Abstract
ZnO nanoparticles are widely used in biological, chemical, and medical fields, but their toxicity impedes their wide application. In this study, pristine ZnO NPs (~ 7 nm; ~ 18 nm; ~ 49 nm) and lipid-coated ZnO NPs (~ 13 nm; ~ 22 nm; ~ 52 nm) with different morphologies were prepared by chemical method and characterized by TEM, XRD, HRTEM, FTIR, and DLS. Our results showed that the lipid-coated ZnO NPs (~ 13 nm; ~ 22 nm; ~ 52 nm) groups improved the colloidal stability, prevented the aggregation and dissolution of nanocrystal particles in the solution, inhibited the dissolution of ZnO NPs into Zn2+ cations, and reduced cytotoxicity more efficiently than the pristine ZnO NPs (~ 7 nm; ~ 18 nm; ~ 49 nm). Compared to the lipid-coated ZnO NPs, pristine ZnO NPs (~ 7 nm; ~ 18 nm; ~ 49 nm) could dose-dependently destroy the cells at low concentrations. At the same concentration, ZnO NPs (~ 7 nm) exhibited the highest cytotoxicity. These results could provide a basis for the toxicological study of the nanoparticles and direct future investigations for preventing strong aggregation, reducing the toxic effects of lipid-bilayer and promoting the uptake of nanoparticles by HeLa cells efficiently.
Highlights
Zinc oxide (ZnO) is extensively used in physical chemistry, biomedical sciences, catalysts, transducers, microelectronics, textile, cosmetics, and other applications, because of its small particle size and high specific surface area [1,2,3]
Pristine ZnO nanoparticles were encapsulated with phospholipids (~ 13 nm, ~ 22 nm, ~ 52 nm) and their toxicological relationships were systematically explained
The lipid-coated ZnO NPs were prepared by functionalizing the pristine ZnO NPs and characterized by Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and other characterization methods
Summary
Zinc oxide (ZnO) is extensively used in physical chemistry, biomedical sciences, catalysts, transducers, microelectronics, textile, cosmetics, and other applications, because of its small particle size and high specific surface area [1,2,3]. The size, shape, aspect ratio, specific surface area, and surface chemistry should be maintained at the desired levels for the chemical and biomedical applications of ZnO nanoparticles [4, 5]. Because of the large specific surface area, small size effect, and other physical and chemical properties, the ZnO nanocrystals exhibit different toxicity under different environments. The size and surface properties of the ZnO nanoparticles largely determine the extent of agglomeration [8]. The cytotoxicity of ZnO nanomaterials is related to the surface
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
