A titanium dioxide/nitrogen-doped graphene quantum dot nanocomposite to mitigate cytotoxicity: synthesis, characterisation, and cell viability evaluation

• DOI: 10.1039/d0ra02907f
• Publication Date: 2020-06-10T10:59:59Z
• Authors: Pravena Ramachandran; Chong Yew Lee; Ruey-An Doong; Chern Ein Oon; Nguyen Thi Kim Thanh; Hooi Ling Lee
• Keywords: Titanium Dioxide

Titanium dioxide nanoparticles (TiO2 NPs) have attracted tremendous interest owing to their unique physicochemical properties. However, the cytotoxic effect of TiO2 NPs remains an obstacle for wide-scale applications, particularly in drug delivery systems and cancer therapies. In this study, more biocompatible nitrogen-doped graphene quantum dots (N-GQDs) were successfully incorporated onto surface resulting a N-GQDs/TiO2 nanocomposites (NCs). The effects nanocomposite on viability breast cell line (MDA-MB-231) was evaluated. N-GQDs NCs synthesised using one- two-pot hydrothermal method, respectively while fabricated microwave-assisted synthesis aqueous phase. compounds characterised Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), field emission scanning (FESEM) UV-visible spectrophotometry. MDA-MB-231 determined CellTiter 96® AQueous One Solution Cell Proliferation (MTS) assay. obtained results indicated that monodispersed solution with particle size 4.40 ± 1.5 nm emitted intense blue luminescence media. HRTEM images clearly showed particles (11.46 2.8 nm) are square shaped. Meanwhile, located 2D nanosheet (9.16 2.4 nm). not toxic cells at 0.1 mg mL-1 below. At higher concentrations (0.5 1 mL-1), significantly less compared pristine TiO2. conclusion, reduced cytotoxicity warrants further exploration as new TiO2-based nanomaterial biomedical especially anti-cancer strategy.