Mesoporous silica nanomaterials are rapidly being developed for a wide variety of applications. However, a concern with all nanomaterials are potential interactions with biological systems. Nanotoxicity is a growing field that seeks to address the impacts and effects of these materials in a biological system. The silica nanomaterials were systematically varied in their porosity and surface chemistry (surface functionalization) and were evaluated using a variety of physicochemical characterization methods including adsorption studies by ATR/FTIR and free radical quantitation by electron spin resonance (ESR) spectroscopy. Furthermore, these nanomaterials were subjected to both in vitro and in vivo studies. Correlations between surface chemical properties and the observed chemical data can be drawn that suggest that free radicals from the exposed surface are related to observed in vitro toxicity. Previous work in this area has implied that free radicals generated at the surface may be ultimately responsible for biological harm, and this works supports that hypothesis. This work also demonstrates the complex nature of the liquid-solid interface as it relates to nanomaterials and how systematic, surface chemistry studies can help to elucidate the correlations and ultimately mechanisms by which toxicity occurs.

Toxicity of silica nanomaterials: Effects of porosity and surface chemistry, and correlations with in vitro and in vivo results

249th National Meeting (2015)

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