Impact of electromagnetic fields on in vitro toxicity of silver and graphene nanoparticles.

Electromagnetic biology and medicine · 2019 · Mixed · Low evidence

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MixedLow evidencePaper 5511

Study snapshot

PublicationElectromagnetic biology and medicine · 2019

Study typein_vitro

Reported directionMixed

Evidence ratingLow

Abstract

The correlation between shape and concentration of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs), their cytotoxicity and formation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the presence of electromagnetic fields (EMFs) has been investigated. In addition, the bio-effects caused by the combination of EMFs and graphene nanoparticles (GrNPs) have been also assessed. The AgNPs of three shapes (triangular, spherical and colloidal) and GrNPs were added in high concentrations to the culture of human fibroblasts and exposed to EMF of three different frequencies: 900, 2400 and 7500 MHz. The results demonstrated the dependence of the EMF-induced cytotoxicity on the shape and concentration of AgNPs. The maximal cell killing effect was observed at 900 MHz frequency for NPs of all shapes and concentrations. The highest temperature elevation was observed for GrNPs solution irradiated by EMF of 900 MHz frequency. The exposure to EMF led to significant increase of ROS formation in triangular and colloidal AgNPs solutions. However, no impact of EMF on ROS production was detected for spherical AgNPs. GrNPs demonstrated ROS-protective activity that was dependent on their concentration. Our findings indicate the feasibility to control cytotoxicity of AgNPs by means of EMFs. The effect EMF on the biological activity of AgNPs and GrNPs is reported here for the first time.

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AI evidence extraction

Structured fields below were generated from the paper’s abstract and metadata to make the evidence easier to inspect. Automated extraction may be incomplete or incorrect; verify important details against the original paper.

Study typein_vitro

Effect directionmixed

PopulationHuman fibroblast cell culture

Sample sizeNot supplied

ExposureRF

Evidence strengthLowConfidence: 74% · Peer reviewed: yes

Main findings

Human fibroblast cultures with high concentrations of silver nanoparticles (triangular, spherical, colloidal) or graphene nanoparticles were exposed to EMF at 900, 2400, and 7500 MHz. EMF-associated cytotoxicity depended on AgNP shape and concentration, with maximal cell killing observed at 900 MHz across nanoparticle shapes and concentrations. EMF exposure increased ROS formation for triangular and colloidal AgNPs but not for spherical AgNPs; graphene nanoparticles showed concentration-dependent ROS-protective activity, and the highest temperature elevation was reported for graphene nanoparticle solution irradiated at 900 MHz.

Outcomes measured

Cytotoxicity (cell killing)
Reactive oxygen species (ROS) formation
Temperature elevation

Limitations

In vitro study in human fibroblast cultures; generalizability to in vivo/humans is not established in the abstract
Exposure metrics beyond frequency (e.g., SAR, field strength, duration) are not reported in the abstract
Nanoparticles were added in high concentrations (exact concentrations not provided in the abstract)

View raw extracted JSON

{
  "study_type": "in_vitro",
  "exposure": {
    "band": "RF",
    "source": null,
    "frequency_mhz": null,
    "sar_wkg": null,
    "duration": null
  },
  "population": "Human fibroblast cell culture",
  "sample_size": null,
  "outcomes": [
    "Cytotoxicity (cell killing)",
    "Reactive oxygen species (ROS) formation",
    "Temperature elevation"
  ],
  "main_findings": "Human fibroblast cultures with high concentrations of silver nanoparticles (triangular, spherical, colloidal) or graphene nanoparticles were exposed to EMF at 900, 2400, and 7500 MHz. EMF-associated cytotoxicity depended on AgNP shape and concentration, with maximal cell killing observed at 900 MHz across nanoparticle shapes and concentrations. EMF exposure increased ROS formation for triangular and colloidal AgNPs but not for spherical AgNPs; graphene nanoparticles showed concentration-dependent ROS-protective activity, and the highest temperature elevation was reported for graphene nanoparticle solution irradiated at 900 MHz.",
  "effect_direction": "mixed",
  "limitations": [
    "In vitro study in human fibroblast cultures; generalizability to in vivo/humans is not established in the abstract",
    "Exposure metrics beyond frequency (e.g., SAR, field strength, duration) are not reported in the abstract",
    "Nanoparticles were added in high concentrations (exact concentrations not provided in the abstract)"
  ],
  "evidence_strength": "low",
  "confidence": 0.74,
  "peer_reviewed_likely": "yes",
  "keywords": [
    "electromagnetic fields",
    "RF-EMF",
    "900 MHz",
    "2400 MHz",
    "7500 MHz",
    "silver nanoparticles",
    "graphene nanoparticles",
    "human fibroblasts",
    "cytotoxicity",
    "reactive oxygen species",
    "temperature elevation",
    "nanotoxicology"
  ],
  "suggested_hubs": []
}

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AI-extracted fields are generated from the abstract and metadata and may be incomplete or incorrect. This material is for informational purposes and is not medical advice.

Identifiers and source

DOI: 10.1080/15368378.2018.1534740
PubMed: 30409044

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