In Vitro and In Vivo Cytotoxicity of Boron Nitride Nanotubes: A Systematic Review

Abstract

Boron nitride nanotubes (BNNTs) are an exciting class of nanomaterials due to their unique chemical and physical characteristics. In recent decades, BNNTs have gained huge attention in research and development for various applications, including as nano-fillers for composites, semiconductor devices, hydrogen storage, and as an emerging material in biomedical and tissue engineering applications. However, the toxicity of BNNTs is not clear, and the biocompatibility is not proven yet. In this review, the role of BNNTs in biocompatibility studies is assessed in terms of their characteristics: cell viability, proliferation, therapeutic outcomes, and genotoxicity, which are vital elements for their prospective use in biomedical applications. A systematic review was conducted utilising the databases Scopus and Web of Science (WOS) (2008–2022). Additional findings were discovered manually by snowballing the reference lists of appropriate reviews. Only English-language articles were included. Finally, the significant analysis and discussion of the chosen articles are presented.

Keywords

• boron nitride nanotubes
• toxicity
• cytotoxicity
• biocompatibility
• biomedical
• tissue engineering