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Iron oxide nanoparticles (IONPs) have useful properties, such as strong magnetism and compatibility with living organisms which is preferable for medical applications such as drug delivery and imaging. However, increasing use of these materials, especially in medicine, has raised concerns regarding potential risks to human health. In this study, IONPs were coated with silicon dioxide (SiO 2), citric acid (CA), and polyethylenimine (PEI) to enhance their dispersion and biocompatibility. Both coated and uncoated IONPs were assessed for genotoxic effects on Drosophila melanogaster. Results showed that uncoated IONPs induced genotoxic effects, including mutations and recombinations, while the coated IONPs demonstrated reduced or negligible genotoxicity. Additionally, bioinformatic analyses highlighted potential implications of induced recombination in various cancer types, underscoring the importance of understanding nanoparticle-induced genomic instability. This study highlights the importance of nanoparticle coatings in reducing potential genotoxic effects and emphasizes the necessity for comprehensive toxicity assessments in nanomaterial research. • Uncoated IONPs have both mutagenic and recombinogenic activity. • The IONPs were separately coated with three different coating materials. • SiO 2 , PEI and CA coatings reduced IONP genotoxicity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Quaternary ammonium compounds (QACs) are commonly used as disinfectants for industrial, medical, and residential applications. However, adverse health outcomes have been reported. Therefore, biocompatible disinfectants must be developed to reduce these adverse effects. In this context, QACs with various alkyl chain lengths (C12–C18) were synthesized by reacting QACs with the counterion silane. The antimicrobial activities of the novel compounds against four strains of microorganisms were assessed. Several in vivo assays were conducted on Drosophila melanogaster to determine the toxicological outcomes of Si-QACs, followed by computational analyses (molecular docking, simulation, and prediction of skin sensitization). The in vivo results were combined using a cheminformatics approach to understand the descriptors responsible for the safety of Si-QAC. Si-QAC-2 was active against all tested bacteria, with minimal inhibitory concentrations ranging from 13.65 to 436.74 ppm. Drosophila exposed to Si-QAC-2 have moderate-to-low toxicological outcomes. The molecular weight, hydrophobicity/lipophilicity, and electron diffraction properties were identified as crucial descriptors for ensuring the safety of the Si-QACs. Furthermore, Si-QAC-2 exhibited good stability and notable antiviral potential with no signs of skin sensitization. Overall, Si-QAC-2 (C14) has the potential to be a novel disinfectant. [Display omitted] • New silane quaternary ammonium disinfectants were synthesized. • The antimicrobial effect depends on alkyl chain length and the presence of silane. • Mutagenicity/genotoxicity were observed on low alkyl chain compounds. • From in vivo / in silico data one compound (Si-QAC2) was selected as a promising disinfectant. • In silico data detect crucial descriptors to guarantee the safety of Si-QAC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]