Abstract In this study, the effects of carboxylated multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs‐COOH) on human normal liver cell line L02 was compared with that of pristine multiwalled carbon nanotubes (p‐MWCNTs). It was shown that compared with MWCNTs‐COOH, p‐MWCNTs induced apoptosis, reduced the level of intracellular antioxidant glutathione more significantly, and caused severer cell membrane damage as demonstrated by lactate dehydrogenase leakage. Cell cycles were arrested by both MWCNTs, while p‐MWCNTs induced higher ratio of G0/G1 phase arr...