Syntheses, characterization, and cytotoxicity properties investigation of different types of erbium borate compounds using the common precipitation method

This study aims to synthesize, characterize, and investigate the biological effects of different types of erbium borate compounds using the co-precipitation method. The cellular effects of the synthesized erbium borate compounds, prepared with different borax concentrations, were evaluated on HUVEC (human umbilical vein endothelial cells) and MDA-MB-231 (triple-negative breast cancer) cell lines. Cell culture experiments revealed no significant toxic effects on HUVEC cells, whereas a noticeable decrease in cell viability was observed in MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells. Particularly at a borax concentration of 6 mmol, apoptosis (programmed cell death) was induced in MDA-MB-231 cells. However, since this effect was also observed in HUVEC cells, its specificity for cancer cells remains questionable. Experimental findings demonstrated that the cytotoxic effect persisted even at low doses in cancer cells. Unlike previous studies in the literature, the synthesized erbium borate did not exhibit cell-regenerative properties. These results suggest that reaction parameters play a crucial role in the biological effects of erbium borate compounds, and different derivatives with distinct biological activities can be obtained. The obtained data emphasize the necessity of advanced research for developing new boron-based materials for biomedical applications. Chemical characterization analyses conducted within the study indicated that the synthesized compounds were amorphous in structure and could attain crystalline properties under certain conditions.