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Toxicity of nanoparticle surface coating agents: Structure-cytotoxicity relationship
Ying Zhang1, Xiaoping Li2, Hongtao Yu1,2
1a Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry , Jackson State University , Jackson , Mississippi , USA.
Summary
Cytotoxicity of surfactants increases with alkyl chain length, with cationic surfactants showing higher toxicity to skin cells than anionic ones. Longer chains (C12-C14) proved most toxic to keratinocytes and T lymphocytes.
Area of Science:
- Toxicology
- Materials Science
- Nanotechnology
Background:
- Metal nanoparticles require surface coatings for stability and functionality.
- Surfactants, including cationic alkyl ammonium bromides and anionic alkyl sulfates, are common coating agents.
- Understanding the biocompatibility of these surfactants is crucial for nanoparticle applications.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the cytotoxicity of cationic and anionic surfactants used as surface coating agents.
- To determine the influence of alkyl chain length and substitution pattern on surfactant toxicity.
- To compare the toxicity of different surfactant types against human skin keratinocytes (HaCaT) and T lymphocytes (TIB-152).
Main Methods:
- Cytotoxicity assays were performed on HaCaT and TIB-152 cell lines.
- Cationic (alkyl ammonium bromides) and anionic (alkyl sulfates) surfactants with varying chain lengths (C8-C14) were tested.
- Toxicity of mono-, di-, and tetra-alkyl substituted ammonium salts was assessed.
Main Results:
- Short-chain (C8) surfactants exhibited no cytotoxicity.
- Cytotoxicity increased with alkyl chain length, plateauing at C12 for cationic surfactants (both cell lines) and anionic surfactants (TIB-152).
- Anionic surfactant cytotoxicity plateaued at C14 for HaCaT cells.
- Cationic surfactants were more toxic to HaCaT cells than anionic surfactants.
- Di- and tetra-alkyl ammonium salts demonstrated higher cytotoxicity than mono-substituted variants.
Conclusions:
- Alkyl chain length is a critical determinant of surfactant cytotoxicity.
- Cationic surfactants pose a greater risk to skin keratinocytes compared to anionic surfactants.
- The degree of alkyl substitution in ammonium salts significantly impacts their toxicological profile.
