Barium Titanate Nanoparticles Exhibit Cytocompatibility in Cultured Bovine Fibroblasts: A Model for Dermal Exposure

Abstract

The emergence of barium titanate nanoparticles (BaTiO3 NPs) represents an advancement in various fields such as technology, health, and agribusiness. However, increased production heightens the risk of their dispersion into the environment, thereby raising concerns about potential exposure to animals and humans, including the risk of dermal exposure. This study explores the chemical-physical properties of BaTiO3 NPs and their cytocompatibility using a bovine fibroblast cell model. The size and Zeta potential of the NPs were analyzed using scanning electron microscopy and dynamic light scattering technique. Raman spectroscopy was used to characterize the composition of the BaTiO3 NPs. Bovine fibroblasts were exposed in vitro to NPs (0.1 to 100 µg mL-1) for 24 hours to evaluate the cytocompatibility using the Thiazolyl Blue Tetrazolium Bromide assay and Trypan Blue exclusion test. The data were evaluated by analysis of variance and the means compared by the Tukey test. Scanning electron microscopy revealed that BaTiO3 NPs measured approximately 100 nm. Dynamic light scattering analysis indicated a hydrodynamic size of 149.27 nm with a polydispersion index of 0.37, and the Zeta potential was -13mV. Raman spectroscopy analysis highlighted the cubic phase of BaTiO3 NPs. Cytotoxicity tests demonstrated that BaTiO3 NPs did not affect cell viability, with 10 µg mL-1 resulting in enhanced cell proliferation. Overall, these findings underscore the non-toxic characteristics of BaTiO3 NPs in fibroblast cells, positioning them as promising and cytocompatible nanomaterials.