Eco-friendly Nanoparticles Research Articles

Exploitation of Thermomyces fungal pigment for the synthesis of silver nanoparticles for textile application

Antimicrobial fabrics have gained considerable interest for use in different fields of application. However, most of these antimicrobials have many disadvantages viz., toxicity on non-targets, environment, and low durability of finished products, etc. The study aimed to develop an ecofriendly nanoparticle that can be used both as an antimicrobial and coloring agent. Fungi are known to produce a wide spectrum of colors as secondary metabolites, and they are also capable of creating nanoparticles. Thermomyces sp. is capable of producing a yellow pigment along with the ability to synthesize silver nanoparticles. UV-Vis spectroscopy, FT-IR, and TEM were used to analyze the synthesized silver nanoparticles. The size of the silver nanoparticles was found to be between 10 and 50 nm, and nanoparticles treated cloth displayed 90% antibacterial action against Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

Machine Learning-Based Approach for Modeling the Nanofluid Flow in a Solar Thermal Panel in the Presence of Phase Change Materials

Considering the importance of environmental protection and renewable energy resources, particularly solar energy, the present study investigates the temperature control of a solar panel using a nanofluid (NFD) flow with eco-friendly nanoparticles (NPs) and a phase change material (PCM). The PCM was used under the solar panel, and the NFD flowed through pipes within the PCM. A number of straight fins (three fins) were exploited on the pipes, and the output flow temperature, heat transfer (HTR) coefficient, and melted PCM volume fraction were measured for different pipe diameters (D_Pipe) from 4 mm to 8 mm at various time points (from 0 to 100 min). Additionally, with the use of artificial intelligence and machine learning, the best conditions for obtaining the lowest panel temperature and the highest output NFD temperature at the lowest pressure drop have been determined. While the porosity approach was used to model the PCM melt front, a two-phase mixture was used to simulate NFD flow. It was discovered that the solar panel temperature and output temperature both increased considerably between t = 0 and t = 10 min before beginning to rise at varying rates, depending on the D_Pipe. The HTR coefficient increased over time, showing similar behavior to the panel temperature. The entire PCM melted within a short time for D_Pipes of 4 and 6 mm, while a large fraction of the PCM remained un-melted for a long time for a D_Pipe of 8 mm. An increase in D_Pipe, particularly from 4 to 6 mm, reduced the maximum and average panel temperatures, leading to a lower output flow temperature. Furthermore, the increased D_Pipe reduced the HTR coefficient, with the PCM remaining un-melted for a longer time under the panel.

Cost-effective ecofriendly nanoparticles for rapid and efficient indigo carmine dye removal from wastewater: Adsorption equilibrium, kinetics and mechanism

In this study, a novel, ecofriendly and inexpensive nanoscale adsorbent, derived from the byproducts of water industry (nWTRs), was prepared and characterized for efficient removal of Indigo Carmine (IC) dye from contaminated water. The adsorption study analyzed the influence of pH, adsorbent/IC solution ratio, exposure time, IC concentration, and temperature to maximize IC dye removal from contaminated wastewater. The adsorption equilibrium data fitted to Langmuir model whereas power function and first order models fitted the adsorption kinetic data. The maximum adsorption capacity ( q max ) of IC was found to be 30.86 mg ⋅ g −1 for bulk WTR and 172.4 mg ⋅ g −1 for nWTR. The nanosized adsorbent was 5.6 times more effective than the bulk WTR and the adsorption equilibrium can be reached within 30 min. The thermodynamic study in the interval 25–45 °C proved that IC adsorption in nWTR was spontaneous and endothermic. Hydrogen bonding, Al and Fe complexes formation and electrostatic interlinkage are the dominant processes of IC adsorption in nWTR. Repeated cycles of adsorption/desorption of IC in nWTR confirmed the stability of the adsorbent. The excellent IC dye removal efficiency of nWTRs from textile industry effluent suggests its promising potential in remediating IC contaminated wastewater. • Water treatment residuals (WTR) showed a special capacity for the adsorption of Indigo Carmine from textile wastewater effluents. • The nanosized particles of WTR were 5.6 times more effective in the adsorption process than the bulk WTR. • Repeated cycles of adsorption/desorption of IC in WTR confirmed the reversibility of the process and the stability of the adsorbent.

