In vitro toxicity of two functionalized reduced graphene oxide materials with potential application in food packaging

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Nanotechnology
• Toxicology

Background:

• Functionalized graphene materials enhance food packaging nanocomposites.
• Toxicity evaluation is crucial for food contact materials.

Purpose of the Study:

• To characterize and assess the toxicity of dodecyl amine-reduced graphene oxide (DA-rGO) and [2-(methacryloyloxy) ethyl] trimethylammonium chloride-reduced graphene oxide (MTAC-rGO).
• To evaluate the impact of in vitro digestion on the cytotoxicity of these graphene materials.

Main Methods:

• Characterization of DA-rGO and MTAC-rGO.
• In vitro assessment of material internalization and cytotoxicity in Caco-2 and HepG2 cell lines.
• In vitro digestion of materials followed by characterization and cytotoxicity evaluation.

Main Results:

• Cell viability decreased at 100 μg/mL for both DA-rGO and MTAC-rGO.
• Oxidative stress, indicated by reduced glutathione levels, was observed.
• Cytotoxicity was exacerbated after in vitro digestion.

Conclusions:

• Functionalized graphene materials raise concerns for oral exposure due to cytotoxicity.
• Further research is needed to understand the toxicological impact of these materials in food packaging applications.