Degradation of Single‐Layer and Few‐Layer Graphene by Neutrophil Myeloperoxidase

Rajendra Kurapati,Bengt Fadeel,George Bepete,Alain Pénicaud,Sourav P Mukherjee,Alberto Bianco,Cristina Martín,Ester Vázquez

doi:10.1002/ange.201806906

Abstract

AbstractBiodegradability of graphene is one of the fundamental parameters determining the fate of this material in vivo. Two types of aqueous dispersible graphene, corresponding to single‐layer (SLG) and few‐layer graphene (FLG), devoid of either chemical functionalization or stabilizing surfactants, were subjected to biodegradation by human myeloperoxidase (hMPO) mediated catalysis. Graphene biodegradation was also studied in the presence of activated, degranulating human neutrophils. The degradation of both FLG and SLG sheets was confirmed by Raman spectroscopy and electron microscopy analyses, leading to the conclusion that highly dispersed pristine graphene is not biopersistent.

Highlights

The biomedical applications of graphene family materials (GFMs) including graphene, graphene oxide (GO), reduced graphene oxide, few-layer graphene (FLG) and graphene nanoribbons are attracting huge attention as ideal components for flexible biomedical electronic devices, implants or for drug delivery.[1]
We noted that addition of H2O2 alone did not affect the morphology of FLG even after 40 h (Figure 1F), confirming the strong oxidative nature of the intermediates formed during the enzymatic cycle of human myeloperoxidase (hMPO)
single-layer graphene (SLG) sheets dispersed in PBS had a D/G ratio of 1.5.[13, 15] The hMPO treatment for 25 h resulted in an increase of D/G ratio to 1.8, confirming the increase of defects or oxidation of graphene sheets.[16]

Summary

Introduction

The biomedical applications of graphene family materials (GFMs) including graphene, graphene oxide (GO), reduced graphene oxide, FLG and graphene nanoribbons are attracting huge attention as ideal components for flexible biomedical electronic devices, implants or for drug delivery.[1]. The degradation of both FLG and SLG sheets was confirmed by Raman spectroscopy and electron microscopy analyses, leading to the conclusion that highly dispersed pristine graphene is not biopersistent.

Results

Conclusion