Cell-Biological Response and Sub-Toxic Inflammatory Effects of Titanium Dioxide Particles with Defined Polymorphic Phase, Size, and Shape.

Six types of titanium dioxide particles with defined size, shape, and crystal structure (polymorphic form) were prepared: nanorods (70 × 25 nm), rutile sub-microrods (190 × 40 nm), rutile microspheres (620 nm), anatase nanospheres (100 nm), anatase microspheres (510 nm), and amorphous titania microspheres (620 nm). All particles were characterized by scanning electron microscopy, X-ray powder diffraction, dynamic light scattering, infrared spectroscopy, and UV spectroscopy. The sub-toxic cell-biological response to these particles by NR8383 macrophages was assessed.

The effect of short silica fibers (0.3 μm 3.2 μm) on macrophages.

Silica fibers with a dimension of 0.3 μm ∙ 3.2 μm nm were prepared by a modified Stöber synthesis as model particles.

Subtoxic cell responses to silica particles with different size and shape.

Health risks from particles are a priority challenge to health protection at work. Despite the ubiquitous exposure to a wide range of particles and the many years of research in this field, there are fundamental unresolved questions regarding the prevention of particle-related respiratory diseases. Here, the highly relevant particulate material silicon dioxide was analyzed with emphasis on defined size and shape.