Particle and Fibre Toxicology / Impact of nanosilver on various DNA lesions and HPRT gene mutations : effects of charge and surface coating

Background: The main goal of this research was to study the interactions of a fully characterized set of silver nanomaterials (Ag ENMs) with cells in vitro, according to the standards of Good Laboratory Practices (GLP), to assure the quality of nanotoxicology research. We were interested in whether Ag ENMs synthesized by the same method, with the same size distribution, shape and specific surface area, but with different charges and surface compositions could give different biological responses. Methods: A range of methods and toxicity endpoints were applied to study the impacts of interaction of the Ag ENMs with TK6 cells. As tests of viability, relative growth activity and trypan blue exclusion were applied. Genotoxicity was evaluated by the alkaline comet assay for detection of strand breaks and oxidized purines. The mutagenic potential of Ag ENMs was investigated with the in vitro HPRT gene mutation test on V79-4 cells according to the OECD protocol. Ag ENM agglomeration, dissolution as well as uptake and distribution within the cells were investigated as crucial aspects of Ag ENM toxicity. Ag ENM stabilizers were included in addition to positive and negative controls. Results: Different cytotoxic effects were observed including membrane damage, cell cycle arrest and cell death. Ag ENMs also induced various kinds of DNA damage including strand breaks and DNA oxidation, and caused gene mutation. We found that positive Ag ENMs had greater impact on cyto- and genotoxicity than did Ag ENMs with neutral or negative charge, assumed to be related to their greater uptake into cells and to their presence in the nucleus and mitochondria, implying that Ag ENMs might induce toxicity by both direct and indirect mechanisms. Conclusion: We showed that Ag ENMs could be cytotoxic, genotoxic and mutagenic. Our experiments with the HPRT gene mutation assay demonstrated that surface chemical composition plays a significant role in Ag ENM toxicity.(VLID)186337

Novel microporous composites of MOF-5 and polyaniline with high specific surface area

Composites of metal organic framework MOF-5 and conjugated polymer polyaniline (PANI) were synthesized for the first time. Two procedures, which avoid humidity during the synthesis in order to preserve the structure of MOF-5, were applied. In the first one, dissolved part of nonconducting emeraldine base form of PANI (PANI-EB) in N,N΄-dimethylformamide was mixed with MOF-5 in different mass ratios. In the second one, the composites were prepared mechano-chemically, by using powdered conducting emeraldine salt form of PANI (PANI-ES) and solid MOF-5, mixed in chloroform in different mass ratios. The composites were characterized by various techniques: scanning electron microscopy (SEM), FTIR spectroscopy, nitrogen sorption and electrical conductivity measurements, XRD, and flame atomic absorption spectroscopy (FAAS). The procedure which used PANI-EB led to microporous PANI/MOF-5 composites with very high BET specific surface area, SBET (the highest value SBET of c.a. 2700 m2 g−1, even higher than SBET of starting pure MOF-5, showed the composite which contains 89 wt.% of MOF-5) and low conductivity (∼10-7 S cm−1). The second procedure which used PANI-ES gave microporous PANI/MOF-5 composites which showed moderate conductivities (the highest conductivity of 1.0 ⋅ 10−3 S cm-1 exhibited the composite which contains 25 wt.% of MOF-5) and also high SBET values, but lower than those measured for the composites with PANI-EB (the highest SBET of c.a. 850 m2 g-1 showed the composite of PANI doped with HCl which contains c.a. 77 wt.% of MOF-5). XRD measurements confirmed that predominately cubic crystalline structure of MOF-5 was present in almost all composites. © 2020 Elsevier B.V

The quest for optimal water quantity in the synthesis of metal-organic framework MOF-5

Efficient and simple room temperature synthesis of pure phase metal-organic framework MOF-5 has been developed, based on the use of anhydrous zinc acetate, Zn(OAc)2, as a precursor, instead of zinc acetate dihydrate. Crucial influence of water on a reaction pathway was revealed. In order to obtain MOF-5, different amounts of water have been added into the solutions of Zn(OAc)2 in N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF) to prepare in situ zinc acetate hydrates with 0.25, 0.5, and 1.0 mol of water. Commercially available zinc acetate dihydrate was also used as a precursor for comparison. These solutions were mixed at room temperature with the solution of 1,4-benzenedicarboxylic acid in DMF in the absence of any base. Based on XRD, FTIR, and SEM measurements, it was shown that the optimal amount of water for the synthesis of completely pure, crystalline phase MOF-5 is 0.25–0.5 mol of water per one mole of Zn. The reaction systems with 1.0 and 2.0 mol of water per one mole of Zn also led to solids with MOF-5 as the dominant phase, but they also contain small amounts of another phase, formed due to the decomposition (hydrolysis) and/or distortion of the MOF-5 framework in the presence of excess amounts of water. The product synthesized in the system without any added water contains MOF-5 phase in a very small amount, while main phase is zinc 1,4-benzenedicarboxylate and/or zinc hydrogen 1,4-benzenedicarboxylate. Regular cubic submicro/microcrystal morphology exhibited the samples synthesized using 0.5 and 0.25 mol water per one mole of Zn (pure MOF-5), while for the samples synthesized at mole ratios H2O/Zn2+ = 1.0 and 2.0 other particle shapes are also seen. By nitrogen sorption measurements it was found that the highest values of BET specific surface area (1937 m2 g−1), micropore volume (0.83 cm3 g−1), and micropore area (1590 m2 g−1) showed MOF-5 prepared at mole ratio H2O/Zn2+ = 0.5, while the highest yield of MOF-5 is obtained with the theoretical mole ratio H2O/Zn2+ = 0.25. Thermal stability of synthesized materials was investigated by TGA. © 2018 Elsevier Inc

Polyaniline-maghemite based dispersion: Electrical, magnetic properties and their cytotoxicity

Polyaniline-maghemite (PANI-γ-Fe2O3) based dispersion has been prepared in several steps. First, iron oxide nanoparticles with mixed-phase composition were synthesized by coprecipitation method. Second, obtained particles were transformed to γ-Fe2O3 with sodium hypochlorite. Finally, aniline hydrochloride was in-situ polymerized with ammonium peroxydisulfate in the presence of γ-Fe2O3 particles in aqueous solution of poly(N-vinylpyrrolidone). Colloidal PANI-γ-Fe2O3 hybrid particles have average size of about 350 nm and the dispersity between 0.12 and 0.38. Hybrid dispersions with different concentration of conducting phase were characterized by electron microscopy, dynamic light scattering, UV-vis spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, magnetization curve and conductivity measurements, as well as dielectric spectroscopy. Cytotoxicity on mouse embryonic fibroblast cell of PANI-γ-Fe2O3 colloid has been investigated. © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.14-05568P, GACR, Grantová Agentura České RepublikyCzech Science Foundation [14-05568P]; Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports of the Czech Republic [NPU LO1504, LH14318]; Ministry of the Education, Youth and Sports of the Czech Republic [SVV-2015-260215