The influence of montmorillonite nanoparticles used as nanofillers in the production process of polymer
nanocomposites on the physicochemical properties of the main lipid component of the lung surfactant was
studied. Research was done for nanoparticles of natural and surface-modified montmorillonite using the
Langmuir-Wilhelmy balance. It was found that montmorillonite nanofillers alter the organization of the
surfactant molecules at the air-liquid interface and modify the surface properties of the surfactant monolayer.
It may cause the disturbance of surface activity of the lung surfactant and contribute to adverse
health effects in the respiratory system of workers involved in the production process.
When you are citing the document, use the following link http://essuir.sumdu.edu.ua/handle/123456789/3542

Kondej, D.

Sosnowski, T.R.

SocioEconomic Challenges Journal (Sumy State University)

PROCEEDINGS OF THE INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE  
NANOMATERIALS: APPLICATIONS AND PROPERTIES 
Vol. 2 No 4, 04NABM10(2pp) (2013) 
 
 
2304-1862/2013/2(4)04NABM10(2) 04NABM10-1  2013 Sumy State University 
The Influence of Montmorillonite Nanofillers on the Lung Surfactant 
 
D. Kondej1,*, T.R. Sosnowski2,† 
 
1 Central Institute for Labour Protection – National Research Institute, 16, Czerniakowska Str., 00-701 Warsaw, 
Poland 
2 Warsaw University of Technology, Faculty of Chemical and Process Engineering, 1, Warynski Str., 00-645  
Warsaw, Poland 
 
(Received 27 May 2013; published online 31 August 2013) 
 
The influence of montmorillonite nanoparticles used as nanofillers in the production process of polymer 
nanocomposites on the physicochemical properties of the main lipid component of the lung surfactant was 
studied. Research was done for nanoparticles of natural and surface-modified montmorillonite using the 
Langmuir-Wilhelmy balance. It was found that montmorillonite nanofillers alter the organization of the 
surfactant molecules at the air-liquid interface and modify the surface properties of the surfactant mono-
layer. It may cause the disturbance of surface activity of the lung surfactant and contribute to adverse 
health effects in the respiratory system of workers involved in the production process. 
 
Keywords: Lung surfactant, Activity, Dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine, Monolayer, Compression, Montmo-
rillonite, Nanofiller, Nanoparticle, Nanocomposite. 
 
 PACS numbers: 82.70.Uv, 82.35.Np, 68.03.Cd 
 
 
                                                          
* dokon@ciop.pl 
† T.Sosnowski@ichip.pw.edu.pl 
1. INTRODUCTION 
 
Montmorillonite nanoparticles are added as fillers to 
conventional  polymers to improve their physical and 
thermal properties. Nanomaterials used in the production 
process of polymer nanocomposites may have a harmful 
impact on workers’ health, however the complete mecha-
nism of their interaction with the organism after inhala-
tion remains still unrecognized. The presented study is 
focused on the evaluation of influence of selected montmo-
rillonite nanoparticles on the physicochemical properties 
of the main lipid component (dipalmitoylphosphatidylcho-
line; DPPC) of the lung surfactant (LS). LS forms the spe-
cialized structure in the breathing zone of the respiratory 
system and it is responsible for vital physiological func-
tions. The key properties of LS are related to the surface 
activity which ensures the modulation of surface tension 
of lung surface during breathing cycle. 
 
2. MATERIALS AND METHODS 
 
2.1 Tested Nanofillers 
 
Research was done for nanoparticles (NPs) of natu-
ral montmorillonite clay (MC) and surface-modified 
montmorillonite (SMM) – Table 1. 
 
Table 1 – Characteristics of the tested nanofillers (acording to 
Sigma-Aldrich specification) 
 
Sample 
designation 
Name Composition and CAS* 
MC 
Montmorillonite 
clay (bentonite) 
H2Al2O6Si, 
CAS: 1302-78-9 
SMM 
Surface-modified 
montmorillonite 
(I.28E) 
70-75  – montmorillonite, 
CAS: 1318-93-0 
25-30  – trimethyl stearyl 
ammonium, CAS: 112-03-8 
* CAS – Chemical Abstracts Service Registry Number 
 
2.2 Microscopic Analysis  
 
Observations of morphology of the tested particles 
were conducted with the use of a scanning electron mi-
croscope, Zeiss model 1530, upgraded by the use of the 
Supra optic elements. The test specimens were prepared 
by placing the sample on a conductive tape and spraying 
with carbon in an SCD 005 (BalTec AG) sputter-coater 
with a carbon attachment. An accelerating voltage of 
2 kV and image magnifications of 100,000 x were used. 
 
