Directing self-assembly of gold nanoparticles in diblock copolymer scaffold

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Qifang; He, Jinbo; Glogowski, Elizabeth; Emrick, Todd; Russell, Thomas

2007-03-01

A versatile hierarchical approach for directing self -assembly of gold nanostructures with size 2-3nm in diblock copolymer scaffolds is found. Diblock copolymer polystyrene-b-poly(2-vinylpyridine) (PS-b-P2VP) is used to form a regular scaffold of highly anisotropic, stripe-like domains, and controlled differential wetting by dichloromethane and thermal annealing guides gold nanoparticles with half hydrophilic ligand to aggregate selectively along the scaffold, producing highly organized metal nanostructures. In as-cast block-copolymer and gold nanoparticles thin films, micelle structure and gold nanoparticles random distribution on scaffold are typically observed. However, samples annealed in dichloromethane exhibit well-defined short-range ordered nanostructure with gold nanoparticles located at the interface of PS and P2VP nanoscale domain. After annealing at 170 C, the gold nanoparticles at interface migrated into the middle of P2VP phase and exhibited long-range ordered hierarchical structures. Synergistic interactions between the gold nanoparticles and the PS-b-P2VP caused an orientation of the microdomains normal to the film surface.

In vivo tumor-targeted dual-modal fluorescence/CT imaging using a nanoprobe co-loaded with an aggregation-induced emission dye and gold nanoparticles.

PubMed

Zhang, Jimei; Li, Chan; Zhang, Xu; Huo, Shuaidong; Jin, Shubin; An, Fei-Fei; Wang, Xiaodan; Xue, Xiangdong; Okeke, C I; Duan, Guiyun; Guo, Fengguang; Zhang, Xiaohong; Hao, Jifu; Wang, Paul C; Zhang, Jinchao; Liang, Xing-Jie

2015-02-01

As an intensely studied computed tomography (CT) contrast agent, gold nanoparticle has been suggested to be combined with fluorescence imaging modality to offset the low sensitivity of CT. However, the strong quenching of gold nanoparticle on fluorescent dyes requires complicated design and shielding to overcome. Herein, we report a unique nanoprobe (M-NPAPF-Au) co-loading an aggregation-induced emission (AIE) red dye and gold nanoparticles into DSPE-PEG(2000) micelles for dual-modal fluorescence/CT imaging. The nanoprobe was prepared based on a facile method of "one-pot ultrasonic emulsification". Surprisingly, in the micelles system, fluorescence dye (NPAPF) efficiently overcame the strong fluorescence quenching of shielding-free gold nanoparticles and retained the crucial AIE feature. In vivo studies demonstrated the nanoprobe had superior tumor-targeting ability, excellent fluorescence and CT imaging effects. The totality of present studies clearly indicates the significant potential application of M-NPAPF-Au as a dual-modal non-invasive fluorescence/X-ray CT nanoprobe for in vivo tumor-targeted imaging and diagnosis. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Ultrasensitive detection of target analyte-induced aggregation of gold nanoparticles using laser-induced nanoparticle Rayleigh scattering.

PubMed

Lin, Jia-Hui; Tseng, Wei-Lung

2015-01-01

Detection of salt- and analyte-induced aggregation of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) mostly relies on costly and bulky analytical instruments. To response this drawback, a portable, miniaturized, sensitive, and cost-effective detection technique is urgently required for rapid field detection and monitoring of target analyte via the use of AuNP-based sensor. This study combined a miniaturized spectrometer with a 532-nm laser to develop a laser-induced Rayleigh scattering technique, allowing the sensitive and selective detection of Rayleigh scattering from the aggregated AuNPs. Three AuNP-based sensing systems, including salt-, thiol- and metal ion-induced aggregation of the AuNPs, were performed to examine the sensitivity of laser-induced Rayleigh scattering technique. Salt-, thiol-, and metal ion-promoted NP aggregation were exemplified by the use of aptamer-adsorbed, fluorosurfactant-stabilized, and gallic acid-capped AuNPs for probing K(+), S-adenosylhomocysteine hydrolase-induced hydrolysis of S-adenosylhomocysteine, and Pb(2+), in sequence. Compared to the reported methods for monitoring the aggregated AuNPs, the proposed system provided distinct advantages of sensitivity. Laser-induced Rayleigh scattering technique was improved to be convenient, cheap, and portable by replacing a diode laser and a miniaturized spectrometer with a laser pointer and a smart-phone. Using this smart-phone-based detection platform, we can determine whether or not the Pb(2+) concentration exceed the maximum allowable level of Pb(2+) in drinking water. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Nanoparticle-mediated local and remote manipulation of protein aggregation.

