XRD and cytotoxicity assay of submitted nanomaterial industrial samples in the Philippines

Abstract

Abstract Distinct properties that nanomaterials possess compared to their bulk counterparts are attributed to their characteristic high surface area to volume ratios, and the prevalence of structure and shape effects at the nanoscale. However, these interesting properties are also accompanied by health hazards that are not seen in bulk materials. In the context of Philippine research and industry, the issue of nanosafety and the creation of nanotechnology guidelines have long been overlooked. This is of particular importance considering that nanotechnology research in the Philippines leans heavily towards medicinal and agricultural applications. In this study, nanomaterial samples from the industry submitted through the Philippine Industrial Technology Development Institute (ITDI) were analyzed using XRD and MTT cytotoxicity assay. XRD results show significant band broadening in the diffraction patterns of halloysite nanoclay, bentonite nanoparticles, silver nanoparticles, and CaCO3 nanoparticles, indicating that samples were in the nanometer range. The diffraction pattern of TiO2, however, did not exhibit band broadening, which may be due to the tendency of TiO2 nanoparticles to aggregate. Submitted samples were also assessed for their effect on cell viability using MTT cytotoxicity assay. Among these samples, only silver nanoparticles exhibited cytotoxicity to the AA8 cell line.