Phyco-Mediated Synthesis of Ag/AgCl Nanoparticles Using Ethanol Extract of a Marine Green Algae, Ulva Fasciata Delile with Biological Activity

Abstract

Due to nanotechnology's unique capabilities in the fields of medicine, a great deal of attention has recently been devoted to the development of nanoparticle-based different drugs. In this study, silver/silver chloride nanoparticles (Ag/AgCl-NPs) were synthesized by an ethanol extract of Ulva fasciata (UF-extract) to examine their biological properties. The formation of Ag/AgCl-NPs was verified by changing the color solution and detecting a prominent peak of the Uv-visible spectrum. SEM, TEM, XRD, FTIR, DLS, and Zeta potential were applied to the analysis of physicochemical properties of NPs. After that, NPs were studied to determine their antifungal, antioxidant, and anti-cancer activities. SEM and TEM micrographs have shown that Ag/AgCl-NPs have appropriate nanostructures below 100 nm with spherical shapes. The XRD pattern of Ag/AgCl-NPs demonstrated irregular crystalline phases suggesting an amorphous structure. The FTIR spectrum verified the role of functional groups of algal metabolites in NPs synthesis and stabilization. The Zeta potential predicted a surface charge of about-16 mV. The results of antifungal experiments showed that Ag/AgCl-NPs have high inhibitory activity against Candida albicans and C. Glabrata. The antioxidant activity of Ag/AgCl-NPs confirmed their strong antioxidant capacity. Finally, the anti-cancer activity of Ag/AgCl-NPs was calculated based on LD50 to be approximately 20 μg, which was almost twice as potent as the anti-cancer effect of the UF-extract. Taken together, phyco-fabricated Ag/AgCl-NPs seem to be biocompatible, cost-effective, and easy-to-use materials that can be used to achieve high potent drugs against various diseases, including pathogens and cancer cells.