Anticancer activity and toxicity of carbon nanoparticles produced by pulsed laser ablation of graphite in water

In a recent study, carbon nanoparticles were synthesised by pulsed laser ablation technique of pure graphite target immersed in de-ionised water (DIW). The anticancer activity and the side effects of the prepared nanoparticles were investigated. XRD results of carbon nanoparticles showed diffraction peaks at 26.58° and 43.78° corresponding to the (002) and (101) phases of carbon, respectively. TEM images demonstrated two types of produced carbon nanostructure; spherical nanoparticles with a size ranging within 10–110 nm and carbon nano-sheets of 45 nm width and 275 nm length, with some spherical nanoparticles (10–90 nm) at low laser energy. In the toxicity test, the prepared nanoparticles proved a higher cytotoxicity rate. The effect of nanoparticles was tested on the cancer cells. Images of the treated cells demonstrated isolation with surrounding normal cells and a decrease in their number after treatment. The image results also showed that there are no toxicological or side effects on the spleen, kidney, liver, and lung tissues of mice after injected intraperitoneally with carbon nanoparticles.