Cytotoxicity and cell imaging potentials of submicron color-tunable yttria particles.

Timur Sh Atabaev, Jong Ho Lee, Dong-Wook Han, Yoon-Hwae Hwang, Hyung-Kook Kim

Index: J. Biomed. Mater. Res. A 100(9) , 2287-94, (2012)

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Abstract

Increased demand of environment protection encouraged scientists to design products and processes that minimize the use and generation of hazardous substances. This work presents comprehensive result of large-scale fabrication and investigation of red-to-green tunable submicron spherical yttria particles codoped with low concentrations of Eu(+3) and Tb(+3). The color emission of synthesized particles can be precisely tuned from red to green by simple variation of Tb/Eu ratio and excitation wavelength. The Tb/Eu-codoped Y(2)O(3) particles did not adversely affect the viability of L-929 fibroblastic cells at concentrations less than 62.5 ppm. Through internalization and wide distribution inside the cells, Tb/Eu codoped Y(2)O(3) particles with intense bright green or red fluorescence rendered cell imaging to be possible. The high brightness, excellent stability, low-toxicity, and imaging capability along with fine color-tunability of synthesized particles enable to find promising application in various areas.Copyright © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.