Mesoporous silica nanoparticles containing copper or silver synthesized with a new metal source: Determination of
Anna Sierosławska1, Anna Borówka1, Anna Rymuszka1
1Department of Animal Physiology and Toxicology, Faculty of Science and Health, The John Paul II Catholic University of Lublin, 1I Konstantynów Str., 20-708 Lublin, Poland.
Abstract:
One of the potential implementation of mesoporous silica nanomaterials (MSNs) is their use in biomedical applications as adsorbents or carriers of various bioactive substances. In this study, we attempted to fabricate silica nanomaterials containing copper and silver that were introduced into the MSN matrix, for the first time using oxalate compounds as a metal source. The syntheses were carried out using hydrothermal and impregnation methods. Structure studies revealed that the obtained nanoparticles were of a spheroidal shape and most had diameters in the range 200-500 nm. Silver and copper were found to be grouped into clusters in most samples, except in copper-decorated MSNs prepared with the impregnation method, which had an even distribution of metal atoms throughout the volume of the granule. An evaluation of the cytotoxic and irritating effects revealed that the preferred candidates for potential future applications in medicine or cosmetology among materials obtained with the presented method are the copper-conjugated MSNs.
