Cytotoxicity effects of synthesized ZnO and Zn0.97X0.03O (X=Li, Na, and K) nanoparticles by the gelatin-based sol-gel method

In this study we would like to report the synthesis of pure and group I element doping of ZnO nanoparticles (ZnO-NPs) prepared using gelatin. The use of natural polymers for the preparation of the pure and doped nanoparticles can result in achieving low cost and eco-friendly advantages.
Pure and doped ZnO-NPs were obtained at 500 °C and The cytotoxicity of nanoparticles was evaluated using 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenylte-trazolium bromide (MTT) assay. Briefly, neuro2A cells were seeded at a density of 1×104 cells perwellin96-wellplatesand incubatedfor24h. Thereafter, the cells were treated with various concentrations of nanoparticles in the presence of 10% FBS.
X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis revealed wurtzite hexagonal structure for the prepared nanoparticles. No other peaks related to the other compounds are detected which indicate that the doped group one elements have been diffused into ZnO lattice. Field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) showed that the formation of most nanoparticles in nano scale. In vitro cytotoxicity studies on neuro2A cells show the non-toxic effect of concentration below ~250 μg/mL for pure and K doped ZnONPs and ~63 μg/mL for Li and Na doped ZnO-NPs.
The results show that the potentials of the prepared doped samples to be used in cancer treatments.