Release and cytotoxicity screening of the printer emissions of a CdTe quantum dots-based fluorescent ink.

The fluorescent properties of cadmium telluride (CdTe) containing quantum dots (QDs) have led to novel products and applications in the ink and pigment industry. The toxic effects of the emissions associated to the use of printing ink containing CdTe QDs might differ from those of conventional formulations which do not integrate nanoparticles, as CdTe QDs might be emitted. Within this work, the airborne emissions of a water-soluble fluorescent ink containing polyethylene glycol (PEG)-coated CdTe QDs of 3-5 nm diameter have been characterized and studied under controlled conditions during household inkjet printing in a scenario simulating the use phase.

Short-term oral administration of non-porous and mesoporous silica did not induce local or systemic toxicity in mice.

In this study, two sets of methyl-coated non-porous and mesoporous amorphous silica materials of two target sizes (100 and 300 nm; 10-844 m/g) were used to investigate the potential role of specific surface area (SSA) and porosity on the oral toxicity in mice. Female Swiss mice were administered by oral gavage for 5 consecutive days. Two silica dose levels (100 and 1000 mg/kg b.

Influence of Nanomaterial Compatibilization Strategies on Polyamide Nanocomposites Properties and Nanomaterial Release during the Use Phase.

The incorporation of small amounts of nanofillers in polymeric matrices has enabled new applications in several industrial sectors. The nanofiller dispersion can be improved by modifying the nanomaterial (NM) surface or predispersing the NMs to enhance compatibility. This study evaluates the effect of these compatibilization strategies on migration/release of the nanofiller and transformation of polyamide-6 (PA6), a thermoplastic polymer widely used in industry during simulated outdoors use.

In vitro toxicity of functionalised nanoclays is mainly driven by the presence of organic modifiers.

Little information exists on the toxicological hazards associated to organo-modified clays. We evaluated the cytotoxicity of a series of pristine and organo-modified nanoclays in different cell lines. The calculated IC50 values for cell viability ranged from 1.

Cell analysis using a multiple internal reflection photonic lab-on-a-chip.

Here we present a protocol for analyzing cell cultures using a photonic lab-on-a-chip (PhLoC). By using a broadband light source and a spectrometer, the spectrum of a given cell culture with an arbitrary population is acquired. The PhLoC can work in three different regimes: light scattering (using label-free cells), light scattering plus absorption (using stained cells) and, by subtraction of the two former regimes, absorption (without the scattering band).

Cell screening using disposable photonic lab on a chip systems.

A low-cost photonic lab on a chip with three different working regimes for cell screening is presented. The proposed system is able to perform scattering, scattering + absorption, and absorption measurements without any modification. Opposite to the standard flow cytometers, in this proposed configuration, a single 30 ms scan allows to obtain information regarding the cell optical properties.

Internalization and cytotoxicity analysis of silicon-based microparticles in macrophages and embryos.

Microchips can be fabricated, using semiconductor technologies, at microscopic level to be introduced into living cells for monitoring of intracellular parameters at a single cell level. As a first step towards intracellular chips development, silicon and polysilicon microparticles of controlled shape and dimensions were fabricated and introduced into human macrophages and mouse embryos by phagocytosis and microinjection, respectively. Microparticles showed to be non-cytotoxic for macrophages and were found to be localized mainly inside early endosomes, in tight association with endosomal membrane, and more rarely in acidic compartments.

Focus ion beam micromachined glass pipettes for cell microinjection.

Cell handling is currently hindered by rudimentary-manufactured manipulators. Restrictive designs of glass pipettes and other micromanipulators limit functionality and often damage cells, ultimately resulting in lysis. We present a novel technique to design and mill conventional glass pipettes at specifically chosen angles and geometries.

Intracellular polysilicon barcodes for cell tracking.

During the past decade, diverse types of barcode have been designed in order to track living cells in vivo or in vitro, but none of them offer the possibility to follow an individual cell up to ten or more days. Using silicon microtechnologies a barcode sufficiently small to be introduced into a cell, yet visible and readily identifiable under an optical microscope, is designed. Cultured human macrophages are able to engulf the barcodes due to their phagocytic ability and their viability is not affected.