PH-dependent biosynthesis of copper oxide nanoparticles using Galphimia glauca for their cytocompatibility evaluation

Abstract

Copper oxide nanoparticles possess a high absorption coefficient and are non-toxic to animal cells. Biological agents inhabit many compounds that can be explored for the synthesis of monodispersed and non-toxic copper oxide nanoparticles. This is the most important advantage of biological syntheses over physical and chemical methods. In the present work, copper oxide nanoparticles have been synthesized with a simple and green technique by using an aqueous extract of mixed leaf and flowers of Galphimia glauca. The nanoparticles were synthesized at 80 °C, with a 15 mM Copper sulfate solution and at varying pH range (2, 4, inherent, i.e. 5.3, 8, 10, 12). The particle size of the nanoparticles was confirmed to be 5-10 nm using TEM and XRD at pH 12. The functional groups on the surface of the nanoparticles were characterized using FTIR. Moreover, GCMS analysis of the aqueous extracts showed that different flavonoids were responsible for the biosynthesis of copper oxide nanoparticles. The cytotoxicity assays were also determined using MRC-5 and HeLa cell lines for copper oxide nanoparticles and was found that the nanoparticles are non-toxic to the normal cells and are relatively toxic to cancer cells.