PubMed

Kogan, Marcelo J; Bastus, Neus G; Amigo, Roger; Grillo-Bosch, Dolors; Araya, Eyleen; Turiel, Antonio; Labarta, Amilcar; Giralt, Ernest; Puntes, Victor F

2006-01-01

The local heat delivered by metallic nanoparticles selectively attached to their target can be used as a molecular surgery to safely remove toxic and clogging aggregates. We apply this principle to protein aggregates, in particular to the amyloid beta protein (Abeta) involved in Alzheimer's disease (AD), a neurodegenerative disease where unnaturally folded Abeta proteins self-assemble and deposit forming amyloid fibrils and plaques. We show the possibility to remotely redissolve these deposits and to interfere with their growth, using the local heat dissipated by gold nanoparticles (AuNP) selectively attached to the aggregates and irradiated with low gigahertz electromagnetic fields. Simultaneous tagging and manipulation by AuNP of Abeta at different stages of aggregation allow both, noninvasive exploration and dissolution of molecular aggregates.

PST-Gold nanoparticle as an effective anticancer agent with immunomodulatory properties.

PubMed

Joseph, Manu M; Aravind, S R; Varghese, Sheeja; Mini, S; Sreelekha, T T

2013-04-01

Polysaccharide PST001, which is isolated from the seed kernels of Tamarindus indica (Ti), is an antitumor and immunomodulatory compound. Gold nanoparticles have been used for various applications in cancer. In the present report, a novel strategy for the synthesis and stabilization of gold nanoparticles using anticancer polysaccharide PST001 was employed and the nanoparticles' antitumor activity was evaluated. PST-Gold nanoparticles were prepared such that PST001 acted both as a reducing agent and as a capping agent. PST-Gold nanoparticles showed high stability, no obvious aggregation for months and a wide range of pH tolerance. PST-Gold nanoparticles not only retained the antitumor effect of PST001 but also showed an enhanced effect even at a low concentration. It was also found that the nanoparticles exerted their antitumor effects through the induction of apoptosis. In vivo assays on BALB/c mice revealed that PST-Gold nanoparticles exhibited immunomodulatory effects. Evaluation of biochemical, hematological and histopathological features of mice revealed that PST-Gold nanoparticles could be administered safely without toxicity. Using the polysaccharide PST001 for the reduction and stabilization of gold nanoparticles does not introduce any environmental toxicity or biological hazards, and these particles are more effective than the parent polysaccharide. Further studies should be employed to exploit these particles as anticancer agents with imaging properties. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Banana peel extract mediated synthesis of gold nanoparticles.

PubMed

Bankar, Ashok; Joshi, Bhagyashree; Kumar, Ameeta Ravi; Zinjarde, Smita

2010-10-01

Gold nanoparticles were synthesized by using banana peel extract (BPE) as a simple, non-toxic, eco-friendly 'green material'. The boiled, crushed, acetone precipitated, air-dried peel powder was used to reduce chloroauric acid. A variety of nanoparticles were formed when the reaction conditions were altered with respect to pH, BPE content, chloroauric acid concentration and temperature of incubation. The reaction mixtures displayed vivid colors and UV-vis spectra characteristic of gold nanoparticles. Dynamic light scattering (DLS) studies revealed that the average size of the nanoparticles under standard synthetic conditions was around 300nm. Scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive spectrometry (EDS) confirmed these results. A coffee ring phenomenon, led to the aggregation of the nanoparticles into microcubes and microwire networks towards the periphery of the air-dried samples. X-ray diffraction studies of the samples revealed spectra that were characteristic for gold. Fourier transform infra red (FTIR) spectroscopy indicated the involvement of carboxyl, amine and hydroxyl groups in the synthetic process. The BPE mediated nanoparticles displayed efficient antimicrobial activity towards most of the tested fungal and bacterial cultures.

Surface-enhanced Raman scattering of the adsorption of pesticide endosulfan on gold nanoparticles.