2.3 Surface Properties of DPPC Monolayer 
 
The experiments were conducted using the Lang-
muir-Wilhelmy balance (KSV, Finland). DPPC mono-
layer was formed on the surface of the liquid phase 
(saline) by applying 15 l of the chloroform solution of 
1,2-dipalmitoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (CAS: 63-
89-8; Sigma-Aldrich, USA) at concentration of 1 mg/ml 
and evaporating the solvent. The monolayer was com-
pressed isothermally (37 °C) with constant velocity 
(75 cm2/min), in order to determine the evolution of the 
surface pressure and compressibility with decreasing 
surface area. The surface pressure was described as: 
 
 c , (1) 
 
and the compressibility was calculated as: 
 
 
1 dA
A d
, (2) 
 
where  is the surface pressure, c is the surface tension 
of the pure liquid phase at the measuring temperature, 
σ is the current value of surface tension in the test sys-
tem, κ is the compressibility of the air-liquid interface 
containing DPPC molecules, A is the area per one mole-
cule of DPPC. 
 D. KONDEJ, T.R. SOSNOWSKI PROC. NAP 2, 04NABM10 (2013) 
 
 
04NABM10-2 
The influence of montmorillonite nanofillers was 
studied by measuring similar relationships for DPPC 
on the surface of saline which contained known 
amounts of NPs. The comparison of compression iso-
therms and compressibility curves for DPPC monolayer 
on the surface of pure liquid (without montmorillonite 
NPs) and on the surface of the NPs’ suspension allowed 
quantitative assessment of the investigated effects. 
 
3. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION  
 
The microscopic analysis of the tested nanofillers 
confirmed the layered structure of montmorillonites with 
the thickness of the plates in the nanoscale – Fig. 1.  
 
     
 
Fig. 1 – SEM picture of nanofiller particles: a) MC, b) SMM 
 
The study carried out with the use of the Langmuir-
Wilhelmy balance showed that MC and SMM NPs pre-
sent in the liquid phase affected on the organization of 
DPPC molecules at the air-liquid interface and modified 
the surface properties of DPPC monolayer. Differences in 
the configuration of the compression isoterms (Fig. 2) 
and the compressibility curves (Fig. 3) indicate the dis-
similar effect of MC and SMM on the activity of the main 
component of LS. 
 
 
 
Fig. 2 – Compression isoterms of DPPC monolayer formed on 
the surface of liquid without NPs (control) and on the surface 
of the NPs’ suspension (with MC and SMM) at concentration 
of 1 mg/ml 
 
The compression isoterm for the system containing 
MC is shifted towards lower values of the surface pres-
sure while the compression isoterm for the system with 
SMM is situated clearly above the control isoterm 
(Fig. 2). In this case, the surface pressure at the start of 
compression is approximately 10 mN/m. The presence 
of MC nanoparticles causes a reduction in the activity 
of DPPC at the air-liquid interface which may be at-
tributed to the adsorption of DPPC molecules on the 
surface of the NPs investigated. In turn, SMM NPs 
induce increase of the surface pressure in the system 
which can be explained by a release of surface-active 
compounds from SMM particles. 
 
 
Fig. 3 – Compressibility curves of DPPC monolayer formed on 
the surface of liquid without NPs (control) and on the surface 
of the NPs’ suspension (with MC and SMM) at concentration 
of 1 mg/ml 
 
The displacement of the local minimum and maxi-
mum at the compressibility curves for test systems con-
taining NPs (Fig. 3) and the change of their values (Ta-
ble 2) confirm notable modification in the organization of 
the surfactant molecules at the air-liquid interface. 
 
Table 2 – The minimum and maximum values of the com-
pressibility of DPPC monolayer and the corresponding values 
of the surface pressure 
 
Test system κmin [m/N] 1 [mN/m] κmax [m/N] 2 [mN/m] 
without NPs 
(control) 
31.5  0.5 7.0  0.8 114.0  3.9 10.9  0.1 
with MC 22.7  0.6 11.4  0.9 62.3  0.8 14.9  0.1 
with SMM 23.9  1.1 37.4  0.4 129.0  6.5 41.3  0.1 
 
4. CONCLUSIONS 
 
It was found that montmorillonite nanofillers alter 
the surface properties of DPPC monolayer under dynam-
ic conditions related to lung behaviour during air exhala-
tion (surface compression). These changes depend on the 
type of NPs and on their composition. Inhalable NPs 
used in the production of polymer nanocomposites may 
cause the disturbance of surface activity of LS. By this 
mechanism NPs may contribute to adverse health effects 
in the respiratory system of workers involved in the pro-
duction process. These findings correspond to the obser-
vations from studies done with the oscillating bubble 
tensiometry technique [1, 2]. 
 
