Advances in Nanostructured Carbons for Biomedical Applications

Carbon adsorbents have a long history of use in medical devices for
the removal of biotoxins known to exacerbate inflammation and
infection. The traditional Western medical application for activated
carbons has been limited predominantly to cases of poisoning and
some wound dressings. However, technological advances in the
synthesis of next generation, nanostructured carbon adsorbents in
a range of forms combined with currently escalating challenges in
the treatment of life-threatening infection and non-communicable
disease have directed opportunities to repurpose and extend the
biomedical applications of these versatile materials. Research
has begun to highlight aspects of biointerfacial phenomena which
uniquely impact the adsorptive capacity of nanostructured carbons
in biomedical applications. Additionally, carbon adsorbents with
tailored, consistent and well defined nanoporosity allow removal
of a wider size range of key biotoxins associated with disease
progression allowing advances in the efficacy of oral enterosorbent,
blood perfusion and wound dressing devices.