The cytocompatibility of graphene oxide as a platform to enhance the effectiveness and safety of silver nanoparticles through in vitro studies

Abstract

AbstractThe increasing emergence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria and the need to reduce the use of antibiotics call for the development of safe alternatives, such as silver nanoparticles. However, their potential cytotoxic effect needs to be addressed. Graphene oxide provides a large platform that can increase the effectiveness and safety of silver nanoparticles. Graphene oxide and silver nanoparticles complex applied as a part of an innovative material might have direct contact with human tissues, such as skin, or might be inhaled from aerosol or exfoliated pieces of the complex. Thereby, the safety of the prepared complex has to be evaluated carefully, employing a range of methods. We demonstrated the high cytocompatibility of graphene oxide and the graphene oxide–silver nanoparticles complex toward human cell lines, fetal foreskin fibroblasts (HFFF2), and lung epithelial cells (A549). The supporting platform of graphene oxide also neutralized the slight toxicity of bare silver nanoparticles. Finally, in studies on Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, the number of bacteria reduction was observed after incubation with silver nanoparticles and the graphene oxide–silver nanoparticles complex. Our findings confirm the possibility of employing a graphene oxide–silver nanoparticles complex as a safe agent with reduced silver nanoparticles’ cytotoxicity and antibacterial properties.