Modeling of Nanoparticle-Mediated Electric Field Enhancement Inside Biological Cells Exposed to AC Electric Fields

Abstract

We present in this article the effect of alternating electric field at kilohertz (kHz) and megahertz (MHz) frequencies on the biological cells in presence and absence of nanoparticles. The induced electric field strength distribution in the region around cell membrane and nucleus envelope display different behavior at kHz and MHz frequencies. The attachment of gold nanoparticles,(GNPs), especially gold nanowires around the surface of nucleus induce enhanced electric field strengths. The induced field strengths are, dependent on the length of nanowire and create varying field regions when the length of nanowire is increased from 2 to 4 mu m. The varying nanowire length increased the induced field strengths inside nucleoplasm and region adjacent to the nucleus in the cytoplasm. We investigated a process of electrostatic disruption of nucleus membrane when the induced electric field strength across the nucleus exceeds its tensile strength. (C) 2009 The Japan Society of Applied Physics