ANYL 144 |
| Toxicity of water-soluble single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) to cells or ecosystem is a major concern for the future applications of these types of nanostructural materials (e.g. drug delivery). Here we have observed the non-toxic effects of DNA wrapped HiPco SWNTs on wild-type cyanobacterial cells. By dispersing DNA-SWNTs in a N-[Tris(hydroxymethyl)methyl]-2-aminoethanesulfonic acid (TES) buffer (pH=7.5), we mimicked the relevant physiological conditions of cells including the human cells, which has a pH of about 7.5. The toxicity of the dispersed nanotubes to cyanobacterial cells were tested at different nanotube concentrations from 0.1 to 10 micrograms per milliliter. In addition, two controls were used including a sample of cyanobacteria only and a sample of cyanobacteria with DNA/TES. We extracted the chlorophyll from each of the tested samples and measured the optical density at 0, 24, and 48 hours following addition of the nanotubes. Our preliminary data showed that the nanotubes are non-toxic to the cyanobacterial cells, and perhaps are non-toxic to other cells including the human cells as well. This observation may present a proof of safety to the applications of SWNTs. |
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General Session
7:00 PM-9:00 PM, Sunday, 26 March 2006 Georgia World Congress Center -- Ex. Hall B4, Poster
Sci-Mix
Division of Analytical Chemistry |