New research being conducted at the University of Arkansas (Fayetteville, Arkansas) is demonstrating that Raman spectroscopy can be used to detect and monitor circulating carbon nanotubes in vivo and in real time.

Carbon nanotubes can be used for various advanced biomedical applications that would allow researchers to improve their understanding of how nanomaterials interact with living biological systems. Biodistribution of carbon nanotubes, which until now has been monitored only by collecting samples after various time intervals, could now be monitored while the animal is alive.

This research is significant because it can be used to detect circulating cancer cells that have been tagged by carbon nanotubes.