Here is Question No. 41 a part of our series on UPSC Prelims 2020.
Q41. With reference to the carbon nanotubes, consider the following statement:
- They can be used as the carriers of drugs and antigens in the human body.
- They can be made into artificial blood capillaries for an injured part of the human body.
- They can be used in biochemical sensors.
- Carbon nanotubes are biodegradable.
Which of the statements given above are correct?
(a) 1 and 2 only
(b) 2, 3 and 4 only
(c) 1, 3 and 4 only
(d) 1, 2, 3 and 4
Answer: D
- A carbon nanotube (CNT) is a miniature cylindrical carbon structure that has hexagonal graphite molecules attached at the edges. Carbon nanotubes have the potential to be used as semiconductors, potentially replacing silicon in a wide variety of computing devices.
- Statement 1 is correct: In recent years, carbon nanotubes have attracted many researchers as drug delivery carriers. As carbon nanotubes have a high surface area, they go into the cell by the millions and can have a very high efficiency of delivery to a
specific cell. - Statement 2 is correct: CNTs have been successfully applied in pharmacy and medicine due to their high surface area that is capable of adsorbing or conjugating with a wide variety of therapeutic and diagnostic agents (drugs, genes, vaccines, antibodies, biosensors, etc.). Hence, they can be made into artificial blood capillaries for an injured part of the human body. Other applications of CNTs have been for tissue regeneration, biosensor diagnosis, enantiomer separation of chiral drugs, extraction and analysis of drugs and pollutants
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