Potential Toxicity of Differential Functionalized Multiwalled Carbon Nanotubes (MWCNT) in Human Cell Line (BEAS2B) and Caenorhabditis elegans

The aim of this study was to evaluate in vitro (human bronchial epithelial cells, BEAS2B cells) and in vivo (the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans, C. elegans) toxicity outcomes following exposure to pristine as well as surface-functionalized multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT) following hydroxylation-oxygenation (O+), amination (NH2), or carboxylation (COOH) of the carbon nanotubes (CNT). Cell viability and proliferation were measured by Ez-Cytox, trypan blue exclusion, and colony formation assays. The genotoxic potential of the MWCNT was determined by using the alkaline comet assay. In addition, survival and reproduction were used as endpoints for detection of toxicity of MWCNT in C. elegans. The carboxylated (COOH)-MWCNT was found most toxic as evidenced by cytotoxic and genotoxic among all tested compounds. The order of sensitivity was COOH > O+ > NH2 > pristine. There were almost no marked changes in survival following exposure of C. elegans to MWCNT. It is of interest that only pristine MWCNT exerted significant reduction in reproductive capacity of C. elegans. Surface functionalization significantly influenced the bioactivity of MWCNT, which displayed species as well as target-organ specificity. The mechanisms underlying these specific modes of nano-biological interactions need to be elucidated.