Preparation of 14C-Labeled Multiwalled Carbon Nanotubes for Biodistribution Investigations

A new method allowing the 14C-labeling of carboxylic acid functions of carbon nanotubes is described. The key step of the labeling process is a decarbonylation reaction that has been developed and optimized with the help of a screening method. The optimized process has been successfully applied to multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWNTs), and the corresponding 14C-labeled nanotubes were used to investigate their in vivo behavior. Preliminary results obtained after i.v. contamination of rats revealed liver as the main target organ. Radiolabeling of NTs with a long-life radioactive nucleus like 14C, coupled to a highly sensitive autoradiographic method, that provides a unique detection threshold, will make it possible to determine for a long time period whether or not NTs remain in any organs after animal exposure.