• Analytical Science and Technology
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.87-98
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• 2021

In this study, we developed the nanoparticle multi-generator by 3D printer fusion deposition modeling (FDM) method that can reliably generate and deliver nanoparticles at a constant concentration for inhalation risk assessment. A white ABS filament was used as the test material, and SMPS was used for concentration analysis such as particle size and particle distribution. In the case of particle size, the particle size was divided by 100 nm or less and 100 to 1,000 nm, and the number of particles concentration, mass concentration, median diameter of particles, geometric average particle diameter, etc were measured. The occurrence conditions were the extruder temperature, the extruding speed of the nozzle, and the air flow rate, and experiments were conducted according to the change of conditions including the manufacturer's standard conditions. In addition, the utility of inhalation risk assessment was reviewed through a stability maintenance experiment for 6 h. As a result of the experiment, the size of the nanoparticles increased as the discharger temperature increased, as the discharge speed of the nozzle increased, and as the air flow rate decreased. Also, a constant pattern was shown according to the conditions. Even when particles were generated for a long time (6 h), the concentration was kept constant without significant deviation. The distribution of the particles was approximately 80 % for particles of 60 nm to 260 nm, 1.7 % for 1 ㎛ or larger, 0.908 mg/㎥ for the mass concentration, 111 nm for MMAD and 2.10 for GSD. Most of the ABS particles were circular with a size of less than 10 nm, and these circular particles were aggregated to form a cluster of grape with a size of several tens to several hundred nm.

• Advances in nano research
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.87-96
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• 2022

Drug self-delivery systems can easily realize combination drug therapy and avoid carrier-induced toxicity and immunogenicity because they do not need non-therapeutic carrier materials. So, designing appropriate drug self-delivery systems for specific diseases can settle most of the problems existing in traditional drug delivery systems. Retinal pigment epithelium is very important for the homeostasis of retina. However, it is vulnerable to oxidative damage and difficult to repair. Worse still, the antioxidants can hardly reach the retina by non-invasive administration routes due to the ocular barriers. Herein, the targeted group (folic acid) and antioxidant (melatonin) have been grafted on the surface of ZnO quantum dots to fabricate a new kind of drug self-delivery systems as a protectant via eyedrops. In this study, the negative nanoparticles with size ranging in 4~6 nm were successfully synthesized. They could easily and precisely deliver drugs to retinal pigment epithelium via eyedrops. And they realized acid degradation to controlled release of melatonin and zinc in retinal pigment epithelium cells. Consequently, the structure of retinal pigment epithelium cells were stabilized according to the expression of ZO-1 and β-catenin. Moreover, the antioxidant capacity of retinal pigment epithelium were enhanced both in health mice and photic injury mice. Therefore, such new drug self-delivery systems have great potential both in prevention and treatment of oxidative damage induced retinal diseases.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.39 no.4
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• pp.369-375
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• 2013

Objectives: This study was conducted to identify factors determining the toxicity of manufactured silver nano-particles (AgNPs) on aquatic organisms. Methods: For this purpose, we prepared several AgNPs with varied characteristics, including hydrodynamic size (nano-$^{ABC}Ag^{Cit}\;vs$-sized-$^{ABC}Ag^{Cit}$), impurities ($^{ABC}Ag$ stock vs $^{ABC}Ag$), and citrate capping ($^{ABC}Ag^{Cit}$), using a commercially available manufactured AgNP ($^{ABC}Ag$ stock). Acute tests were conducted using larval zebrafish (Danio rerioI). In addition, in order to determine the ecotoxicological potentials of various capping agents, toxicity tests were conducted with microbes, waterfleas, and fish for eight different capping agents that are used for NPs. Results: The toxicity of AgNPs in terms of 96 h fish $LC_{50}$ increased in the following order: $^{ABC}Ag$ stock < $^{ABC}Ag=^{ABC}Ag^{Cit}=nano-^{ABC}Ag^{Cit}$ < ${\mu}$-sized-$^{ABC}Ag^{Cit}$ < $AgNO_3$. After removing impurities by dialysis, 96 h $LC_{50}$ value decreased significantly from $126.6{\mu}g/L$ (95% confidence intervals [CI]: 107.0-146.2) ($^{ABC}Ag$ stock) to $78.6{\mu}g/L$ (CI: 72.7-84.8) ($^{ABC}Ag$). For ${\mu}$-sized-$^{ABC}Ag^{Cit}$ (ranging between 3.9 and 40.6 nm) and $^{ABC}Ag^{Cit}$ (40.6 nm and $9.1{\mu}m$), the 96 h $LC_{50}$ of the former ($43.9{\mu}g/L$, CI: 36.0-51.7) was approximately two-fold lower than that of the latter ($87.0{\mu}g/L$, CI: 73.5-100.3). Conclusions: In this study, we found that for acute lethality, the contribution of impurities and particle size was significant, but that of citrate was negligible.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.613-619
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• 2011

