The Cytotoxicity of Layered Black Phosphorus. Issue 40 (20th August 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Latiff, Naziah Mohamad; Teo, Wei Zhe; Sofer, Zdenek; Fisher, Adrian C.; Pumera, Martin
• Is Part Of: Chemistry. Volume 21:Issue 40(2015)
• Page Start: 13991
• Page End: 13995
• Publication Date: 2015-08-20
• Subjects: black phosphorus -- nanomaterials -- toxicology; Chemistry -- Periodicals; 540
• DOI: 10.1002/chem.201502006
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0947-6539

Abstract

Abstract: Black phosphorus (BP), the latest addition to the family of 2D layered materials, has attracted much interest owing to potential optoelectronics, nanoelectronics, and biomedicine applications. Little is known about its toxicity, such as whether it could be as toxic as white phosphorus. In response to the possibility of BP employment into commercial products and biomedical devices, its cytotoxicity to human lung carcinoma epithelial cells (A549) was investigated. Following a 24 h exposure of the cells with different BP concentrations, cell viability assessments were conducted using water‐soluble tetrazolium salt (WST‐8) and methylthiazolyldiphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assays. The toxicological effects were found to be dose‐dependent, with BP reducing cell viabilities to 48 % (WST‐8) and 34 % (MTT) at 50 μg mL −1 exposure. This toxicity was observed to be generally intermediate between that of graphene oxides and exfoliated transition‐metal dichalcogenides (MoS2, WS2, WSe2 ). The relatively low toxicity paves the way to utilization of black phosphorus. Abstract : Mostly harmless : The toxicity of black phosphorus (phosphorene), a promising layered material with semiconducting properties, was investigated. The toxicity was found to be very low when compared to graphene‐based materials.