Cytotoxicity of Laser-Synthesized Nanoparticles of Elemental Bismuth

High X-ray absorption combined with photothermal properties make bismuth nanoparticles (Bi NP) a promising agent for multimodal cancer theranostics. However, the synthesis of Bi NP by the "classical" chemical methods has numerous limitations, including potential toxicity of the produced nanomaterials. Here we studied in vitro toxicity of laser-synthesized Bi NP coated with Pluronic F-127 on mouse fibroblast cell line L929. The survival of L929 cells decreased linearly with increasing the concentration of Bi NP in a concentration range of 3-500 μg/ml; the LC₅₀ value was 57 μg/ml. The unique combination of functional properties and moderate toxicity of the laser-synthesized Bi NP makes them a new promising platform for sensitization of multimodal cancer theranostics.