Impact of BaSO4 Particles on the Viability of Eukaryotic and Prokaryotic Cells

The process of car stopping is inevitable on a daily basis when driving a car and is related to the BaSO4 particles emission because of friction of brake pads. Barium was determined by EDS (energy dispersive spectroscopy) as the third highest quantity of metals after iron and magnesium in the samples of organic brake pads. Elemental mapping SEM (scanning electron microscope) analysis confirmed the presence of BaSO4. A stable BaSO4 NPs (nanoparticles) suspension has been prepared and described by PI (polydispersity index) and Zeta potential. For the increased stability of suspension Tween80 was used. The impact on viability of prokaryotic cells (gram-positive S. aureus and gram-negative E. coli, P. aeruginosa wild-type bacteria) and eukaryotic cells (CHO (Chinese hamster ovary) cells) was determined by usage of BaSO4 NPs with Tween80 or without. S. aureus bacteria were more sensitive to the exposure of BaSO4 NPs and reached MIC50 when affected with 3.32 mg/mL BaSO4 NPs coated with Tween80. Zeta potential value increases in all examined bacteria and NPs suspensions. The highest increase was observed for the S. aureus, P. aeruginosa bacteria and BaSO4 NPs with Tween80 suspensions. Minimal concentration of BaSO4 NPs with Tween80, which had negative effect on viability of CHO cells, was 0.1 mg/mL.