Enzyme that breaks down carbon nanotubes gives hope for medical applications

Nanotechnology is increasingly a part of our lives, and while it has enormous potential for the are such as toxicity and tissue damage. Now a team of scientists has shown that carbon nanotubes can be broken down by an enzyme found in white blood cells - contradicting the previous belief they are not broken down in the body or nature - and hope this new understanding may lead to a way to render carbon nanotubes harmless in medical applications.