Stabilization of TiO₂ sols dispersity at physiological conditions and decrease their cytotoxic properties

The effect of chemical nature of LiOH, NaOH, KOH and NH₄OH electrolytes, surface modification of TiO₂ particles with isopropyl glycidyl ether (IGE), mixing order of reactants, and dialysis conditions on the dispersion and cell damage of TiO₂ sols at neutral pH has been studied. Investigation of TiO₂ sols by a set of physicochemical methods (XRD, Raman spectroscopy, SAXS, AFM, TEM, and ζ-potential measurements) showed the highest dispersity of sols was reached by their neutralization with LiOH. Trypan blue staining and transmission electron microscopy of ultrathin cell sections were used to study in vitro the damaging effect in MDCK cell culture after its incubation with titanium dioxide nanoparticles. It was shown that the surface modification of TiO₂ nanoparticles with IGE and phosphate groups diminished its toxic effect on the cells and prevented undesirable interaction of TiO₂ with cell components.