Recent developments in microfluidic technology for synthesis and toxicity-efficiency studies of biomedical nanomaterials

Abstract

Microfluidic technology is a relatively new field among the various conventional bulk techniques employed for nanomaterial synthesis. Nanoparticles (NPs) produced using such methods generally have poor surface features, morphology, uncontrolled size and broad size distributions. NPs especially used in the biomedical sector require a degree of control over their size, morphology, and polydispersity to improve their functionality. To synthesize such NPs, microfluidic devices are ideal as parameters such as mixing rates, flow rates, mixing volumes, multiphase reactions can be controlled on the micro/nanoscale. There are several strategies and challenges in the synthesis of nanoparticles from organic and inorganic materials in a microfluidic platform. The challenges faced during the design and implementation of these devices, such as the large scale production and interaction with soft lithography materials, which are overcome by the use of the bulk technique in conjugation with microfluidics, use of parallelisation of the processes with the search for new fabrication materials. On the other hand, organ-on-chip (OOC) are analytical microfluidic devices in which cell cutures are present and can mimic an organ along with its physio-chemical properties to study cell-nanoparticle interaction. There are several issues with the construction of such devices as cell cultures within the device can be affected by the fabrication materials. As such new biocompatible materials are being printed into more appropriate designs, utilized to contain said cultures and reduce the risk of error in the analysis of NP properties, such as efficiency and toxicity. This review aims to discuss the recent developments in the field of synthesis as well as toxicity and efficacy evaluations of biomedical nanoparticles using microfluidic technology.