Toxicity Evaluation of Quantum Dots to Microorganisms: A Toxicity Assessment of CdTe/ZnS Core/Shell Quantum Dots with Escherichia coli

Quantum dots (QDs) nanoparticles are increasingly being used for biomedical applications. Most QDs consist of heavy metal which may be potentially toxic to biological organisms. In this study, CdTe/ZnS core/shell QDs were evaluated for their harmful effects on Escherichia coli, which served as model for potential impact to microorganisms and microbial cell toxicity. Organic soluble CdTe and CdTe/ZnS QDs were encapsulated with a monolayer of polymer to make them water soluble and biocompatible. Different concentrations of QDs were incubated with E. coli to determine the effect on the number of colony forming. The result indicated that CdTe/ZnS QDs have better biocompatibility and less toxicity than the CdTe.