PubMed

Hernández-Castillo, M I; Zaca-Morán, O; Zaca-Morán, P; Orduña-Diaz, A; Delgado-Macuil, R; Rojas-López, M

2015-01-01

The absorption of pesticide endosulfan on the surface of gold nanoparticles results from the formation of micrometric structures (1-10 μm) with irregular shape because of the aggregation of individual particles. Such aggregation of gold nanoparticles after absorption of pesticide shows a surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) spectrum, whose intensity depends on the concentration of endosulfan. In addition, the discoloration of the colloidal solution and a diminishing of the intensity of the surface plasmon resonance absorption from individual particles were observed by UV-visible spectroscopy. At the same time, a second band between 638 and 700 nm confirms the formation of aggregates of gold nanoparticles as the concentration of endosulfan increases. Finally, we used the SERS intensity of the S-O stretching vibration at 1239 cm(-1) from the SO3 group as a measure of concentration of pesticide endosulfan. This method could be used to estimate the level of pollution in water by endosulfan in a simple and practical form.

Simple colorimetric detection of doxycycline and oxytetracycline using unmodified gold nanoparticles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Jie; Fan, Shumin; Li, Zhigang; Xie, Yuanzhe; Wang, Rui; Ge, Baoyu; Wu, Jing; Wang, Ruiyong

2014-08-01

The interaction between tetracycline antibiotics and gold nanoparticles was studied. With citrate-coated gold nanoparticles as colorimetric probe, a simple and rapid detection method for doxycycline and oxytetracycline has been developed. This method relies on the distance-dependent optical properties of gold nanoparticles. In weakly acidic buffer medium, doxycycline and oxytetracycline could rapidly induce the aggregation of gold nanoparticles, resulting in red-to-blue (or purple) colour change. The experimental parameters were optimized with regard to pH, the concentration of the gold nanoparticles and the reaction time. Under optimal experimental conditions, the linear range of the colorimetric sensor for doxycycline/oxytetracycline was 0.06-0.66 and 0.59-8.85 μg mL-1, respectively. The corresponding limit of detection for doxycycline and oxytetracycline was 0.0086 and 0.0838 μg mL-1, respectively. This assay was sensitive, selective, simple and readily used to detect tetracycline antibiotics in food products.

Colorimetric detection of UV light-induced single-strand DNA breaks using gold nanoparticles.

PubMed

Kim, Joong Hyun; Chung, Chan Ho; Chung, Bong Hyun

2013-02-21

We developed a colorimetric method to specifically detect single-strand DNA breaks using gold nanoparticles. In our assay, broken DNA cannot stabilize gold nanoparticles to prevent salt-induced aggregation as good as intact DNA can, and this effect can be easily observed with the naked eye as a red-to-purple color change.

Controllable g5p-Protein-Directed Aggregation of ssDNA-Gold Nanoparticles

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lee, S.; Maye, M; Zhang, Y

We assembled single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) conjugated nanoparticles using the phage M13 gene 5 protein (g5p) as the molecular glue to bind two antiparallel noncomplementary ssDNA strands. The entire process was controlled tightly by the concentration of the g5p protein and the presence of double-stranded DNA. The g5p-ssDNA aggregate was disintegrated by hybridization with complementary ssDNA (C-ssDNA) that triggers the dissociation of the complex. Polyhistidine-tagged g5p was bound to nickel nitrilotriacetic acid (Ni2+-NTA) conjugated nanoparticles and subsequently used to coassemble the ssDNA-conjugated nanoparticles into multiparticle-type aggregates. Our approach offers great promise for designing biologically functional, controllable protein/nanoparticle composites.

The detection of HBV DNA with gold-coated iron oxide nanoparticle gene probes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xi, Dong; Luo, XiaoPing; Lu, QiangHua; Yao, KaiLun; Liu, ZuLi; Ning, Qin

2008-03-01

Gold-coated iron oxide nanoparticle Hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA probes were prepared, and their application for HBV DNA measurement was studied. Gold-coated iron oxide nanoparticles were prepared by the citrate reduction of tetra-chloroauric acid in the presence of iron oxide nanoparticles which were added as seeds. With a fluorescence-based method, the maximal surface coverage of hexaethiol 30-mer oligonucleotides and the maximal percentage of hybridization strands on gold-coated iron oxide nanoparticles were (120 ± 8) oligonucleotides per nanoparticle, and (14 ± 2%), respectively, which were comparable with those of (132 ± 10) and (22 ± 3%) in Au nanoparticle groups. Large network aggregates were formed when gold-coated iron oxide nanoparticle HBV DNA gene probe was applied to detect HBV DNA molecules as evidenced by transmission electron microscopy and the high specificity was verified by blot hybridization. Our results further suggested that detecting DNA with iron oxide nanoparticles and magnetic separator was feasible and might be an alternative effective method.