Colloidal silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) have been commercialized as the typically stabilized form via the addition of a variety of surfactants or polymers. Herein, to examine the effects of stabilizing AgNPs in suspension, we modified the surface of bare AgNPs with four type of surfactants (NaDDBS, SDS, TW80, CTAB) and polymers (PVP, PAA, PAH, CMC). The modified AgNPs was applied to compare suspension stability and nanotoxicity test using Escherichia coli (E. coli) as a model organism. Modification of AgNPs surface using chemical stabilizer may be not related with molecular weight, but chemical structure such as ionic state and functional group of stabilizer. In this study, it is noteworthy that AgNPs modified with a cationic stabilizer (CTAB, PAH) were importantly toxic to E. coli, rather than anionic stabilizers (NaDDBS, SDS). Comparing similar anionic stabilizer, i.e., NaDDBS and SDS, the result showed that lipophilicity of chemical structure can affect on E. coli, because NaDDBS, which contains a lipophilic benzene ring, accelerated the cytotoxicity of AgNPs. Interestingly, none of the stabilizers tested, including biocompatible nonionic stabilizers (i.e., TW80 and cellulose) caused a reduction in AgNP toxicity. This showed that toxicity of AgNPs cannot be reduced using stabilizers.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.43 no.3
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• pp.194-201
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• 2017

Objectives: Zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) are widely used in various commercial products, but they are exposed to the environment and can induce toxicity. In this study, we investigated the environmental fate and bioaccumulation of ZnO NPs in a microcosm. Methods: The microcosm was composed of water, soil (Lufa Soil 2.2) and organisms (Oryzias latipes, Neocaridina denticulata, Semisulcospira libertina). Point five and 5 mg/L of ZnO NPs were exposed in the microcosm for 14 days. Total Zn concentrations were measured using an Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometer (ICP-MS) and intracellular NPs were observed using Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM). Results: In the initial stages of exposure, the Zn concentrations in water increased in all exposure groups and then decreased, while the Zn concentration in soil increased after three hours for the 5 mg/L solution. Zn concentrations also showed increasing trends in N. denticulata and S. libertina at 0.5 and 5 mg/L, and in O. latipes at 5 mg/L. Accumulation of NPs was found in the livers of O. latipes and hepatopancreas of N. denticulata and S. libertina. Conclusions: In the early stages of exposure, ZnO NPs remained in the water, and then were transported to the soil and test species. Unlike other species, total Zn concentrations in N. denticulata and S. libertina increased for both 0.5 mg/L and 5 mg/L. Therefore, ZnO NPs were more easily accumulated in zoobenthos than in fish.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.126-132
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• 2022

Alkaline fuel cells using liquid fuels such as hydrazine and ammonia are gaining great attention as a clean and renewable energy solution possibly owing to advantages such as excellent energy density, simple structure, compact size in fuel container, and ease of storage and transportation. However, common shortcomings including cathode flooding, fuel crossover, side yield reactions, and fuel security and toxicity are still challenging issues. Real time monitoring of fuel concentrations integrated into a fuel cell device can help improving fuel cell performance via predicting any loss of fuels used at a cathode for efficient energy production. There have been extensive research efforts made on developing real-time sensing platforms for hydrazine and ammonia. Among these, recent advancements in electrochemical sensors offering high sensitivity and selectivity, easy fabrication, and fast monitoring capability for analysis of hydrazine and ammonia concentrations will be introduced. In particular, research trend on the integration of metallic and metal oxide nanoparticles and also their hybrids with carbon-based nanomaterials into electrochemical sensing platforms for improvement in sensitivity and selectivity will be highlighted.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.41 no.1
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• pp.17-23
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• 2015