Green synthesis of gold nanoparticles using Gracilaria crassa leaf extract and their ecotoxicological potential: Issues to be considered

The use of vegetal species for gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) biosynthesis can constitute an alternative to replacing the extensive use of several hazardous chemicals commonly used during NPs synthesis and, therefore, can reduce biological impacts induced by the release of these products into the natural environment. However, the “green nanoparticles” and/or “eco-friendly nanoparticles” label does not ensure that biosynthesized NPs are harmless to non-target organisms. Thus, we aimed to synthesize AuNPs from seaweed Gracilaria crassa aqueous extract through an eco-friendly, fast, one-pot synthetic route. The formation of spherical, stable, polycrystalline NPs with a diameter of 32.0 nm ± 4.0 nm (mean ±SEM) was demonstrated by UV–vis spectroscopy, field emission scanning electron microscopy, and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray and X-ray diffraction measurement, and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy analysis. In addition, different phytocomponents were identified in the biosynthesized AuNPs, using Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS). However, both G. crassa aqueous extract and the biosynthesized AuNPs showed high ecotoxicity in Anopheles stephensi larvae exposed to different concentrations. Therefore, our study supports the potential of seaweed G. crassa as a raw material source for AuNPs biosynthesis while also shedding light on its ecotoxicological potential, which necessitates consideration of its risk to aquatic biota.

Reusable Extractant and Direct Catalytic Mediation of Water/Oil/Chlorodifluoromethane Nano-Emulsion in Natural Gas Condensate for Efficient Conversion of Chloride Impurities Into the Dicopper Chloride Trihydroxide Nanoparticles.

This research introduces an oil-in-water (O/W) nano-emulsion (oil-water-) as the reusable extractant phase using liquid–liquid extraction methodology for the removal efficiency of Cl− and Hg(0) [between 90% and ∼100%, deepening on the nature of the natural gas condensate (NGC)] at a brief separation time (<3.0 min). The achieved safety of the NGC using this nano-emulsion results in efficient reduction in the corrosion rate during testing iron-based fragments (vs. the untreated ones as controls) and increase in the NGC economic value. Another advantage of the synthesized nano-emulsion is its capability and catalytic mediating behavior to efficiently separate and synthesize highly pure dicopper chloride trihydroxide nanoparticles. The synthesized nanoparticles were characterized by different analytical methods such as Fourier transform infrared spectrometry, X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectrometry, and direct visualization by some electron microscopies. Direct synthesis, fast synthetic time (<3.0 min), high purity (>99%), and scalability are the main advantages of this synthetic method. This nanoparticle is not only safe but also is efficiently applicable in different industries, especially as an eco-friendly agricultural pesticide for different plants and tress such as pistachio. Consequently, this method is accepted as direct, simple, low-cost, and scalable conversion of some upstream industries with the downstream ones. All these possibilities are attributed to the intermediate transport properties of the introduced O/W nano-emulsion. At this condition, this reagent plays role as a recycled motor for the NGC purification and conversion of these impurities into the safe and usable products. To the best of knowledge, this research is considered as the first report that shows application of this O/W medium for both chloride and mercury removal from the NGC and its direct use as top element in the synthesis of eco-friendly nanoparticles. This system is applicable in some parts of the fuel and oil centers of the “Middle East.”

