Sagnik Nag , Amity University, Kolkata
Hemodialysis is a treatment procedure wherein the blood is filtered from metabolic wastes and water, exactly mimicking the work of our healthy kidneys. Recently Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) researchers have claimed to discover that the carbon nanotube membrane pores would enable ultra-rapid dialysis processes which would efficiently reduce treatment time for hemodialysis patients. In natural physiological conditions, biological membranes such as those found in the kidney or liver perform complex filtrations while still maintaining normal high throughput. However synthetic membranes might often struggle with selectivity and permeability. The same material properties that dictate what exactly passes through the membrane reduces the rate at which the filtration can occur.
In a recent scientific discovery published in the journal Advanced Science, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) researchers claimed that carbon nanotube pores i.e. graphite cylinders with diameters thousands of times smaller than a human hair might provide an efficient solution to the permeability and selectivity facade. According to the research conducted, when a concentration gradient is potentially used as an efficient driving force, small ions, such as potassium, chloride, and sodium, were found to diffuse through these tiny pores more than an order of magnitude faster than when moving in bulk solution.
The team sternly believes this proposed research project should’ve imperative implications in several technology areas. Membranes that employ carbon nanotubes as transport channels can potentially enable ultra-rapid hemodialysis processes that would efficaciously reduce treatment time. Similarly, cost and time for efficiently purifying proteins and other biomolecules as well as recovering valuable byproducts from electrolyte solutions could be surprisingly reduced. To better understand why this behavior occurs, the team has a complete, quantitative understanding of the observed transport rates, which is still being developed and further in process.
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References –
“Fast Permeation of Small Ions in Carbon Nanotubes” by Steven F. Buchsbaum, Melinda L. Jue, April M. Sawvel, Chiatai Chen, Eric R. Meshot,Sei Jin Park, Marissa Wood, Kuang Jen Wu, Camille L. Bilodeau, Fikret Aydin, Tuan Anh Pham, Edmond Y. Lau and Francesco Fornasiero,2020, Advanced Science.DOI: http://10.1002/advs.202001802
Excellent! Very well written.