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Cytotoxicity tests of water soluble ZnS and CdS quantum dots
Journal article

Cytotoxicity tests of water soluble ZnS and CdS quantum dots

Hui Li, Mengyan Li, Wan Y Shih, Peter I Lelkes and Wei-Heng Shih
Journal of nanoscience and nanotechnology, v 11(4), pp 3543-3551
Apr 2011
PMID: 21776735

Abstract

Cell Line Cell Survival - drug effects Cadmium Compounds - chemistry Humans Solubility Sulfides - chemistry Materials Testing Zinc Compounds - chemistry Cadmium Compounds - pharmacology Quantum Dots Zinc Compounds - pharmacology Endothelial Cells - cytology Nanostructures - administration & dosage Water - chemistry Nanostructures - chemistry Selenium Compounds - pharmacology Selenium Compounds - chemistry Toxicity Tests Endothelial Cells - physiology Endothelial Cells - drug effects Sulfides - pharmacology
Cytotoxicity tests of zinc sulfide (ZnS) and cadmium sulfide (CdS) quantum dots (QDs) synthesized via all-aqueous process with various surface conditions were carried out with human endothelial cells (EA hy926) using two independent viability assays, i.e., by cell counting following Trypan blue staining and by measuring Alamar Blue (AB) fluorescence. The ZnS QDs with all four distinct types of surface conditions were nontoxic at both 1 microM and 10 microM concentrations for at least 6 days. On the other hand, the CdS QDs were nontoxic only at 1 microM, and showed significant cytotoxicity at 10 microM after 3 days in the cell counting assay and after 4 days in the AB fluorescence assay. The CdS QDs with (3-mercaptopropyl)trimethoxysilane (MPS)-replacement plus silica capping were less cytotoxic than those with 3-mercaptopropionic acid (MPA) capping and those with MPS-replacement capping. Comparing the results of ZnS and CdS QDs with the same particle size, surface condition and concentration, it is indicated that the cytotoxicity of CdS QDs and the lack of it in ZnS QDs were probably due to the presence and absence of the toxic Cd element, respectively. The nontoxicity of the aqueous ZnS QDs makes them favorable for in vivo imaging applications.

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Web of Science research areas
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
Physics, Applied
Physics, Condensed Matter
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