Innovative Coating Technique Reduces Toxicity of Nanoparticles, Promising Safer Environmental Applications

New Coating Technique Reduces Toxicity, Enhances Safety for Environmental Applications

Researchers from Okayama University, led by Assistant Professor Yajuan Zou and Research Professor Masazumi Fujiwara, have developed a pioneering polyglycerol (PG) coating that significantly reduces the ecotoxicity of nanoparticles (NPs). This advancement, published in the journal Chemosphere, represents a substantial leap forward in creating eco-friendly nanomaterials for environmental applications.

Nanoparticles are widely used to combat environmental pollution, targeting hazardous substances in soil and water from industrial and agricultural sources. However, their release into the environment poses risks as they can be ingested by organisms and cause harm up the food chain. Altering the surface chemistry and electric charge of NPs can mitigate these risks, and this new research offers a promising solution.

The study focused on coating iron oxide nanoparticles (ION) with a negatively charged polyglycerol layer. The PG coating creates a hydrophilic barrier that prevents NPs from binding to biological substances and cell surfaces, allowing them to pass more freely through organisms and be excreted. This research demonstrated that PG-coated NPs accumulated less in Caenorhabditis elegans, a nematode used as a model organism in environmental chemistry.

Further experiments explored the influence of charge groups on nanoparticle bioavailability. Introducing positively charged amino groups and negatively charged carboxyl and sulfate groups, the researchers found that negatively charged particles were more readily excreted due to electrostatic repulsion from the nematode’s negatively charged cell surface.

This breakthrough aligns with the UN Sustainable Development Goals, particularly those focused on good health and well-being, and the conservation of water and land. The innovative polyglycerol coating technique holds great promise for addressing environmental challenges by making the use of nanoparticles safer and more sustainable.