ABSTRACT
CdS nanoparticles are one among the most promising agents for fluorescent imaging. Hence, it is essential to develop new strategies to overcome the cytotoxicity of these nanoparticles. Surface modification is one of the simplest and effective techniques. This paper assesses the effect of surface modification on toxicity of the CdS nanoparticles. Unmodified CdS and surface-modified CdS nanoparticles were synthesized in an aqueous medium using a wet chemical route at room temperature. The surface modification of the CdS nanoparticles with polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) and cysteine was confirmed using infrared absorption studies. The diameters of unmodified CdS, PVP-modified CdS, and cysteine-modified CdS nanoparticles were determined using HRTEM. They exhibited luminescence in the range from 500 to 800 nm. The cytotoxic effects of these CdS nanoparticles were investigated in cultures of Vero cells. The results indicated that Vero cell viability was higher for the surface-modified CdS nanoparticles than for the unmodified CdS nanoparticles. The reduction in the toxicity was related to the nature of the capping agents used for the surface modification, and the particle size.