Characterization of silver nanoparticles in cell culture medium containing fetal bovine serum
- Nanoparticles are being increasingly used in consumer products worldwide, and their toxicological effects are currently being intensely debated. In vitro tests play a significant role in nanoparticle risk assessment, but reliable particle characterization in the cell culture medium with added fetal bovine serum (CCM) used in these tests is not available. As a step toward filling this gap, we report on silver ion release by silver nanoparticles, and changes in the particle radii and in their protein corona when incubated in CCM. Particles of a certified reference material (CRM), p1, and particles of a commercial silver nanoparticle material, p2, were investigated. The colloidal stability of p1 is provided by the surfactants polyethylene glycole-25 glyceryl trioleate and polyethylene glycole-20 sorbitan monolaurate, whereas p2 is stabilized by polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP). Dialysis of p1 and p2 reveal that their silver ion release rates in CCM are much larger than in water. ParticleNanoparticles are being increasingly used in consumer products worldwide, and their toxicological effects are currently being intensely debated. In vitro tests play a significant role in nanoparticle risk assessment, but reliable particle characterization in the cell culture medium with added fetal bovine serum (CCM) used in these tests is not available. As a step toward filling this gap, we report on silver ion release by silver nanoparticles, and changes in the particle radii and in their protein corona when incubated in CCM. Particles of a certified reference material (CRM), p1, and particles of a commercial silver nanoparticle material, p2, were investigated. The colloidal stability of p1 is provided by the surfactants polyethylene glycole-25 glyceryl trioleate and polyethylene glycole-20 sorbitan monolaurate, whereas p2 is stabilized by polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP). Dialysis of p1 and p2 reveal that their silver ion release rates in CCM are much larger than in water. Particle characterization was performed with asymmetrical flow field-flow fractionation (FFF), small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS), dynamic light scattering (DLS) and electron microscopy. p1 and p2 have similar hydrodynamic radii of 15 nm and 16 nm, respectively. The silver core radii are 9.2 and 10.2 nm. Gel electrophoresis and subsequent peptide identification reveal that albumin is the main corona component of p1 and p2 after incubation in CCM, which consists of Dulbeccos Modified Eagle Medium with 10% fetal bovine serum added.…