Synthesis and Toxicity of Lipid-Coated-Titanium Oxide Nanoparticles

Louis R Hollingsworth,Waqas Hamid,Conner J Balzer,Lauren E Rakes,Sieu K Tran,Joseph H Conduff

doi:10.21061/jumr.v5i0.1533

Louis R Hollingsworth, Waqas Hamid + Show 4 more

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https://doi.org/10.21061/jumr.v5i0.1533

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Abstract

Nanoparticles have a broad range of applications in novel materials and consumer products. Due to the unique properties of nanoscale materials, the toxic effects of various nanoparticles are largely unknown. Surface modi cations to nanoparticles, such as membrane or lipid coatings, may reduce immunogenicity and environmental toxicity, but these effects remain largely uncharacterized. The synthesis of lipid-coated titanium oxide nanoparticles was optimized and toxicity was evaluated. Thermogravimetric analysis showed that 5 μM of tricarboxylic amphiphile suf ciently generated uniformly coated nanoparticles. Toxicity studies on Zea mays (corn) revealed that uncoated titanium oxide nanoparticles exhibited phytotoxicity, while lipid- coated nanoparticles had effects resembling deionized water. Scanning electron microscopy displayed visual evidence of nanoparticle absorption into the corn seedlings in experimental groups.

Highlights

The development of nanotechnology is rapidly increasing, with an enormous number of applications in material science, consumer products, medical diagnosis and treatment, and drug delivery vehicles.[1]
Compounds with a tricarboxylic “head” group (Figure 1) can attach to iron oxide nanoparticles.[5]. In this manuscript we demonstrate that the same head group, when conjugated to a long-chain lipid (4-(2-Carboxyethyl)-4-(3-octadecyloxycarbonylamino) heptanedioic acid (3CCb18), Figure 1), can attach to titanium oxide nanoparticles (TiNPs)
TiNPs do not vaporize and lose zero weight percent (Figure 3a), whereas 3CCb18 lipid vaporizes completely at 350 oC and loses 100% of its weight by the end of the experiment (Figure 3b). With these control thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) experiments, it may be inferred that any lipid conjugated to a TiNP should vaporize by 350 oC, leaving uncoated TiNPs for the remainder of the experiment

Summary

Introduction

The development of nanotechnology is rapidly increasing, with an enormous number of applications in material science, consumer products, medical diagnosis and treatment, and drug delivery vehicles.[1]. Questions arise as to the safety of such nanoparticles, especially concerning their effects on plant life consumed by humans.[3] Further, even less is known in regards to the effects of functionalized nanoparticles; functionalization of nanoparticles for specific commercial uses or to reduce environmental impact may be induced by surface modification. This project aims to test the phytotoxicity of coated nanoparticles

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