ZnO-based nanocomposites for removal of lead (Pb2+) from water/wastewater: a review

PurposeThis paper aims to investigation of processes for Pb2+ elimination from water/wastewater as a significant public health issue in many parts of world. The removal of Pb2+ ions by various nanocomposites has been explained from water/wastewaters. ZnO-based nanocomposites, as eco-friendly nanoparticles with unique physicochemical properties, have received increased attention to remove Pb2+ ions from water/wastewaters.Design/methodology/approachIn this review, different ZnO-based nanocomposites were reviewed for their application in the removal of Pb2+ ions from the aqueous solution, typically for wastewater treatment using methodology, such as adsorption. This review focused on the ZnO-based nanocomposites for removing Pb2+ ions from water and wastewaters systems.FindingsThe ZnO-based nanocomposite was prepared by different methods, such as electrospinning, hydrothermal/alkali hydrothermal, direct precipitation and polymerization. Depending on the preparation method, various types of ZnO-based nanocomposites like ZnO-metal (Cu/ZnO, ZnO/ZnS, ZnO/Fe), ZnO-nonmetal (PVA/ZnO, Talc/ZnO) and ZnO-metal/nonmetal (ZnO/Na-Y zeolite) were obtained with different morphologies. The effects of operational parameters and adsorption mechanisms were discussed in the review.Research limitations/implicationsThe findings may be greatly useful in the application of the ZnO-based nanocomposite in the fields of organic and inorganic pollutants adsorption.Practical implicationsThe present study is novel, because it investigated the morphological and structural properties of the synthesized ZnO-based nanocomposite using different methods and studied the capability of green-synthesized ZnO-based nanocomposite to remove Pb2+ ions as water contaminants.Social implicationsThe current review can be used for the development of environmental pollution control measures.Originality/valueThis paper reviews the rapidly developing field of nanocomposite technology.

Biosynthesis of Gold Nanoparticles Using Strobilanthes crispa Aqueous Leaves Extract and Evaluation of Its Antibacterial Activity

The role of plant phytochemicals has drawn undeniable attention for synthesizing stable and eco-friendly nanoparticles. Therefore, this work explores using locally grown Strobilanthes crispa aqueous leaves extract for the biosynthesis of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) using HAuCl4 as the metal precursor. The AuNPs were characterized using Ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis) spectroscopy, Fourier transforms infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, High-resolution Transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The UV-Vis spectrum exhibits two absorption peaks due to surface plasmon resonance of gold at 530 nm and 708 nm within 2 hours. The HRTEM micrographs proved that AuNPs were predominantly spherical with mixtures of anisotropic nanoshapes. The FTIR spectra evident the presence of phytochemical compounds, which acted as the capping agent. The face-centered cubic (fcc) structure was confirmed using the XRD pattern with an average crystallite size of 9.3 nm. The antibacterial assay exhibited a positive inhibitory effect on Gram-negative bacteria (Escherichia coli ATCC 11229) compared to Gram-positive bacteria (Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 6538). Further in silico analysis between AuNPs and E. coli bacterial proteins using STITCH 5.0 revealed a high binding affinity of &gt; 0.7 to DNA and membrane-related proteins. This result unravels the antibacterial properties of S. crispa AuNPs, leading to potent bacterial death.

An eco-friendly zein nanoparticle as robust cosmetic ingredient ameliorates skin photoaging

Zein colloidal particles, which have generally regarded as safe (GRAS) status, have been routinely used in formulations of oral nutraceuticals but not in skin care products. Herein, we constructed for the first time zein-based topical vehicles to address skin photoaging. To this end, we fabricated a new type of eco-friendly nanoparticles by co-assembling zein with hyaluronic acid (HA), a cell-specific molecule, to encapsulate hydrophobic tetrahydrocurcumin (THC) with an aim to improve its cutaneous bioavailability. Impressively, the prepared nanoparticles could increase the solubility of THC in water by 72.84 times, and were stable at pH 4–10. In particular, the topical delivery systems were effective in UVB-induced cell and animal photoaging models, and were able to restore the accumulation of matrix metalloproteinase-1 (MMP-1) and inflammatory factors to the normal levels at the selected conditions. In addition, the biotransformation of THC in HaCaT cells was observed and clarified. This strategy may open up new promising avenues for developing innovative nanocosmetics containing anti-photoaging ingredient.