AKNOWLEDGEMENTS 
 
This paper has been prepared on the basis of the re-
sults of research project No. I.B.10 carried out within 
the National Programme “Improvement of safety and 
working conditions” partly supported in 2011-2013 
within the scope of research and development by the 
Ministry of Science and Higher Education. CIOP-PIB 
has been the Programme main coordinator. 
 
 
REFERENCES 
 
1. D. Kondej, T.R. Sosnowski, Chem. Eng. Trans. 26, 531 
(2012). 
2. D. Kondej, T.R. Sosnowski, Inhal. Toxicol. 25 No 2, 77 
(2013). 
a b 


English

The Influence of Montmorillonite Nanofillers on the Lung Surfactant

Electronic Sumy State University Institutional Repository

PROCEEDINGS OF THE INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE  NANOMATERIALS: APPLICATIONS AND PROPERTIES Vol. 2 No 4, 04NABM10(2pp) (2013)   2304-1862/2013/2(4)04NABM10(2) 04NABM10-1  2013 Sumy State University The Influence of Montmorillonite Nanofillers on the Lung Surfactant  D. Kondej1,*, T.R. Sosnowski2,†  1 Central Institute for Labour Protection – National Research Institute, 16, Czerniakowska Str., 00-701 Warsaw, Poland 2 Warsaw University of Technology, Faculty of Chemical and Process Engineering, 1, Warynski Str., 00-645  Warsaw, Poland  (Received 27 May 2013; published online 31 August 2013)  The influence of montmorillonite nanoparticles used as nanofillers in the production process of polymer nanocomposites on the physicochemical properties of the main lipid component of the lung surfactant was studied. Research was done for nanoparticles of natural and surface-modified montmorillonite using the Langmuir-Wilhelmy balance. It was found that montmorillonite nanofillers alter the organization of the surfactant molecules at the air-liquid interface and modify the surface properties of the surfactant mono-layer. It may cause the disturbance of surface activity of the lung surfactant and contribute to adverse health effects in the respiratory system of workers involved in the production process.  Keywords: Lung surfactant, Activity, Dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine, Monolayer, Compression, Montmo-rillonite, Nanofiller, Nanoparticle, Nanocomposite.   PACS numbers: 82.70.Uv, 82.35.Np, 68.03.Cd                                                             * dokon@ciop.pl † T.Sosnowski@ichip.pw.edu.pl 1. INTRODUCTION  Montmorillonite nanoparticles are added as fillers to conventional  polymers to improve their physical and thermal properties. Nanomaterials used in the production process of polymer nanocomposites may have a harmful impact on workers’ health, however the complete mecha-nism of their interaction with the organism after inhala-tion remains still unrecognized. The presented study is focused on the evaluation of influence of selected montmo-rillonite nanoparticles on the physicochemical properties of the main lipid component (dipalmitoylphosphatidylcho-line; DPPC) of the lung surfactant (LS). LS forms the spe-cialized structure in the breathing zone of the respiratory system and it is responsible for vital physiological func-tions. The key properties of LS are related to the surface activity which ensures the modulation of surface tension of lung surface during breathing cycle.  2. MATERIALS AND METHODS  2.1 Tested Nanofillers  Research was done for nanoparticles (NPs) of natu-ral montmorillonite clay (MC) and surface-modified montmorillonite (SMM) – Table 1.  Table 1 – Characteristics of the tested nanofillers (acording to Sigma-Aldrich specification)  Sample designation Name Composition and CAS* MC Montmorillonite clay (bentonite) H2Al2O6Si, CAS: 1302-78-9 SMM Surface-modified montmorillonite (I.28E) 70-75  – montmorillonite, CAS: 1318-93-0 25-30  – trimethyl stearyl ammonium, CAS: 112-03-8 * CAS – Chemical Abstracts Service Registry Number  2.2 Microscopic Analysis   Observations of morphology of the tested particles were conducted with the use of a scanning electron mi-croscope, Zeiss model 1530, upgraded by the use of the Supra optic elements. The test specimens were prepared by placing the sample on a conductive tape and spraying with carbon in an SCD 005 (BalTec AG) sputter-coater with a carbon attachment. An accelerating voltage of 2 kV and image magnifications of 100,000 x were used.  2.3 Surface Properties of DPPC Monolayer  The experiments were conducted using the Lang-muir-Wilhelmy balance (KSV, Finland). DPPC mono-layer was formed on the surface of the liquid phase (saline) by applying 15 l of the chloroform solution of 1,2-dipalmitoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (CAS: 63-89-8; Sigma-Aldrich, USA) at concentration of 1 mg/ml and evaporating the solvent. The monolayer was com-pressed isothermally (37 °C) with constant velocity (75 cm2/min), in order to determine the evolution of the surface pressure and compressibility with decreasing surface area. The surface pressure was described as:   c , (1)  and the compressibility was calculated as:   1 dAA d, (2)  where  is the surface pressure, c is the surface tension of the pure liquid phase at the measuring temperature, σ is the current value of surface tension in the test sys-tem, κ is the compressibility of the air-liquid interface containing DPPC molecules, A is the area per one mole-cule of DPPC.  