Detection of single-nucleotide polymorphisms using gold nanoparticles and single-strand-specific nucleases.

PubMed

Chen, Yen-Ting; Hsu, Chiao-Ling; Hou, Shao-Yi

2008-04-15

The current study reports an assay approach that can detect single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and identify the position of the point mutation through a single-strand-specific nuclease reaction and a gold nanoparticle assembly. The assay can be implemented via three steps: a single-strand-specific nuclease reaction that allows the enzyme to truncate the mutant DNA; a purification step that uses capture probe-gold nanoparticles and centrifugation; and a hybridization reaction that induces detector probe-gold nanoparticles, capture probe-gold nanoparticles, and the target DNA to form large DNA-linked three-dimensional aggregates of gold nanoparticles. At high temperature (63 degrees C in the current case), the purple color of the perfect match solution would not change to red, whereas a mismatched solution becomes red as the assembled gold nanoparticles separate. Using melting analysis, the position of the point mutation could be identified. This assay provides a convenient colorimetric detection that enables point mutation identification without the need for expensive mass spectrometry. To our knowledge, this is the first report concerning SNP detection based on a single-strand-specific nuclease reaction and a gold nanoparticle assembly.

Naked-eye detection of potassium ions in a novel gold nanoparticle aggregation-based aptasensor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Naderi, Mahboube; Hosseini, Morteza; Ganjali, Mohammad Reza

2018-04-01

In this work, we studied the feasibility of interaction among gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) and a cationic dye in an aptasensor system for the detection of potassium ions. The presence and absence of potassium in the solution was distinguishable by different colors (between orange and green) appeared after reaction. Cationic dye (Y5GL) acts as a new aggregator for AuNP-based sensors which changes the aggregated AuNP solution color from blue-purple to green. In the presence of K+ ions, the aptamer dissociated from the surface of the AuNP so that free AuNPs and cationic dye make the solution green. The aptasensor showed that the analytical linear range was from 10 nM to 50 mM and the detection limit was 4.4 nM. Also, we examined the practicality of this method on a simple paper based platform. The linear range of the colorimetric paper sensor covered of K+ concentration from 10 μM to 40 mM and the detection limit of 6.2 μM was obtained. The selectivity of AuNP aggregation-based sensor improved by the use of cationic dye. Rapidity, simplicity, high sensitivity and excellent selectivity made this assay suitable for practical determination of K+ in real urine samples.

Two-Dimensional Self-Assembly and Chemical Synthesis of Charged Gold Nanoparticles in Non-Polar Solvents

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Martin, Matthew Nichols

Gold nanoparticles between 1 and 10 nm in diameter exhibit size-dependent electronic and optical properties that cannot be explained by molecular science and which deviate significantly from their bulk counterparts. For example, the melting temperature of gold nanoparticles less than 5 nm in diameter is around 300 °C [1], whereas bulk gold melts at over 1000 °C [2]. Gold nanoparticles require precise control over particle diameter in order to exploit and tailor their unique properties; however, tuning the size reproducibly and predictably has proved to be a challenge. One of the most difficult obstacles to overcome is nanoparticle aggregation, since nanoparticles flocculate at room temperature quite readily. In 1994, Brust et al. solved the aggregation problem by introducing monolayer protection coatings on gold nanoparticles, in which organic ligand molecules are attached to the nanoparticle surface and create a physical barrier between the gold core and solvent. This was a definitive solution to size stability, since nanoparticles never aggregate, however the synthesis method does not generate monodisperse nanoparticles and has poor size-tuning capabilities. We developed a synthesis method for gold nanoparticles that improves greatly upon the Brust method. Starting from scratch, we discovered a "sweet zone" for aqueous gold nanoparticles, revealing how to make "naked" (stabilizer-free) gold nanoparticles which are continuously and precisely controlled between 3.2 and 5.2 nm in diameter, both reproducibly and predictably. Naked nanoparticles are then coated with organic 1-dodecanethiol ligand molecules, and transferred to hexane. Since all reaction byproducts remain in the water-phase, no postsynthesis cleaning or size-filtering is necessary, reducing the total synthesis time from ~24 hours in the Brust method, to less than 10 minutes. Surprisingly, our nanoparticles are highly negatively charged in nonpolar solvents. This unexpectedly caused nanoparticles to be

"Smart" gold nanoparticles for photoacoustic imaging: an imaging contrast agent responsive to the cancer microenvironment and signal amplification via pH-induced aggregation.

