| Owing to the inconformity in ionic radius between Nd3þ and Zn2þ, the successful incorporation of Nd3þ
ion into the ZnO nanocrystals still remains a great challenge. In the present study various doping ratios
containing 1 wt%, 5 wt%, 7 wt% and 10 wt% of Nd3þ doped ZnO nanoparticles (Nd/ZnO NPs) were synthesized in which a bio-layer caped the NPs. SEM/EDX analysis was performed on the ZnO and Nd/ZnO
NPs. In addition, the as-synthesized NPs were characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD), dynamic light
scattering (DLS), differential reflectance spectroscopy (DRS) and photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy.
The average size of Nd (5 wt%)/ZnO NPs was in the range of 6.22 and 15e18 nm based on XRD and SEM
techniques, respectively. The measured band gap values for pure ZnO and Nd/ZnO NCs with doping ratios
of 1 wt%, 5 wt%, 7 wt% and 9 wt% were equal to 3.46, 3.26, 3.05, 3.25 and 3.29, respectively. After
inhalation, nanoparticles first interact with lung surfactant system and accordingly their toxic effects will
appear on lungs cells such as A549 cell line. The effect of Nd/ZnO NPs to interact by human A549 cell line
was evaluated by means of cell viability test. According to cell viability test the concentrations of 0.3 and
0.5 mg/mL of Nd/ZnO NPs induce a low toxicity. The present study shows that these toxic effects of Nd/
ZnO NPs can be rectified by capping its surface via the addition of a bio-layer around particles in order to
prevent them from interacting A549 cell line. |