title: Toxicity evaluation following intratracheal instillation of iron oxide in a silica matrix in rats.
abstract: Iron oxide-silica nanoparticles (IOSi-NPs) were prepared from a mixture of ferrous chloride tetrahydrate and ferric chloride hexahydrate dropped into a silica xerogel composite. The structure and morphology of the synthesized maghemite nanoparticles into the silica xerogel were analysed by X-ray diffraction measurements, scanning electron microscopy equipped with an energy dispersive X-ray spectrometer, and transmission electron microscopy. The results of the EDAX analysis indicated that the embedded particles were iron oxide nanoparticles. The particle size of IOSi-NPs calculated from the XRD analysis was estimated at around 12.5 nm. The average size deduced from the particle size distribution is 13.7 ± 0.6 nm, which is in good agreement with XRD analysis. The biocompatibility of IOSi-NPs was assessed by cell viability and cytoskeleton analysis. Histopathology analysis was performed after 24 hours and 7 days, respectively, from the intratracheal instillation of a solution containing 0.5, 2.5, or 5 mg/kg IOSi-NPs. The pathological micrographs of lungs derived from rats collected after the intratracheal instillation with a solution containing 0.5 mg/kg and 2.5 mg/kg IOSi-NPs show that the lung has preserved the architecture of the control specimen with no significant differences. However, even at concentrations of 5 mg/kg, the effect of IOSi-NPS on the lungs was markedly reduced at 7 days posttreatment.
authors.affiliation: Emergency Hospital Floreasca, Bucharest 5, 8 Calea Floreasca, Sector 1, 014461 Bucharest, Romania.
authors.forename: Alina Mihaela
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Prodan
authors.affiliation: National Institute of Materials Physics, 105 Bis Atomistilor, 077125 Magurele, Romania.
authors.forename: Carmen Steluta
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Ciobanu
authors.affiliation: National Institute of Materials Physics, 105 Bis Atomistilor, 077125 Magurele, Romania ; Faculty of Physics, University of Bucharest, 405 Atomistilor, 077125 Magurele, Romania.
authors.forename: Cristina Liana
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Popa
authors.affiliation: National Institute of Materials Physics, 105 Bis Atomistilor, 077125 Magurele, Romania ; Faculty of Physics, University of Bucharest, 405 Atomistilor, 077125 Magurele, Romania ; ISTO, UMR 7327 CNRS, Université d'Orléans, 1A rue de la Férollerie, 45071 Orléans Cedex 2, France.
authors.forename: Simona Liliana
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Iconaru
authors.affiliation: Emergency Hospital Floreasca, Bucharest 5, 8 Calea Floreasca, Sector 1, 014461 Bucharest, Romania.
authors.forename: Daniela
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Predoi
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D003599:Cytoskeleton / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D005290:Ferric Compounds / Q000737:chemistry / Q000633:toxicity*; D056945:Hep G2 Cells; D006801:Humans; D008168:Lung / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D053758:Nanoparticles / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D010316:Particle Size; D051381:Rats; D012822:Silicon Dioxide / Q000737:chemistry / Q000633:toxicity*; D013997:Time Factors; D014132:Trachea
chemical_list: D005290:Ferric Compounds; C000499:ferric oxide; D012822:Silicon Dioxide