PubMed

Song, Jaejung; Kim, Jeesu; Hwang, Sekyu; Jeon, Mansik; Jeong, Sanghwa; Kim, Chulhong; Kim, Sungjee

2016-07-07

'Smart' gold nanoparticles can respond to mild acidic environments, rapidly form aggregates, and shift the absorption to red and near-infrared. They were used as a photoacoustic imaging agent responsive to the cancer microenvironment, and have demonstrated the cancer-specific accumulation at the cellular level and an amplified signal which is twice higher than the control in vivo.

DNA hydrogel as a template for synthesis of ultrasmall gold nanoparticles for catalytic applications.

PubMed

Zinchenko, Anatoly; Miwa, Yasuyuki; Lopatina, Larisa I; Sergeyev, Vladimir G; Murata, Shizuaki

2014-03-12

DNA cross-linked hydrogel was used as a matrix for synthesis of gold nanoparticles. DNA possesses a strong affinity to transition metals such as gold, which allows for the concentration of Au precursor inside a hydrogel. Further reduction of HAuCl4 inside DNA hydrogel yields well dispersed, non-aggregated spherical Au nanoparticles of 2-3 nm size. The average size of these Au nanoparticles synthesized in DNA hydrogel is the smallest reported so far for in-gel metal nanoparticles synthesis. DNA hybrid hydrogel containing gold nanoparticles showed high catalytic activity in the hydrogenation reaction of nitrophenol to aminophenol. The proposed soft hybrid material is promising as environmentally friendly and sustainable material for catalytic applications.

Glutathione-mediated release of Bodipy® from PEG cofunctionalized gold nanoparticles

PubMed Central

Kumar, Dhiraj; Meenan, Brian J; Dixon, Dorian

2012-01-01

Gold nanoparticles synthesized via sodium citrate reduction of chloroauric acid (HAuCl4) were functionalized with either various concentrations of thiol-terminated Bodipy® FL L-cystine (0.5, 1.0, 1.5, and 2.0 μg/mL) or Bodipy-poly(ethylene glycol) at concentrations of 0.5–18.75, 1.0–12.50, and 1.5–6.25 μg/mL to form a mixed monolayer of BODIPY-PEG. Thiol-terminated Bodipy, a fluorescing molecule, was used as the model drug, while PEG is widely used in drug-delivery applications to shield nanoparticles from unwanted immune responses. Understanding the influence of PEG-capping on payload release is critical because it is the most widely used type of nanoparticle functionalization in drug delivery studies. It has been previously reported that glutathione can trigger release of thiol-bound payloads from gold nanoparticles. Bodipy release from Bodipy capped and from Bodipy-PEG functionalized gold nanoparticles was studied at typical intracellular glutathione levels. It was observed that the addition of PEG capping inhibits the initial burst release observed in gold nanoparticles functionalized only with Bodipy and inhibits nanoparticle aggregation. Efficient and controlled payload release was observed in gold nanoparticles cofunctionalized with only a limited amount of PEG, thus enabling the coattachment of large amounts of drug, targeting groups or other payloads. PMID:22915847

Heparin Assisted Photochemical Synthesis of Gold Nanoparticles and Their Performance as SERS Substrates

PubMed Central

Rodríguez-Torres, Maria del Pilar; Díaz-Torres, Luis Armando; Romero-Servin, Sergio

2014-01-01

Reactive and pharmaceutical-grade heparins were used as biologically compatible reducing and stabilizing agents to photochemically synthesize colloidal gold nanoparticles. Aggregates and anisotropic shapes were obtained photochemically under UV black-light lamp irradiation (λ = 366 nm). Heparin-functionalized gold nanoparticles were characterized by Scanning Electron Microscopy and UV-Vis spectroscopy. The negatively charged colloids were used for the Surface Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy (SERS) analysis of differently charged analytes (dyes). Measurements of pH were taken to inspect how the acidity of the medium affects the colloid-analyte interaction. SERS spectra were taken by mixing the dyes and the colloidal solutions without further functionalization or addition of any aggregating agent. PMID:25342319

Colorimetric aptasensor for progesterone detection based on surfactant-induced aggregation of gold nanoparticles.

