Mesoporous silica nanoparticles synthesized from liquid crystal display manufacturing extracts as a potential candidate for a drug delivery carrier: evaluation of their safety and biocompatibility

Mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs) were synthesized as a promising drug delivery carrier due to the large surface area and porous characteristics. Our previous study successfully recycled wastes from the liquid crystal display (LCD) industry as the silica precursor. In this study, we substantiated the possibility of applying this material as a drug carrier. MSNs synthesized from the extraction of wastes from the manufacture of LCD panels were characterized as having an average diameter of 100 nm, a surface area of 788 m(2)/g, a uniform pore size distribution of 3.8 nm, and a pore volume of up to 1.04 cm(3)/g. Methotrexate and camptothecin were entrapped in MSNs at about 33.88% and 75.12%, respectively. The cell viability assay demonstrated that MSNs at 1 μg/mL had no significant influence on human lung fibroblast (WI-38) cells or ovarian cancer (ES-2) cells. A lactate dehydrogenase assay also indicated no inflammation occurred. Moreover, a hemolytic erythrocyte test indicated that the dose range of <100 μg/mL showed that 5% of erythrocytes were affected. After exposure to biofluids, the ordered structure was slightly degraded. The results revealed that MSNs synthesized from extraction of wastes from the manufacture of LCD panels had a good entrapment capacity for hydrophobic drugs and controllable safety conditions; they may be applied as a drug delivery carrier.