Green synthesized nanomaterials as an alternative to restricted chemicals in postharvest preservation of horticultural crops: a review

Synthetic chemicals have been successfully used to control economic postharvest pathogens such as Botrytis cinerea, Penicillium spp., Rhizopus spp., etc., thus reducing postharvest losses. However, their active ingredient and co-formulants have resulted in their use being restricted internationally due to health concerns and consumers’ requests for safe and natural alternatives. As an alternative to chemicals, green synthesized nanomaterials incorporated with edible coatings in a polymer matrix have been successfully applied on horticultural crops to improve their shelf-life Due to their known antimicrobial activities, plant extracts and nanoparticles such as silver and zinc oxide have been successfully used in food processing applications. Green sources are used as stabilizer and reducing agents to synthesize shape and sizecontrolled metal and metal oxide nanoparticles. Thus, eco-friendly nanoparticles are produced without using toxic materials and are cost-effective. Edible coatings form a thin layer that prevents oxidation, maintains the product quality, can be safely eaten as part of the product, and does not add unfavourable properties. Studies showed that edible coatings with or without green nanomaterials have been successfully used to control postharvest losses and improve the shelf-life of fruit crops such as plums, raspberries, etc.

Synthesis of eco-friendly nanocomposite with silver nanoparticle to increase the antimicrobial activity

Nanomaterials are widely used as antifungal/antibacterial agents in numerous fields including cosmetics, therapeutics, diagnostics, food and other chemical industries. These nanomaterials are synthesized using various approaches; however, the use of chemical methods is leading to toxic and non-eco-friendly products, hence, there is an urge to prepare the nanomaterials free of toxicity. In this study, we synthesized and characterized the plant mediated silver nanoparticles-based composites using Cissus quandrangularis and Ocimum tenuiflorum. These eco-friendly nanoparticles were encapsulated with natural polymers and characterized by UV–Vis spectrophotometer, FT-IR and Scanning Electron Microscopy. In addition, synthesized nanocomposites were evaluated for antibacterial activity by disc diffusion method against Gram-negative (Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas sps) bacteria showed higher antibacterial activity. These eco-friendly nanocomposites may be used as antimicrobial packaging materials, wound dressings and grafting applications.

Green Synthesis of Silver Nanoparticles Incorporated Aromatherapies Utilized for Their Antioxidant and Antimicrobial Activities against Some Clinical Bacterial Isolates

There is a need to synthesize eco-friendly nanoparticles with more effective and potent antibacterial activities. A green and cost-effective method for the synthesis of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) using Thymus vulgaris, Mentha piperita, and Zingiber officinale extracts was developed. The analytical instrumentation, namely, UV/Vis, absorption spectroscopy, FTIR, and scanning electron microscopy (SEM), was used to determine the developed AgNPs, confirming the functional groups involved in their reduction. Acidic molybdate, DPPH, and FRAP regents were reacted with AgNPs extract to evaluate their antioxidant, scavenging, and oxidative activities. The agar well diffusion method was used to determine the antibacterial potential of AgNPs extracts using clinical isolates. The developed AgNPs showed peaks at 25 cum\\Diff, 50 cum\\Diff, and 75 cum\\Diff, respectively, of 16.59 ± 0.78, 45.94 ± 1.07, and 81.04 ± 0.98 nm, for Thymus vulgaris, Mentha piperita, and Zingiber officinale. SEM revealed uniform prepared and encapsulated AgNPs by plant extracts matrix. The FTIR shows the involvement of amide (-CO-NH2), carbonyl (-CO), and hydroxyl (-OH), which resulted in the reduction of AgNPs. The AgNPs extract showed significantly higher TAA, DPPH, and FRAP values than free AgNPs and plant extract (p < 0.05). Antibacterial of AgNPs extracts revealed various degrees of inhibition zones against Escherichia coli, Acinetobacter baumannii, and Staphylococcus aureus. The developed AgNPs extract showed acceptable antioxidant activities and noticeable antibacterial potential. The prepared green synthesized AgNPs showed a promising antibacterial activity against four multidrug-resistant clinical isolates, Escherichia coli, Acinetobacter baumannii, and Staphylococcus aureus. Further, fractionated extracts other than crude extracts will be utilized in the preparation of AgNPs to get more efficient antibacterial activities for future work.

