Zwitterionic chitosan nanoparticles (ZCNPs) were conveniently obtained by a one-step aerosol method, and their potential for the production of biocompatible materials was investigated. A low-molecular-weight chitosan was conjugated with succinic anhydride to produce zwitterionic chitosan (ZC). Collisonatomized ZC droplets were simultaneously UV-irradiated and dried in a tube furnace in a one-step aerosol process to produce particles. The observed cytotoxicities of ZCNPs (85 +/- 3.9% cell viability) were similar to unmodified chitosan nanoparticles (CNPs, 88 +/- 6.6%) and UV-irradiated ZCNPs (83 +/- 3.3%). The aerosol process described in this work allowed facile production and modification of CNPs, which could then be employed for biomedical purposes.