GEOMETRY OF NANOPARTICLES AS A DETERMINANTOF THEIR CYTOTOXICITY

Background. Today the study of toxicity of nanoparticles of different elements is of primary significance, as 1) a growing number of workers contact professionally with nanomaterials; 2) the number of nanotechnology products is growing up, which, in turn, are spread widely among consumers and can cause adverse effects on human health and the environment. Toxicological properties of nanoparticles, in turn, are determined by chemical and physical properties, including geometric characteristics: shape, critical diameter, crystal lattice parameters, etc. Objective. To investigate the effect of geometry (shape, size) of silver nanoparticles on their cytotoxicity. Materials and methods. Silver nanoparticles of different shape (sphere, decahedron, triangle) and size (13, 20, 40 nm), stabilized by carboxylates, have been used. A particle size was determined, using Analysette 12 Dynasizer (Fritch, Germany). The cytotoxicity was studied, using toxicity analyzer AT-05 (Russia). Results. It was established that 40 nm spherical as well as 40 nm decahedral silver nanoparticles in native form did not demonstrate any cytotoxicity. It is determined that 17 nm spherical silver nanoparticles are more toxic than 17 nm decahedral ones, as they show a cytotoxic effect in the concentration, in which decaehedral are not toxic. It is found that 20 nm triangular silver particles show a cytotoxic effect in 1:10 dilution and no effect in 1:1 dilution. Conclusion. The geometry of nanoparticles, their shape and size (critical diameter), in particular, is one of important determinants of their toxicity, which should be taken into consideration in risk assessment. In this, there are not any general regulations concerning their effect on toxic properties of nanoparticles. So, their interrelations should be established individually in each specific case.