Biocompatible Nanoarchitectonics of Water-Soluble Vanadium Dichalcogenides Quantum Dots Functionalized with Capping Agents

Herein, three different water-soluble functional groups capped vanadium disulfide quantum dots (VS(2)QDs), namely, L-cysteine capped VS(2)QDs (L-cys-VS(2)QDs), thioglycolic acid capped VS(2)QDs (TGA-VS(2)QDs), and 3-mercaptopropionic acid capped VS(2)QDs (MPA-VS(2)QDs) are synthesized via hydrothermal method. The comparison of the biocompatibility (MTT assay) of three differently capped VS(2)QDs is performed in RAW cell 264.7 cells with different concentrations (500, 250, 125, 62.5, 15.625, 7.812, and 3.906 mu g mL(-1)). It is found that L-cys-VS(2)QDs show more biocompatibility than the TGA-VS(2)QDs and MPA-VS(2)QDs. However, at low concentrations, TGA-VS(2)QDs also show better biocompatibility, whereas MPA-VS(2)QDs show the least biocompatibility. Biocompatibility of L-cys-VS(2)QDs is also almost consistent with entire range of QDs concentrations may be due to L-cys cellular inflammation and maintaining pH buffer.