Particle Size and Chemically-Induced Variability in the Membrolytic Activity of Quartz: Preliminary Observations

Abstract

Particle toxicology differs from classical chemical toxicology in that it deals exclusively with solids. The nature of the surface of a solid determines its interaction with intact animals and in vitro assays. Our rationale has been to modify the surface by reproducible techniques, such as acid, base and heat treatment, and look at the consequent differences of biological activity. Further, the dose will not be proportional to the mass of material but to the surface area, thus making particle size critical. An inorganic particulate, such as quartz, will then have a range of activities depending on the nature of its surface and its particle size (see Langer 1978 and Reiser and Last 1979). This report considers the contribution of these parameters to the membrolytic activity of quartz.