D. KONDEJ, T.R. SOSNOWSKI PROC. NAP 2, 04NABM10 (2013)   04NABM10-2 The influence of montmorillonite nanofillers was studied by measuring similar relationships for DPPC on the surface of saline which contained known amounts of NPs. The comparison of compression iso-therms and compressibility curves for DPPC monolayer on the surface of pure liquid (without montmorillonite NPs) and on the surface of the NPs’ suspension allowed quantitative assessment of the investigated effects.  3. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION   The microscopic analysis of the tested nanofillers confirmed the layered structure of montmorillonites with the thickness of the plates in the nanoscale – Fig. 1.         Fig. 1 – SEM picture of nanofiller particles: a) MC, b) SMM  The study carried out with the use of the Langmuir-Wilhelmy balance showed that MC and SMM NPs pre-sent in the liquid phase affected on the organization of DPPC molecules at the air-liquid interface and modified the surface properties of DPPC monolayer. Differences in the configuration of the compression isoterms (Fig. 2) and the compressibility curves (Fig. 3) indicate the dis-similar effect of MC and SMM on the activity of the main component of LS.    Fig. 2 – Compression isoterms of DPPC monolayer formed on the surface of liquid without NPs (control) and on the surface of the NPs’ suspension (with MC and SMM) at concentration of 1 mg/ml  The compression isoterm for the system containing MC is shifted towards lower values of the surface pres-sure while the compression isoterm for the system with SMM is situated clearly above the control isoterm (Fig. 2). In this case, the surface pressure at the start of compression is approximately 10 mN/m. The presence of MC nanoparticles causes a reduction in the activity of DPPC at the air-liquid interface which may be at-tributed to the adsorption of DPPC molecules on the surface of the NPs investigated. In turn, SMM NPs induce increase of the surface pressure in the system which can be explained by a release of surface-active compounds from SMM particles.   Fig. 3 – Compressibility curves of DPPC monolayer formed on the surface of liquid without NPs (control) and on the surface of the NPs’ suspension (with MC and SMM) at concentration of 1 mg/ml  The displacement of the local minimum and maxi-mum at the compressibility curves for test systems con-taining NPs (Fig. 3) and the change of their values (Ta-ble 2) confirm notable modification in the organization of the surfactant molecules at the air-liquid interface.  Table 2 – The minimum and maximum values of the com-pressibility of DPPC monolayer and the corresponding values of the surface pressure  Test system κmin [m/N] 1 [mN/m] κmax [m/N] 2 [mN/m] without NPs (control) 31.5  0.5 7.0  0.8 114.0  3.9 10.9  0.1 with MC 22.7  0.6 11.4  0.9 62.3  0.8 14.9  0.1 with SMM 23.9  1.1 37.4  0.4 129.0  6.5 41.3  0.1  4. CONCLUSIONS  It was found that montmorillonite nanofillers alter the surface properties of DPPC monolayer under dynam-ic conditions related to lung behaviour during air exhala-tion (surface compression). These changes depend on the type of NPs and on their composition. Inhalable NPs used in the production of polymer nanocomposites may cause the disturbance of surface activity of LS. By this mechanism NPs may contribute to adverse health effects in the respiratory system of workers involved in the pro-duction process. These findings correspond to the obser-vations from studies done with the oscillating bubble tensiometry technique [1, 2].  AKNOWLEDGEMENTS  This paper has been prepared on the basis of the re-sults of research project No. I.B.10 carried out within the National Programme “Improvement of safety and working conditions” partly supported in 2011-2013 within the scope of research and development by the Ministry of Science and Higher Education. CIOP-PIB has been the Programme main coordinator.   REFERENCES  1. D. Kondej, T.R. Sosnowski, Chem. Eng. Trans. 26, 531 (2012). 2. D. Kondej, T.R. Sosnowski, Inhal. Toxicol. 25 No 2, 77 (2013). a b 

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