJ staff report (LMH)

Munich, Germany - Selected artificial nanoparticles, including carbon black, have a direct effect on heart rate and heart rhythm, according to a team of scientists from the Technische Universitaet Muenchen (TUM).

Using a “Langendorff heart” - an isolated rodent heart flushed with a nutrient solution in place of blood - scientists from the Helmholtz Zentrum Muenchen and the TU Muenchen were for the first time able to show that nanoparticles have a clearly measurable effect on the heart, TUM said in a 1 Aug news release.

When exposed to a series of commonly used artificial nanoparticles, such as carbon black and titanium dioxide, the heart reacted to certain types of particles with an increased heart rate, cardiac arrhythmia and modified ECG values that are typical for heart disease.

“We use the heart as a detector,” explained Professor Reinhard Nießner, Director of the Institute of Hydrochemistry at the TU Muenchen. “In this way we can test whether specific nanoparticles have an effect on the heart function. Such an option did not exist hitherto.”

Scientists can also use this new model heart to shed light on the mechanism by which the nanoparticles influence the heart rate. In order to do this, TUM said they enhanced Langendorff's experimental setup to allow the nutrient solution to be fed back into the loop once it has flown through the heart. This allows the scientists to enrich substances released by the heart and understand the heart's reaction to the nanoparticles.

The first author of the study Andreas Stampfl and his team used their heart model to test carbon black and titanium dioxide nanoparticles, as well as spark-generated carbon, which serves as a model for airborne pollutants stemming from diesel combustion. In addition, silicon dioxide, different Aerosil silicas used as thickening agents in cosmetics and polystyrene were tested.

Carbon black, spark-generated carbon, titanium dioxide and silicon dioxide led to an increase in the heart rate of up to 15 percent with altered ECG values that did not normalise, even after the nanoparticle exposure was ended. The Aerosil silicas and polystyrene did not show any effect on the heart function.

The team hope that this new heart model may prove to be particularly useful in medical research. TUM said the scientists have planned further studies to examine the surfaces of different types of nanoparticles and their interactions with the cells of the cardiac wall.

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Press release from Technische Universitaet Muenchen