Objectives: The cytotoxcities of Au, Ag, SWCNT, $SiO_2$, and ZnO nanomaterials were evaluated in order to assess their potential toxicological effects in in vitro cell models using colony forming efficiency (CFE) assay. Methods: The CFE assay of the test materials was carried out on Hep G2 cells. The size distribution of nanomaterials was studied by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Changes in cell viability after treatment with a toxicant will result in a decreased number of colonies formed in comparison to solvent. Results: The TEM images show that all the particles except SWCNT and ZnO can be considered approximately spherical. The gold and $SiO_2$ nanoparticles show no response (no toxicity) in concentration response experiments. A statistically significant toxic effect was found in Hep G2 cells treated with Ag, SWCNT and ZnO nanomaterials. Conclusion: In this study, we considered CFE assay to be a promising test for screening studies for cytotoxicity with physicochemical analysis.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.4 no.4
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• pp.177-186
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• 2013

The use of nanoparticles (NPs) in industry is increasing, bringing with it a number of adverse health effects on workers. Like other chemical carcinogens, NPs can cause cancer via oxidative DNA damage. Of all the molecules vulnerable to oxidative modification by NPs, DNA has received the greatest attention, and biomarkers of exposure and effect are nearing validation. This review concentrates on studies published between 2000 and 2012 that attempted to detect oxidative DNA damage in humans, laboratory animals, and cell lines. It is important to review these studies to improve the current understanding of the oxidative DNA damage caused by NP exposure in the workplace. In addition to examining studies on oxidative damage, this review briefly describes NPs, giving some examples of their adverse effects, and reviews occupational exposure assessments and approaches to minimizing exposure (e.g., personal protective equipment and engineering controls such as fume hoods). Current recommendations to minimize exposure are largely based on common sense, analogy to ultrafine material toxicity, and general health and safety recommendations.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.229-239
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• 2002

Recent progress in understanding the molecular basis of cancer brought out new materials such as oligonucleotides, genes, peptides and proteins as a source of new anticancer agents. Due to their macromolecular properties, however, new strategies of delivery for them are required to achieve their full therapeutic efficacy in clinical setting. Development of improved dosage forms of currently marketed anticancer drugs can also enhance their therapeutic values. Currently developed delivery systems for anticancer agents include colloidal systems (liposomes, emulsions, nanoparticles and micelles), polymer implants and polymer conjugates. These delivery systems have been able to provide enhanced therapeutic activity and reduced toxicity of anticancer agents mainly by altering their pharmacokinetics and biodistribution. Furthermore, the identification of cell-specific receptor/antigens on cancer cells have brought the development of ligand- or antibody-bearing delivery systems which can be targeted to cancer cells by specific binding to receptors or antigens. They have exhibited specific and selective delivery of anticancer agents to cancer. As a consequence of extensive research, clinical development of anticancer agents utilizing various delivery systems is undergoing worldwide. New technologies and multidisciplinary expertise to develop advanced drug delivery systems, applicable to a wide range of anticancer agents, may eventually lead to an effective cancer therapy in the future.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2012.02a
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• pp.533-534
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• 2012

Colloidal III-V semiconductor nanocrystal quantum dots (NQDs) have attracted attention as they can be applied in various areas such as LED, solar cell, biological imaging, and so on because they have decreased ionic lattices, lager exciton diameter, and reduced toxicity compared with II-VI compounds. However, the study and application of III-V semiconductor nanocrystals is limited by difficulties in control nucleation because the molecular bonds in III-V semiconductors are highly covalent compared to II-VI compounds. There is a need for a method that provides rapid and scalable production of highly quality nanoparticles. We present a new synthetic scheme for the preparation of InP nanocrystal quantum dots using new phosphorus precursor, P(SiMe2tbu)3. InP nanocrystals from 530nm to 600nm have been synthesized via the reaction of In(Ac)3 and new phosphorus precursor in noncoordinating solvent, ODE. This opens the way for the large-scale production of high quality Cd-free nanocrystal quantum dots.