PubMed

Du, Gaoshang; Wang, Lumei; Zhang, Dongwei; Ni, Xuan; Zhou, Xiaotong; Xu, Hanyi; Xu, Lurong; Wu, Shijian; Zhang, Tong; Wang, Wenhao

2016-12-01

This paper proposes an aptasensor for progesterone (P4) detection in human serum and urine based on the aggregating behavior of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) controlled by the interactions among P4-binding aptamer, target P4 and cationic surfactant hexadecyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB). The aptamer can form an aptamer-P4 complex with P4, leaving CTAB free to aggregate AuNPs in this aptasensor. Thus, the sensing solution will turn from red (520 nm) to blue (650 nm) in the presence of P4 because P4 aptamers are used up firstly owing to the formation of an aptamer-P4 complex, leaving CTAB free to aggregate AuNPs. However, in the absence of P4, CTAB combines with aptamers so that AuNPs still remain dispersed. Therefore, this assay makes it possible to detect P4 not only by absorbance measurement but also through naked eyes. By monitoring the variation of absorbance and color, a CTAB-induced colorimetric assay for P4 detection was established with a detection limit of 0.89 nM. Besides, the absorbance ratio A650/A520 has a linear correlation with the P4 concentration of 0.89-500 nM. Due to the excellent recoveries in serum and urine, this biosensor has great potential with respect to the visual and instrumental detection of P4 in biological fluids. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Glutathione-Capped Gold Nanoparticles-Based Photoacoustic Sensor for Label-Free Detection of Lead Ions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shi, R.; Liu, X.-J.; Ying, Y.

2017-07-01

The photoacoustic signal generated by laser-induced nanobubbles (PA-LINB) proved to be a sensitive tool to monitor the aggregation of gold nanoparticles. Here, a simple and label-free photoacoustic method for the rapid detection of Pb2+ in the aqueous phase was developed. Due to the high affinity of Pb2+ ions to glutathione, the presence of Pb2+ led to the aggregation of glutathione-conjugated gold nanoparticles (GSH-GNPs). Hence, by measuring the variation of the PA-LINB signal after the aggregation of GSH-GNPs, Pb2+ can be quantified. A low detection limit for Pb2+ (42 nM) and a wide linear working range ( 42-1000 nM) were achieved. Furthermore, the proposed method showed good selectivity against other metal ions.

Formation and decay of charge carriers in aggregate nanofibers consisting of poly(3-hexylthiophene)-coated gold nanoparticles.

PubMed

Lee, Dongki; Lee, Jaewon; Song, Ki-Hee; Rhee, Hanju; Jang, Du-Jeon

2016-01-21

Thin nanofibers (NFs) of J-dominant aggregates with a thickness of 15 nm and thick NFs of H-dominant aggregates with a thickness of 25 nm were fabricated by the self-assembly of poly(3-hexylthiophene)-coated gold nanoparticles. The formation and decay dynamics of the charge carriers, which are dependent on the aggregate types of NFs, was investigated by time-resolved emission and transient-absorption spectroscopy. With increasing excitation energy, the fraction of the fast emission decay component decreased, suggesting that the fast formation of polaron pairs (PP), localized (LP), and delocalized polarons (DP) results from higher singlet exciton states produced by the singlet fusion. The faster decay dynamics of DP and LP in the thick NFs than in thin NFs is due to the increased delocalization of DP and LP. As the interchain aggregation is weaker than intrachain aggregation, PP decays faster in thin NFs than in thick NFs. In both thin and thick NFs, although triplet (T1) excitons were barely observed with excitation at 532 nm on a nanosecond time scale, they were observed with excitation at 355 nm, showing that T1 excitons within NFs are generated mainly through the singlet fission from a higher singlet exciton state rather than through intersystem crossing.

Hydrothermal synthesis of histidine-functionalized single-crystalline gold nanoparticles and their pH-dependent UV absorption characteristic.

