Date of Award

Spring 2026

Document Type

Restricted Thesis

Terms of Use

© 2026 Mojisoluwa C.Oludare. All rights reserved. Access to this work is restricted to users within the Swarthmore College network and may only be used for non-commercial, educational, and research purposes. Sharing with users outside of the Swarthmore College network is expressly prohibited. For all other uses, including reproduction and distribution, please contact the copyright holder.

Degree Name

Bachelor of Arts

Department

Chemistry & Biochemistry Department

First Advisor

Kathryn R. Riley

Abstract

Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) are widely used in commercial and medical products, yet their fate and reactivity in biological systems is poorly understood. Here, we describe the kinetics of AgNP dissolution, which is important to AgNP toxicity mechanisms. Specifically, we studied the impact of environmental pH, nanoparticle diameter, and the presence of biomolecules on the dissolution kinetics of citratestabilized AgNPs. The experimental studies described herein will contribute to broader understanding of AgNP reactivity by providing detailed mechanistic insights regarding the factors that influence AgNP dissolution.

In this work, linear sweep stripping voltammetry (LSSV), an electrochemistry technique, was used to measure the dissolution rate constants of AgNPs. Interestingly, dissolution rate constants increased with decreasing pH until the most acidic condition (pH = 2.0) was reached, at which point the dissolution rate constant decreased dramatically, suggesting that multiple mechanisms contribute to the pH-dependent dissolution of AgNPs. Separately, the effect of AgNP size on dissolution rate was systematically investigated and dissolution rate constants decreased as the nanoparticle size increased from 5 nm up to 40 nm, at which point the dissolution rate constant was approximately the same for AgNPs with diameters of 40 nm and greater. Finally, the effect of glutathione (GSH), a biomolecule of environmental and biological importance, on AgNP dissolution was evaluated. Dissolution rate constants of 5 nm AgNPs increased in the presence of low concentrations of GSH and decreased at higher concentrations of GSH. Together, the studies presented herein show the complex nature of AgNP dissolution and the need for continued systematic investigation of these systems.

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