Cytotoxicity of colloidal polyaniline dispersions

Abstract

Cytotoxic effects of colloidal polyaniline dispersions with the particles in the nano-size region (226.5 +/- 5.5 nm) and standard polyaniline powder has been investigated and compared. The mouse embryonic fibroblast cell line (NIH/3T3) was used in the test and the cell viability was detected by MTT assay. The results indicate that concentration of 0.5 % (m/m) of colloidal polyaniline dispersion, corresponding to 90 mu g/mL polyaniline polymer in culture medium is a critical in terms of cell viability. This is higher threshold for cytotoxicity when compared with a standard polyaniline powder, for which the onset of cytotoxicity was observed at concentration of 35 mu g/mL.