Graphene is a two-dimensional, carbon-based nanomaterial with unique electrical, mechanical, and thermal properties. Graphene oxide (GO) is the oxidized form of graphene. Several recent studies have provided evidence that GO can exhibit toxicity toward human cells and bacteria. The studies also showed that GO can damage cell membranes. The mechanisms for the disruption of cell membranes by GO, however, are still not well understood. The objective of this study is to investigate the interactions between GO and model cell membranes in order to better understand the mechanisms for the cytotoxicity of GO. In this study, supported lipid bilayers (SLBs) composed of zwitterionic 1,2-dioleoyl-sn-glyero-3-phosphocholine (DOPC), as well as DOPC vesicles, are used as model cell membranes. The deposition rates of GO on SLBs are measured with a quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation monitoring (QCM-D). The deposition kinetics are shown to increase with increasing salt (NaCl or CaCl2) concentrations under neutral pH conditions, indicating that electrostatic interactions are likely to play a critical role in controlling the attachment of GO to cell membranes. When GO comes into contact with DOPC vesicles, no significant damage to the vesicles is observed. Further investigation will be conducted with the use of a fluorescent dye to evaluate the integrity of vesicles when GO attaches to the cell membranes.

Interactions of graphene oxide with model cell membranes

248th National Meeting (2014)

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