Synthesis, characterization and cytotoxicity of alanine-capped CuS nanoparticles using human cervical carcinoma HeLa cells

Abstract

Nanoparticles in biomedicine, requires a detailed understanding of the biocompatibility and toxicity of nanoparticles in human beings. The biological and physicochemical properties of nanoparticles bring new challenges with regards to management of potential adverse health effects following exposure. This work reports on the synthetic optimization of condition of copper sulphide nanoparticles and the cytotoxicity effects of the particles on the human cervical carcinoma cells. CuS nanoparticles synthesized produced a single and different XRD phases in basic and acidic media, respectively. Temperature variation influenced both the optical and morphological properties of the nanoparticles. The highest temperature (95 °C) resulted in particles with superior properties compared to the ones synthesized at lower temperatures. The cytotoxicity tests showed that the particles were nontoxic at low to moderate concentrations and only induced toxicity at higher concentrations. Particles synthesized at 95 °C were less toxic compared to other nanoparticles as determined by their CC₅₀ values.

Keywords: Alanine; Copper sulphide; Cytotoxicity; HeLa cells; Nanoparticles.