Nanobioremediation of heavy metals: Perspectives and challenges

AbstractSustainable agriculture and humanity's civilization rest upon valuable natural resources such as earth and water, which have gone maximal exploitation and have been deteriorated by human activities. Heavy metals are natural components and one of the major pollutants of our environment, with a high atomic number and five times the density of water. The conventional physicochemical treatments for metal removal being cost‐intensive, have naturally paved the way for bioremediation, which is an attractive and economical alternative. Over the last few years, bionanotechnology has emerged as a useful tool in the remediation of heavy metals. The elimination of heavy metals continues to be a burning issue in research, and nanomaterials provide a particular affinity as well as high surface area for heavy metal adsorption. A chemically engineered nanoparticle can be expensive and also requires the use of toxic agents which may be undesirable for the environment. To cut the cost and produce clean, ecofriendly nanoparticles, biogenic synthesis of nanoparticles can be accomplished with the help of different microorganisms as well as plants, which can be further exploited for heavy metal remediation.

Colour-fast eco-friendly nanoparticles for dyeing cotton fabrics

Colour-fast eco-friendly nanoparticles for dyeing cotton fabrics

Nanoparticles: Mechanism of biosynthesis using plant extracts, bacteria, fungi, and their applications

The synthesis of eco-friendly nanoparticles (NPs) is a crucial step in nanotechnology. In recent years, to avoid environmental contamination, many efforts have been made many efforts are made to develop green methods for this purpose. For this reason, natural resources including plant extract, fungi and bacteria have been used to synthesize NPs. Plant extract contains active compounds of terpenoids, alkaloids, phenols, tannins, and vitamins that act as capping and reducing agents. The size, shape and applications of NPs are determined by the source from which they are manufactured. While active compounds of bacteria and fungi are intracellular enzymes, sugar molecules, canonical membrane proteins, Nicotinamide Adenine Dinucleotide (NADH) and Nicotinamide Adenine Dinucleotide Phosphate (NADPH) dependent enzymes play a crucial part as reducing agents. The characterization of NPs can be done by Fourier-Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray Crystallography (XRD), Energy-dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (EDX), Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM), Transmission Electron microscopy (TEM) and UV–Visible spectroscopy. This review paper elaborates major natural resources with detailed mechanisms involved in NPs synthesis and their few applications in biomedical science, life science and electronics.

Energy, exergy and economic analysis of liquid flat-plate solar collector using green covalent functionalized graphene nanoplatelets

• Thermal efficiency of solar collector increased using eco-friendly nanofluids with maximum improvement up to 24%. • Exergy efficiency increased with weight concentration of eco-friendly nanoparticles. • Maximum increase in friction factor was around 7.9% for 0.1% nanofluid than base fluid. • Relative pumping power slightly increases with increment in nanofluid concentration but is quite close to that of the base fluid. • Pay back period was 5.615% lesser using nanofluids than water. The conventional method of synthesizing carbon-based nanofluids produces harmful products that are highly toxic and hazardous. The present investigation deals with the effects of using eco-friendly, non-corrosive, covalent functionalized Graphene Nanoplatelets with gallic acid (GGNPs) as heat transfer fluid on energetic and exergetic performance of a Liquid flat-plate solar collector (LFPSC). Long-term dispersible stable GGNP nanofluids with base fluid distilled water are prepared with different weight concentrations of 0.025%, 0.05% & 0.1%. For varying concentrations, fluid flow rates of 0.8, 1.2, and 1.5 L/min, heat flux intensities of 600, 800, and 1000 W/m 2 , and inlet temperature ranging from 303 to 323 K are considered for the conduction of experiments. Improvement in energy and exergetic efficiency was achieved using GGNP nanofluids. Thermal efficiency surges with increment in flow rate and heat flux intensities, meanwhile it decreases for increment in inlet temperature. The maximum enhancement in LFPSC efficiency is 24.09% for 0.1 wt% GGNPs and flow rate of 1.5 L/min than distilled water. Analysis of exergetic performance revealed that exergy efficiency reduces with a rise in mass flow rate meanwhile enhanced with an increase in nanofluid concentration. Exergy efficiency was maximum for 0.1% GGNP concentration and flow rate of 0.8 L/min. The maximum increase in friction factor values is approximately 1.5, 2.6 and 7.9% for 0.025, 0.05 and 0.1% GGNP nanofluids than distilled water. Relative pumping power slightly increases with the increment of GGNP concentration but is quite close to that of the base fluid. Performance index greater than one is obtained with higher values achieved at an increase in GGNP weight concentration. Economic consideration of GGNP nanofluids in LFPSC showcased a maximum reduction of 26.41% in the size of collector area using 0.1% GGNP nanofluid instead of distilled water. The payback period for LFPSC using GGNPs was 5.615% lesser than that of using water.

