Release and cytotoxicity screening of the printer emissions of a CdTe quantum dots-based fluorescent ink

The fluorescent properties of cadmium telluride (CdTe) containing quantum dots (QDs) have led to novel products and applications in the ink and pigment industry. The toxic effects of the emissions associated to the use of printing ink containing CdTe QDs might differ from those of conventional formulations which do not integrate nanoparticles, as CdTe QDs might be emitted. Within this work, the airborne emissions of a water-soluble fluorescent ink containing polyethylene glycol (PEG)-coated CdTe QDs of 3-5 nm diameter have been characterized and studied under controlled conditions during household inkjet printing in a scenario simulating the use phase. Subsequently, the cytotoxicological potential of atomized CdTe QDs ink in an acute exposure regimen simulating an accidental, worse-case scenario has been evaluated in vitro at the air-liquid interface (ALI) using the pulmonary cell line BEAS-2B. Endpoints screened included cell viability, oxidative stress and inflammatory effects. We have observed that CdTe QDs ink at 54.7 ng/mL decreased cell viability by 25.6 % when compared with clean air after 1h of exposure; a concentration about 65 times higher was needed to observe a similar effect in submerged conditions. However, we did not observe oxidative stress or inflammatory effects. The present study integrates the development of scenarios simulating the use phase of nano-additivated inks and the direct cell exposure for in vitro effects assessment, thus implementing a life-cycle oriented approach in the assessment of the toxicity of CdTe QDs.