The Role of Green Reducing Agents in Gelatin-Based Synthesis of Colloidal Selenium Nanoparticles and Investigation of Their Antimycobacterial and Photocatalytic Properties

Abstract

Herein, we have presented a new approach for the fabrication of selenium nanoparticles (Se-NPs), which involves the utilization of sodium selenite (Na2SeO3) as the selenium source and gelatin in the role a capping agent. Glucose and ascorbic acid have been applied and compared as the “green” reducing agents. Se-NPs have been characterized by the means of X-ray diffraction (XRD), UV–Vis spectrometry, dynamic light scattering, transmission electron microscopy, field emission scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray analysis, and atomic force microscopy. The existence of spherical Se-NPs with mean particle size of < 20 nm as an aqueous stable colloid solution has been revealed by the obtained results. The XRD patterns have shown the hexagonal crystalline structures. Se-NPs have been capable of preventing some infections. The aim of this paper was to investigate two important properties of Se-NPs, including antimycobacterial and photocatalytic activities. The antimycobacterial investigations on Mycobacterium tuberculosis have exhibited the fine functionality of Se-NPs in the role of an antimycobacterial drug. Also, about 60% of Methylene Blue and 75% of Rhodamine B has been detected to degrade in the presence of Se-NPs under UV light after 150 and 120 min, respectively.