Semester

Fall

Date of Graduation

2023

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Type

PhD

College

Statler College of Engineering and Mineral Resources

Department

Chemical and Biomedical Engineering

Committee Chair

Cerasela Zoica Dinu

Committee Member

Rakesh Gupta

Committee Member

Yon Rojanasakul

Committee Member

Xueyan Song

Committee Member

Todd Stueckle

Abstract

Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) are organic crystalline hybrids that have been used for a variety of applications from catalysis to gas storage and drug delivery. Studies have shown that generally, while such frameworks are more biocompatible than similar aspect ratio nanostructures, they are also more prone to transformation and disintegration due to their flexible and fragile nature as resulted from the structure assembly and implemented structure-function relationships. With extensive previous literature showing that materials with nano dimensions such as carbon nanotubes, quantum dots and other nanomaterials have unique physicochemical properties that lead to increased biosystems’ reactivity. With increasing concerns regarding adverse health effects upon nanomaterials implementation, there is a growing interest to now evaluate the toxicological profiles of MOFs and how their characteristics can be controlled to lead to effective risk assessment and mitigation prior to their implementation. This interest is supported by the assumption that reactivity can be reduced with safe-by-design strategies for particle formation.

Herein, we aimed to understand how the physical and chemical properties of MOFs influence lung bronchial cells, used to model lung airway response following inhalation exposure. Two MOFs used in extensive industrial and biomedical application were selected for synthesis, characterization, and cellular behavior evaluation. Physical and chemical properties of the materials were investigated via microscopical and spectroscopical approaches while the cellular behavior upon MOF exposure was assessed both in real-time and single-time point assays via in vitro biochemical testing, cell imaging, and electric cell-substrate sensing, respectively. Our analyses showed that MOFs’ properties influenced the cellular behavior in a dose and time dependent manner. The changes in cellular behavior were displayed by reductions in cell proliferation and viability as well as changes in cell morphology. Overall, the results provide insights into how materials properties influence cellular behavior with such information possibly aiding in safe-by-design strategies to result in safe MOF implementation in a variety of synthetic applications.

Embargo Reason

Publication Pending

Available for download on Sunday, December 15, 2024

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