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Generation and characterization of stable, highly concentrated titanium dioxide nanoparticle aerosols for rodent inhalation studies

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Abstract

The intensive use of nano-sized titanium dioxide (TiO2) particles in many different applications necessitates studies on their risk assessment as there are still open questions on their safe handling and utilization. For reliable risk assessment, the interaction of TiO2 nanoparticles (NP) with biological systems ideally needs to be investigated using physico-chemically uniform and well-characterized NP. In this article, we describe the reproducible production of TiO2 NP aerosols using spark ignition technology. Because currently no data are available on inhaled NP in the 10–50 nm diameter range, the emphasis was to generate NP as small as 20 nm for inhalation studies in rodents. For anticipated in vivo dosimetry analyses, TiO2 NP were radiolabeled with 48V by proton irradiation of the titanium electrodes of the spark generator. The dissolution rate of the 48V label was about 1% within the first day. The highly concentrated, polydisperse TiO2 NP aerosol (3–6 × 106 cm−3) proved to be constant over several hours in terms of its count median mobility diameter, its geometric standard deviation, and number concentration. Extensive characterization of NP chemical composition, physical structure, morphology, and specific surface area was performed. The originally generated amorphous TiO2 NP were converted into crystalline anatase TiO2 NP by thermal annealing at 950 °C. Both crystalline and amorphous 20-nm TiO2 NP were chain agglomerated/aggregated, consisting of primary particles in the range of 5 nm. Disintegration of the deposited TiO2 NP in lung tissue was not detectable within 24 h.

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Acknowledgments

This study was partially funded by HMGU: EU FP7 projects—NeuroNano (NMP4-SL-2008-214547), ENPRA (NMP4-SL-2009-228789), and InLiveTox (NMP4-SL-2009-228625); UBA-Germany project: Z6 (55 410-31/3); UBern: Swiss National Science Foundation project (310030-120763); and Lund: the Nanometer Structure Consortium at Lund University. The authors express their sincere gratitude to Jürgen Daul and Dr. Achim Kleinrahm, ZAG Zyklotron AG, Karlsruhe, Germany, for their help in proton irradiation of the titanium electrodes.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Comprehensive Pneumology Center, Institute of Lung Biology and Disease and Focus Network Nanoparticles and Health, Helmholtz Zentrum München—Research Center for Environmental Health, 85764, Neuherberg, Munich, Germany

    Wolfgang G. Kreyling, Alexander Wenk, Otmar Schmid & Manuela Semmler-Behnke

  2. Department of Energy, Environmental and Chemical Engineering, Washington University in St. Louis, Campus Box 1180, St. Louis, MO, 63130, USA

    Pratim Biswas & Manoranjan Sahu

  3. Solid State Physics, Lund University, Box 118, SE-22 100, Lund, Sweden

    Maria E. Messing & Knut Deppert

  4. Institute for Health and Consumer Protection, Joint Research Centre of the European Commission, via E. Fermi 2749, 21020, Ispra, VA, Italy

    Neil Gibson & Izabela Cydzik

  5. Institute of Anatomy, University of Bern, Baltzerstrasse 2, 3000, Bern 9, Switzerland

    Marianne Geiser & Christoph Wigge

Authors
  1. Wolfgang G. Kreyling
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  2. Pratim Biswas
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  3. Maria E. Messing
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  4. Neil Gibson
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  5. Marianne Geiser
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  6. Alexander Wenk
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  7. Manoranjan Sahu
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  8. Knut Deppert
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  9. Izabela Cydzik
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  10. Christoph Wigge
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  11. Otmar Schmid
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  12. Manuela Semmler-Behnke
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Correspondence to Wolfgang G. Kreyling.

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Kreyling, W.G., Biswas, P., Messing, M.E. et al. Generation and characterization of stable, highly concentrated titanium dioxide nanoparticle aerosols for rodent inhalation studies. J Nanopart Res 13, 511–524 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11051-010-0081-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11051-010-0081-5

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