Low cost and eco-friendly nanoparticles from cockle shells as a potential matrix for the immobilisation of urease enzyme

Cockle shells (a marine mollusc) are by-products or waste from the seafood industry, primarily made up of calcium carbonate (CaCO3) and are beneficial for the immobilisation of urease (Urs). In this study, a composition of 99.5% CaCO3 nanoparticles (NPs) from cockle shells was synthesised using a simple and environmentally friendly method involving the grinding and milling of cockle shells. Findings showed that the production of the pure NPs resulted in CaCO3 aragonite polymorphs approximately 78 nm in size and primarily functionalised with acrylic acid N-hydroxysuccinimide ester, which had a succinimide group that bound to the amine group of Urs. Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) spectra confirmed peaks at 1120 cm−1 and 1016.63 cm−1, which were due to the presence of aliphatic amine C-N and amide bonds, revealing the immobilisation of Urs on functionalised NPs. Moreover, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analysis showed changes in binding energy (eV) before and after immobilisation with Urs, with peaks at 131 eV and 170 eV representing phosphate and sulphur, respectively, from the Urs enzyme. Approximately 85.8% of Urs were successfully immobilised covalently on the larges surface areas of the NPs, enabling greater enzyme loading for the potential development of urea biosensors.

Phytosynthesized nanoparticles as a potential cancer therapeutic agent.

Plants are the well-known sources for the hyper-accumulation and reduction of metallic ions. Analysis of various plant extracts has justified the presence of different types of phytochemicals that possess the stabilization and reduction functionalities of precursors to form nanoparticles. Such characteristics make plants as an attractive source for synthesizing eco-friendly nanoparticles (NPs) with potentially less toxicity to the body. Recently, phytosynthesized nanoparticles have been explored for targeted inhibition and diagnosis of cancer cells without affecting non-cancerous healthy cells. The aim of this review is to discuss the characteristic performance of NPs synthesized from various plant sources for the diagnosis and inhibition of cancer. The mode of action of phytosynthesized nanoparticles for anti-cancer applications are also discussed.

Gold Nanoparticles Biosynthesized using Lignosus rhinocerotis Extracts: Comparative Evaluation of Biostatic and Cytotoxicity Effects

Gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) are a unique class of nanomaterials applied in biomedical applications. Biological synthesis or biosynthesis of AuNPs offers advantages including simple and cost-effective method as well as nontoxic to human, making it superior to chemical synthesis. In this study, comparative evaluation was conducted for antimicrobial and cytotoxicity effects of chemically synthesized (Chem-AuNPs) and biosynthesized AuNPs (Bio-AuNPs). Chem- and Bio-AuNPs were produced using sodium citrate and L. rhinocerotis extracts, respectively. Different methods namely hot and cold-water extraction (HWE and CWE, respectively) were used to extract L. rhinocerotis sclerotium, a medicinal mushroom. Both types of nanoparticles were stabilized using chitosan (CS) and characterized for their physical characteristics, followed by determination of antibacterial and cytotoxicity effects in vitro. Formation of AuNPs exhibited surface plasmon resonance (SPR) band at 465-564 nm and 523-544 nm for Chem-AuNPs and BioAuNPs, respectively, as determined by UV-vis spectroscopy. CS-stabilized AuNPs had larger size of particles than nonstabilized ones, ranging from 200 to 500 nm. Both Chem- and Bio-AuNPs showed biostatic activity against Grampositive bacteria (Bacillus sp. and Staphylococcus aureus) and Gram-negative bacteria (Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Escherichia coli). The cytotoxicity assay for 24 h showed higher cell viability for Bio-AuNPs than Chem-AuNPs, indicating relatively less toxicity of Bio-AuNPs. In conclusion, Bio-AuNPs using the mushroom extracts and CS provide opportunities for developing stable, safer, and eco-friendly nanoparticles with effective antibacterial properties for clinical applications.

