title: Reducing the cytotoxicity of inhalable engineered nanoparticles via in situ passivation with biocompatible materials.
abstract: The cytotoxicity of model welding nanoparticles was modulated through in situ passivation with soluble biocompatible materials. A passivation process consisting of a spark discharge particle generator coupled to a collison atomizer as a co-flow or counter-flow configuration was used to incorporate the model nanoparticles with chitosan. The tested model welding nanoparticles are inhaled and that A549 cells are a human lung epithelial cell line. Measurements of in vitro cytotoxicity in A549 cells revealed that the passivated nanoparticles had a lower cytotoxicity (>65% in average cell viability, counter-flow) than the untreated model nanoparticles. Moreover, the co-flow incorporation between the nanoparticles and chitosan induced passivation of the nanoparticles, and the average cell viability increased by >80% compared to the model welding nanoparticles. As a more convenient way (additional chitosan generation and incorporation devices may not be required), other passivation strategies through a modification of the welding rod with chitosan adhesive and graphite paste did also enhance average cell viability (>58%). The approach outlined in this work is potentially generalizable as a new platform, using only biocompatible materials in situ, to treat nanoparticles before they are inhaled.
authors: School of Mechanical Engineering, Yeungnam University, Gyeongsan 712-749, Republic of Korea. Electronic address: postjb@yu.ac.kr.
authors: Jeong Hoon
authors: JH
authors: Byeon
authors: Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, University of Iowa, IA 52242, United States.
authors: Jae Hong
authors: JH
authors: Park
authors: Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, University of Iowa, IA 52242, United States.
authors: Thomas M
authors: TM
authors: Peters
authors: Department of Chemistry, Purdue University, IN 47907, United States. Electronic address: jtrob@purdue.edu.
authors: Jeffrey T
authors: JT
authors: Roberts
mesh_terms: D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D006801:Humans; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D019570:Inhalation Exposure; D053758:Nanoparticles
chemical_list: D001672:Biocompatible Materials
keywords: Average cell viability; Chitosan; In situ passivation; Model welding nanoparticles; Reducing cytotoxicity