Correction of the toxicity control for stabilizer in studies of the silver nanoparticle effect on Junkat cells

Abstract

Toxic effect of anionic surfactant (AOT) used as stabilizer of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) was determined on Jurkat cells by means of tetrazolium salt (MTT) assay. The purpose was to check the validity of the control of stabilizer toxicity by using its water solution with concentration equal to that in AgNPs solution. Cell viability was compared after the incubation with equal dilutions of AOT stock solutions in water and in model potassium nitrate solution with ionic strength equal to that in AgNPs solution. It is shown that AOT toxicity increases with the increase of ionic strength of the stock solution, presumably because of the change of monomer/micelle relation of this surfactant. The conclusion is that, for the correct control of the cytotoxicity of charged surfactant used as nanoparticle stabilizer one should consider the difference in its critical micelle concentration between water and nanoparticle solution.