In vitro cytotoxicity of carbon black nanoparticles synthesized from solution plasma on human lung fibroblast cells

• Published in: Japanese Journal of Applied Physics 2018-01, Vol.57 (1), p.102
• Main Authors: Panomsuwan, Gasidit, Chokradjaroen, Chayanaphat, Rujiravanit, Ratana, Ueno, Tomonaga, Saito, Nagahiro
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Benzene; Carbon; Carbon black; Cytotoxicity; Fibroblasts; Nanoparticles; Scanning electron microscopy; Synthesis; Toxicity; Viability; X-ray diffraction
• ISSN: 0021-4922; 1347-4065
• DOI: 10.7567/JJAP.57.0102BG

Carbon black nanoparticles (CB-NPs) have been synthesized from liquid benzene by a solution plasma method at room temperature and atmospheric pressure. The morphological observation by scanning electron microscopy revealed the agglomeration of aggregated fine particles. The synthesized CB-NPs were predominantly amorphous as confirmed by X-ray diffraction. The in vitro cytotoxicity of CB-NPs on the human lung fibroblast (MRC-5) cell line was assessed by the 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazole-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay and systematically compared with those of two types of commercial carbon blacks (i.e., Vulcan XC-72 and Ketjenblack EC-600JD). Cell viabilities were studied at different concentrations of 32.5, 65, 125, and 250 µg/mL. It was found that the CB-NPs derived from solution plasma exhibited a lower cytotoxicity on the MRC-5 cells than the other two comparative carbon blacks. The viability of MRC-5 cells exposed to CB-NPs remained higher than 90% even at a high concentration of 250 µg/mL. This result preliminarily confirmed the biosafety and potential use of CB-NPs in the field of biological applications.