Metal nanoparticles effect on the efficiency of organic sensitizers

Abstract

Cancer is a principal cause of mortality worldwide. The inefficiency of current treatment methods has prompted the development of innovative technologies to address these limitations. Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is an auspicious approach in which the use of light activates a nontoxic molecule called a photosensitizer (PS). This activation induces the photoproduction of reactive oxygen species (ROS) via two mechanisms that are capable of damaging biomolecules and eradicating cells. PDT presents advantages, such as minimal toxicity, targeted treatment, and compatibility with other therapies. Nanotechnology is one of the most widely used emerging technologies for improving the efficiency of PDT. Nanoparticles can be used: (1) as nanocarriers of organic photosensitizers, (2) as nanophotosensitizers, and (3) as enhancers of the quantum yield of photosensitizer reactive species production. This chapter focuses on the outcomes of plasmonic nanomaterials on the photophysical behavior of organic sensitizers, ROS generation, and recent progress in this field. The influence of metal nanoparticles on fluorescence, singlet oxygen generation, and triplet–triplet annihilation processes is discussed, particularly for plasmonic nanosized particles of silver, gold, and platinum.