Zinc oxide nanoparticle removal from wounded human skin.

Abstract

AIM:

Nanoparticle removal from skin is relevant given the concern over topical nanoparticle toxicity. Zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO-NPs) are commonly used in sunscreens and their use is currently debated. This study explores the penetration and removal of ZnO-NPs from injured skin.

MATERIALS & METHODS:

Ex vivo/in vivo human skin was tape-stripped and/or microneedled followed by ZnO-NP application. After 2 h, treated skin was washed three-times using soapy water. Multiphoton tomography assessed the ZnO-NP signal before and after washing.

RESULTS:

Washing once removed over 85 and 83% of ZnO-NP signal from ex vivo intact and tape-stripped skin, respectively (p < 0.05) but only 28% (p = 0.5) was removed from puncture sites. A similar trend was found in vivo with removal of 85 and 93% of ZnO-NP signal from intact and tape-stripped skin, respectively (p < 0.05).

CONCLUSION:

Washing is effective for the removal of ZnO-NPs from superficial layers of intact and tape-stripped skin, but not from puncture wounds.

• Authors: Anthony P Raphael, Daniel Sundh, Jeffrey E Grice, Michael S Roberts, H Peter Soyer, Tarl W Prow
• Journal: Nanomedicine (London, England) (Nanomedicine (Lond)) Vol. 8 Issue 11 Pg. 1751-61 (Nov 2013) ISSN: 1748-6963 [Electronic] England
• PMID: 23463920 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Chemical References

• Zinc Oxide

Topics

• Humans
• In Vitro Techniques
• Metal Nanoparticles (chemistry)
• Skin (chemistry)
• Zinc Oxide (chemistry)