CNR ExploRA

Articolo in rivista, 2022, ENG, 10.1021/acs.est.1c06885

Evaluating the Impact of Hydrophobic Silicon Dioxide in the Interfacial Properties of Lung Surfactant Films

Guzman E.; Santini E.; Ferrari M.; Liggieri L.; Ravera F.

Departamento de Química Física, Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Ciudad Universitaria s/n, Madrid, 28040, Departamento de Química Física, Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Ciudad Universitaria s/n, 28040 - Madrid, Spain, , Spain; Instituto Pluridisciplinar, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Paseo de Juan XXIII 1, Madrid, 28040, Instituto Pluridisciplinar, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Paseo de Juan XXIII 1, 28040 Madrid, Spain, , , Spain; Instituto Pluridisciplinar, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Paseo de Juan XXIII 1, Madrid, 28040, Instituto Pluridisciplinar, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Paseo de Juan XXIII 1, 28040 Madrid, Spain, , , Spain; Istituto di Chimica della Materia Condensata e di Tecnologia per l'Energia, UOS Genova-Consiglio Nazionale Delle Ricerche (ICMATE-CNR), Via De Marini 6, Genova, 16149, Istituto di Chimica della Materia Condensata e di Tecnologia per l'Energia, UOS Genova-Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (ICMATE-CNR), Via De Marini 6, 16149 Genova, Italy, , Italy

The interaction of hydrophobic silicon dioxide particles (fumed silicon dioxide), as model air pollutants, and Langmuir monolayers of a porcine lung surfactant extract has been studied in order to try to shed light on the physicochemical bases underlying the potential adverse effects associated with pollutant inhalation. The surface pressure-area isotherms of lung surfactant (LS) films including increasing amounts of particles revealed that particle incorporation into LS monolayers modifies the organization of the molecules at the water/vapor interface, which alters the mechanical resistance of the interfacial films, hindering the ability of LS layers for reducing the surface tension, and reestablishing the interface upon compression. This influences the normal physiological function of LS as is inferred from the analysis of the response of the Langmuir films upon the incorporation of particles against harmonic changes of the interfacial area (successive compression-expansion cycles). These experiments evidenced that particles alter the relaxation mechanisms of LS films, which may be correlated to a modification of the transport of material within the interface and between the interface and the adjacent fluid during the respiratory cycle.

Environmental science & technology 56 (11), pp. 7308–7318