Biodegradable Silica-Based Nanoparticles: Dissolution Kinetics and Selective Bond Cleavage

The Enzymes
Jonas G Croissant, C Jeffrey Brinker

Abstract

Silica-based nanomaterials are extensively used in industrial applications and academic biomedical research, thus properly assessing their toxicity and biodegradability is essential for their safe and effective formulation and use. Unfortunately, there is often a lot of confusion in the literature with respect to the toxicity and biodegradability of silica since various studies have yielded contradictory results. In this contribution, we first endeavor to underscore that the simplistic model of silica should be discarded in favor of a more realistic model recognizing that all silicas are not created equal and should thus be considered in the plural as silicas and silica hybrids, which indeed hold various biocompatibility and biodegradability profiles. We then demonstrated that all silicas are-as displayed in Nature-degradable in water by dissolution, as governed by the laws of kinetics. Lastly, we explore the vast potential of tuning the degradability of silica by materials design using various silica hybrids for redox-, pH-, enzymatic-, and biochelation-mediated lysis mechanisms.

Citations

Feb 23, 2019·International Journal of Molecular Sciences·Rafael R Castillo, María Vallet-Regí
Aug 14, 2020·Pharmaceutics·Twana Mohammed M WaysVitaliy V Khutoryanskiy
Nov 25, 2020·Bulletin of Experimental Biology and Medicine·G Yu YukinaM M Galagudza
Jan 20, 2021·Nanomedicine·Andressa C SchneidMateus B Cardoso
Mar 7, 2021·International Journal of Molecular Sciences·Fuyuhiko TamanoiKotaro Matsumoto
Sep 3, 2021·Advanced Drug Delivery Reviews·Alba García-FernándezRamón Martínez-Máñez

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