The Effects of Rod and Round-Like Nanohydroxyapatites on Allium cepa Root Meristem Cells

Biomaterials are engineering products that are widely used in many medical fields such as orthopaedic applications, facial and maxillofacial surgery, artificial heart parts, metal parts and implantable devices. These materials are widely used in medicine because they are compatible with the organism, are not allergic, and are resistant to physical and chemical factors. Hydroxyapatites are bioactive calcium phosphate ceramics that are compatible with tissues. To increase their bioactivity, nano-sized hydroxyapatite has been produced. Although there are advantages to the use of nanoparticles in the medical field, the potentially toxic effects of these materials on the environment and human health are of concern. It is also one of the topics to be investigated whether the different forms of the same nanoparticle will cause differences in genotoxicity. In this study, the potential genotoxic effects of rod and round forms of nano-sized hydroxyapatites (nHAs) were evaluated in Allium cepa Single Cell Gel Electrophoresis (COMET) method. According to the results, the round form of nHA in the A. cepa meristem root tip cells caused statistically significant genotoxicity at 25 ppm concentration in terms of tail density and tail moment. This study showed small-sized-nanohydroxyapatite-induced genotoxicity and cell death in A. cepa. This study has shown that the physical properties of nanoparticles affect potential toxicity mechanisms.