Factors involved in the cytotoxicity of kaolinite towards macrophages in vitro.

The cytotoxicity of a high purity Cornish kaolinite toward mouse peritoneal macrophages in vitro was examined. The material was cytotoxic towards these cells, the activity could be decreased substantially by pretreating the dust with poly(2-vinylpyridine N-oxide). Pretreatment of the dusts with poly(acrylic acid) had a small effect on cytotoxicity, but combinations of the polymer treatments virtually abolished the material's biological activity towards macrophages. These studies indicated that the cytotoxicity of kaolinite is not due to its flakelike morphology.