Biosynthesis of Copper Oxide Nanoparticles with Potential Biomedical Applications.

IntroductionIn recent years, the use of cost-effective, multifunctional, environmentally friendly and simple prepared nanomaterials/nanoparticles have been emerged considerably. In this manner, different synthesizing methods were reported and optimized, but there is still lack of a comprehensive method with multifunctional properties.Materials and MethodsIn this study, we aim to synthesis the copper oxide nanoparticles using Achillea millefolium leaf extracts for the first time. Catalytic activity was investigated by in situ azide alkyne cycloaddition click and also A3 coupling reaction, and optimized in terms of temperature, solvent, and time of the reaction. Furthermore, the photocatalytic activity of the synthesized nanoparticles was screened in terms of degradation methylene blue dye. Biological activity of the synthesized nanoparticles was evaluated in terms of antibacterial and anti-fungal assessments against Staphylococcus aureus, M. tuberculosis, E. coli, K. pneumoniae, P. mirabili, C. diphtheriae and S. pyogenes bacteria’s and G. albicans, A. flavus, M. canis and G. glabrata fungus. In the next step, the biosynthesized CuO-NPs were screened by MTT and NTU assays.ResultsBased on our knowledge, this is a comprehensive study on the catalytic and biological activity of copper oxide nanoparticles synthesizing from Achillea millefolium, which presents great and significant results (in both catalytic and biological activities) based on a simple and green procedure.ConclusionComprehensive biomedical and catalytic investigation of the biosynthesized CuO-NPs showed the mentioned method leads to synthesis of more eco-friendly nanoparticles. The in vitro studies showed promising and considerable results, and due to the great stability of these nanoparticles in a green media, effective biological activity considered as an advantageous.

Optical and biomedical applications of eco-friendly biosynthesized silver nano spheres using zingiber officinale root extract

Eco-friendly bio-compatible silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) were successfully synthesized using Zingiber officinale extract in a simple green route at room temperature. The phytoconstituents present in Zingiber officinale (Z. officinale) extract act as reducing and stabilizing agents. The size and crystallinity of spherical Ag NPs were confirmed through transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) studies. The formation of silver nanoparticles was also confirmed from the UV–vis and FTIR spectra. Luminescence properties of europium (Eu) and samarium (Sm) complexes in the presence of silver were studied. The intensity of luminescence from Eu and Sm complexes were found to get enhanced or quenched with their concentrations in Ag NPs. Interesting nonlinear optical properties exhibited by Ag NPs were observed in the Z-scan experiment suggesting that they can be used as optical limiters for the picosecond (ps) time scale green laser. Silver nanoparticles were tested against colon cancer (HCT116) cells in vitro by MTT assay and they exhibited smaller IC50 values with better inhibition efficiency. Ag NPs induced apoptosis through the activation of Reactive oxygen species (ROS) and Caspase-3 pathways. Antibacterial activity of Ag NPs was analysed against Acinetobacter baumannii (A. baumannii) and Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) and they were found to be efficient in inhibiting the bacteria. The results indicate that the biosynthesized eco-friendly nanoparticles having high stability can lead to many applications such as good luminescence enhancement, optical limiting characteristics, anticancerous and antibacterial properties in optics and biomedicine.