Cellular and Biomolecular Interactions with Graphene-Family Nanomaterials

1132446Hurt这项由纳米技术环境健康与安全项目授予的国家科学基金会奖支持Robert Hurt教授和Agnes Kane教授研究石墨烯基纳米材料的生物相互作用。大多数关于纳米材料安全性的研究都集中在一组可能对人类和环境造成重大暴露的高容量材料上。最近，一种新的纳米材料必须加入这个名单：石墨烯，一种单原子厚度的石墨薄片，自2004年被发现以来，已经引起了强烈的科学和商业兴趣。石墨烯和具有少量层（few-layer Graphene）和化学修饰表面（Graphene oxide）的相关材料，现在正以越来越大的产量生产，以满足在电子、结构材料、化学传感器、油墨和纸张等广泛应用的研究和开发需求。在这个项目中，一个由工程师和毒理学家组成的多学科团队将研究石墨烯家族纳米材料与生物分子和细胞的相互作用。一组商业和发展中的石墨烯家族材料已经组装在一起，其层数(1 ？30)，横向尺寸(500nm ？25 um)和表面化学（原始与氧化石墨烯），并将彻底表征其相关材料特性作为第一项任务。第二项任务将使用高通量介质分析技术来确定具有非常高表面积的石墨烯家族纳米材料是否会耗尽维生素和氨基酸，或者是否会干扰毒性测试中使用的基于染料的测量技术。在第三项任务中，石墨烯家族材料面板将与巨噬细胞一起培养，巨噬细胞是一种免疫系统细胞，可形成抵御吸入肺部的微生物和外来颗粒的第一道防线。这些实验将提供关于细胞摄取、细胞结构、氧化剂产生、细胞活力和炎症信号剂产生的信息，作为质量和表面积剂量的函数，并使用成熟的、商业化的、非石墨烯的碳作为参考材料。更广泛的影响——该项目将通过提供与职业暴露剂量相关的数据，帮助进行石墨烯材料的风险评估。该结果还将提供早期筛选这些材料对各种生物系统（包括人类和环境）构成风险的潜力。通过对石墨烯材料家族的比较，可以将石墨烯基纳米材料分为监管或风险类别，并可以提出安全的设计策略。调查人员还会产生更广泛的影响吗？继续致力于公众参与有关纳米安全的监管和社会问题。通过对该项目的年轻女性和西班牙裔研究人员和调查人员的支持，将对美国科学人力资源产生更广泛的影响。与罗德岛高中科学教师一起参加暑期充实课程。

1132446HurtThis NSF award by the Environmental Health and Safety of Nanotechnology program supports work by Professors Robert Hurt and Agnes Kane to characterize the biological interactions of graphene-based nanomaterials. Most research in nanomaterial safety focuses on a select group of high-volume materials for which significant human and environmental exposures are possible. Recently a new nanomaterial must be added to this list: graphene, the single-atom-thick sheet of graphite, which has attracted intense scientific and commercial interest since its discovery in 2004. Graphene and related materials with small numbers of layers (few-layer graphene) and chemical modified surfaces (graphene oxide), are now being manufactured at increasing volumes to meet research and development needs for a wide range of applications in electronics, structural materials, chemical sensors, inks and papers. In this project a multidisciplinary team of engineers and toxicologists will investigate the interactions of graphene-family nanomaterials with biological molecules and with cells. A panel of commercial and developmental graphene-family materials has been assembled with variations in layer number (1 ? 30), lateral dimension (500 nm ? 25 um), and surface chemistry (pristine vs. graphene oxide) and will be thoroughly characterized for their relevant material properties as a first task. A second task will use high-throughput media profiling techniques to determine if graphene-family nanomaterials with very high surface areas will deplete vitamins and amino acids, or will interfere with dye-based measurement techniques used in toxicity testing. In a third task, the panel of graphene-family materials will be incubated with macrophages, a type of immune system cell that forms the first line of defense against microorganisms and foreign particulates inhaled into the lungs. These experiments will provide information on cell uptake, cell structure, oxidant production, cell viability, and production of inflammatory signaling agents as a function of mass does and surface area dose and using well-established, commercial, non-graphene, carbons as reference materials.Broader Impacts -- This project will aid in risk assessment for graphene materials by providing data at doses relevant to occupational exposures. The results will also provide an early screening of the potential of these materials to pose risks to diverse biological systems, both human and environmental. Comparisons across the graphene material family suggest rationale grouping of graphene-based nanomaterials into regulatory or risk categories and can suggest safe design strategies. Additional broader impacts will arise through the investigators? continued commitment to public engagement on the regulatory and societal issues surrounding nanosafety. Broader impacts on human resources for U.S. science will be made through the support of young female and Hispanic researchers in the project and the investigators? participation in summer enrichment programs with Rhode Island high-school science teachers.