eprintid: 19843 rev_number: 27 userid: 2665 dir: disk0/00/01/98/43 datestamp: 2014-01-31 20:38:53 lastmod: 2016-11-15 14:15:23 status_changed: 2014-01-31 20:38:53 type: thesis_degree metadata_visibility: show contact_email: gpkotch@gmail.com item_issues_count: 0 eprint_status: archive creators_name: Kotchey, Gregg P creators_email: gpkst3@pitt.edu creators_id: GPKST3 title: Enzyme-catalyzed Degradation of Carbon Nanomaterials ispublished: unpub divisions: sch_as_chemistry full_text_status: public keywords: biodegradation carbon nanotubes graphene enzymes horseradish peroxidase myeloperoxidase abstract: Carbon nanotubes and graphene, the nanoscale sp2 allotropes of carbon, have garnered widespread attention as a result of their remarkable electrical, mechanical, and optical properties and the promise of new technologies that harness these properties. Consequently, these carbon nanomaterials (CNMs) have been employed for diverse applications such as electronics, sensors, composite materials, energy conversion devices, and nanomedicine. The manufacture and eventual disposal of these products may result in the release of CNMs into the environment and subsequent exposure to humans, animals, and vegetation. Given the possible pro-inflammatory and toxic effects of CNMs, much attention has been focused on the distribution, toxicity, and persistence of CNMs both in living systems and the environment. This dissertation will guide the reader though recent studies aimed at elucidating fundamental insight into the persistence of CNMs such as carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and graphene derivatives (i.e., graphene oxide and reduced graphene oxide). In particular, in-test-tube oxidation/degradation of CNMs catalyzed by peroxidase enzymes will be examined, and the current understanding of the mechanisms underlying these processes will be discussed. Finally, an outlook of the current field including in vitro and in vivo biodegradation experiments, which have benefits in terms of human health and environmental safety, and future directions that could have implications for nanomedical applications such as imaging and drug delivery will be presented. Armed with an understanding of how and why CNMs undergo enzyme-catalyzed oxidation/biodegradation, researchers can tailor the structure of CNMs to either promote or inhibit these processes. For example, in nanomedical applications such as drug delivery, the incorporation of carboxylate functional groups could facilitate biodegradation of the nanomaterial after delivery of the cargo. Also, the incorporation of CNMs with defect sites in consumer goods could provide a mechanism that promotes the degradation of these materials once these products reach landfills. date: 2014-01-31 date_type: published pages: 187 institution: University of Pittsburgh refereed: TRUE etdcommittee_type: committee_chair etdcommittee_type: committee_member etdcommittee_type: committee_member etdcommittee_type: committee_member etdcommittee_name: Star, Alexander etdcommittee_name: Michael, Adrian C etdcommittee_name: Robinson, Rena A S etdcommittee_name: Kagan, Valerian E etdcommittee_email: astar@pitt.edu etdcommittee_email: amichael@pitt.edu etdcommittee_email: rena@pitt.edu etdcommittee_email: kagan@pitt.edu etdcommittee_id: ASTAR etdcommittee_id: AMICHAEL etdcommittee_id: RENA etdcommittee_id: KAGAN etd_defense_date: 2013-08-20 etd_approval_date: 2014-01-31 etd_submission_date: 2013-09-30 etd_release_date: 2014-01-31 etd_access_restriction: immediate etd_patent_pending: FALSE thesis_type: dissertation degree: PhD citation: Kotchey, Gregg P (2014) Enzyme-catalyzed Degradation of Carbon Nanomaterials. Doctoral Dissertation, University of Pittsburgh. (Unpublished) document_url: http://d-scholarship-dev.library.pitt.edu/19843/1/KotcheyGreggP_ETD_2013.pdf