Implantable systems and methods for removing specific impurities from fluids such as blood

A method for removing impurities from a fluid, comprising the steps of:

• providing at least one nanotube array formed from one or more hollow nanotubes, each of said one or more hollow nanotubes including nanotube walls having a plurality of pores dimensioned to allow said impurities to pass through said pores and into one or more interiors of said hollow nanotubes;
• providing an enclosure surrounding the at least one nanotube array through which the fluid to be purified may flow in a fluid path exterior to the interiors of said hollow nanotubes;
• and
• passing said fluid to be purified through said enclosure along said fluid path to allow said impurities to pass through the plurality of pores in the nanotube walls and into the interiors of said hollow nanotubes to remove said impurities from said fluid,
• wherein said fluid is blood.

A method for removing impurities from blood, comprising the steps of:

• providing at least one nanotube array formed from one or more hollow nanotubes, each of said one or more including nanotube walls having a plurality of pores dimensioned to allow said impurities, but not desirable constituents of said blood, to pass through said pores and into one or more interiors of said hollow nanotubes;
• providing an enclosure surrounding the at least one nanotube array through which the blood to be purified may flow in a fluid path exterior to the interiors of said hollow nanotubes;
• passing said blood to be purified through said enclosure along said fluid path to allow said impurities to pass through the plurality of pores in the nanotube walls and into the interiors of said hollow nanotubes;
• and
• collecting said impurities that pass into the interiors of said hollow nanotubes into a waste stream for removal.