Silver nanoparticles are primarily used as an antibacterial coating on many products, such as fridges, washing machines, sports clothes and shoes, since it is known that the silver ions released have an anti-bacterial effect. They are also present in products in alternative medicine, known as colloidal silver.

“Unfortunately, the effect on other types of cells, such as nerve cells, has not been studied as much, and our results are undoubtedly alarming”, said Fredrik Johansson from Lund University, one of the researchers behind the studies.

Nanoparticles in general, and silver nanoparticles in particular, are becoming increasingly common in many products on the market. As current legislation does not cover the special properties of nanoparticles, there is no effective regulation of nanoparticles in consumer products, according to Fredrik Johansson.

The research results show that the cell damage is primarily caused by silver ions that are released from the nanoparticles. The reason silver nanoparticles – or nanosilver as they are often called – are more harmful than other silver is the surface enlargement that is a feature of nanomaterials. A larger effective surface releases more silver ions and demonstrates greater toxicity. The studies show that gold particles can also be harmful. The researchers exposed cells to very low doses of 20 or 80 nanometre gold or silver particles.

“The discovery that the nanoparticles can affect both developing nerve cells, i.e. those in the brains of foetuses and children, and sight, one of our most important senses, is particularly worrying, as this can lead to serious complications”, said Ulrica Englund Johansson, a reader at the Division of Ophthalmology, Lund University.

The research project is a collaboration between the Department of Biology and the Division of Ophthalmology at Lund University. The studies have been published in the scientific journal PlosOne:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25144684

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23505470

Contact:

Fredrik Johansson
Lecturer at the Department of Biology, Lund University
+46 46 222 93 51
per_fredrik [dot] johansson [at] biol [dot] lu [dot] se (per_fredrik[dot]johansson[at]biol[dot]lu[dot]se)

Ulrica Englund Johansson
Reader at the Division of Ophthalmology, Lund University
+46 46 222 07 67
ulrica [dot] englund_johansson [at] med [dot] lu [dot] se (ulrica[dot]englund_johansson[at]med[dot]lu[dot]se)