Nanotechnology and nanomaterials

Pre-concentration of Ag(NH3)2+ in water samples enhances anticancer action of the nanoparticles of silver-exchanged clinoptilolite
Vasylechko V.O.1,2, Klyuchivska O.Yu.3, Manko N.O.3, Gryshchouk G.V.1, Kalychak Ya.M.1, Zhmurko I.I.1, Stoika R.S.3
1 Department of Analytical Chemistry, Ivan Franko National University of Lviv, 6 Kyryla and Mefodiya Str., 79005 Lviv, Ukraine.
E-mail: vasylechko@ukr.net
2 Department of Science and Environmental Protection, Lviv University of Trade and Economics, 9 Samchuka Str., 79011 Lviv, Ukraine.
3 Department of Regulation of Cell Proliferation, Institute of Cell Biology, National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, 14/16 Drahomanov St., 79005 Lviv, Ukraine.

Silver (Ag) metal belongs to the physiologically active components of mineral waters. Usually, the preliminary pre-concentration, withdrawal and/or separation of this chemical element has to be carried out during the analysis of Ag trace amounts in water, technological solutions and bio-substrates. However, the analysis and samples preparation of objects containing considerable concentration of Cl– is complicated due to the formation of insoluble AgCl. Taking this into consideration, we have investigated the sorption properties of the Transcarpathian clinoptilolite towards the complex anion Ag(NH3)2+ that exists in a water-ammonia solution even at high concentration of Cl–. It was established that in the presence of high concentrations of Cl–, clinoptilolite sorbs up to 96 % of trace amounts of Ag(NH3)2+ in the medium of 0.06 М solution of NH3. The most efficient sorption of Ag(NH3)2+ was observed for the partly dehydrated clinoptilolite samples obtained via the preliminary calcination of natural zeolite at 150С. A method of Ag pre-concentration in the presence of high contents of Cl– at the stage of water preparation for the atomic absorption analysis was proposed. The effects of sorption of Ag+ or Ag(NH3)2+ complex on the Transcarpathian clinoptilolite particles (D≤1 micrometer) upon the biocompatibility (MTT-test, fluorescent and light microscopy) of human breast cancer cells of MCF 7 line, larynx cancer cells of KB 3-1 line and pancreas cancer cells of Capan 1 line, as well as pseudonormal human embryo kidney cells of HEK293 line, were evaluated. A suppressive effect of these particles upon the viability of the treated mammalian cells was found, and the pro-apoptotic mechanisms of their action are considered.