PubMed

Liu, Zhiguo; Zu, Yuangang; Fu, Yujie; Meng, Ronghua; Guo, Songling; Xing, Zhimin; Tan, Shengnan

2010-03-01

L-Histidine capped single-crystalline gold nanoparticles have been synthesized by a hydrothermal process under a basic condition at temperature between 65 and 150 degrees C. The produced gold nanoparticles were spherical with average diameter of 11.5+/-2.9nm. The synthesized gold colloidal solution was very stable and can be stored at room temperature for more than 6 months. The color of the colloidal solution can change from wine red to mauve, purple and blue during the acidifying process. This color changing phenomenon is attributed to the aggregation of gold nanoparticles resulted from hydrogen bond formation between the histidines adsorbed on the gold nanoparticles surfaces. This hydrothermal synthetic method is expected to be used for synthesizing some other amino acid functionalized gold nanomaterials.

In situ measurement of gold nanoparticle production

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Affandi, Mohd Syafiq; Bidin, Noriah; Abdullah, Mundzir; Aziz, Muhammad Safuan Abd.; Al-Azawi, Mohammed; Nugroho, Waskito

2015-01-01

The closeness of the experimental and theoretical values enables the development of an in situ characterization technique to monitor and analyze the production of gold nanoparticles (NPs), overcoming the use of high-end and expensive instrumentation. Gold NPs below the radius size of 10 nm were successfully synthesized in accordance with a few working parameters of pulse laser ablation in a liquid technique. In this report, the size, shape, concentration, and aggregation properties of gold NPs were estimated by the Mie-Gans model based on a reliable and interactive real-time absorption spectroscopy. The major features can be an important means toward determination of efficient process measures, productivity of gold NPs generated, and efficiency of the mass ablation rate. The accuracy in the measurement is confirmed via transmission electron microscopy analysis.

Gold Nanoparticles and Microwave Irradiation Inhibit Beta-Amyloid Amyloidogenesis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Araya, Eyleen; Olmedo, Ivonne; Bastus, Neus G.; Guerrero, Simón; Puntes, Víctor F.; Giralt, Ernest; Kogan, Marcelo J.

2008-11-01

Peptide-Gold nanoparticles selectively attached to β-amyloid protein (Aβ) amyloidogenic aggregates were irradiated with microwave. This treatment produces dramatic effects on the Aβ aggregates, inhibiting both the amyloidogenesis and the restoration of the amyloidogenic potential. This novel approach offers a new strategy to inhibit, locally and remotely, the amyloidogenic process, which could have application in Alzheimer’s disease therapy. We have studied the irradiation effect on the amyloidogenic process in the presence of conjugates peptide-nanoparticle by transmission electronic microscopy observations and by Thioflavine T assays to quantify the amount of fibrils in suspension. The amyloidogenic aggregates rather than the amyloid fibrils seem to be better targets for the treatment of the disease. Our results could contribute to the development of a new therapeutic strategy to inhibit the amyloidogenic process in Alzheimer’s disease.

Biogenic silver and gold nanoparticles synthesized using red ginseng root extract, and their applications.

PubMed

Singh, Priyanka; Kim, Yeon Ju; Wang, Chao; Mathiyalagan, Ramya; El-Agamy Farh, Mohamed; Yang, Deok Chun

2016-05-01

In the present study, we report a green methodology for the synthesis of silver and gold nanoparticles, using the root extract of the herbal medicinal plant Korean red ginseng. The silver and gold nanoparticles were synthesized within 1 h and 10 min respectively. The nanoparticles generated were not aggregated, and remained stable for a long time, which suggests the nature of nanoparticles. The phytochemicals and ginsenosides present in the root extract assist in reducing and stabilizing the synthesized nanoparticles. The red ginseng root extract-generated silver nanoparticles exhibit antimicrobial activity against pathogenic microorganisms including Vibrio parahaemolyticus, Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus cereus, and Candida albicans. In addition, the silver nanoparticles exhibit biofilm degrading activity against S. aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Thus, the present study opens up a new possibility of synthesizing silver and gold nanoparticles in a green and rapid manner using Korean red ginseng root extract, and explores their biomedical applications.

Gold Nanoparticles Cytotoxicity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mironava, Tatsiana

Over the last two decades gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) have been used for many scientific applications and have attracted attention due to the specific chemical, electronic and optical size dependent properties that make them very promising agents in many fields such as medicine, imagine techniques and electronics. More specifically, biocompatible gold nanoparticles have a huge potential for use as the contrast augmentation agent in X-ray Computed Tomography and Photo Acoustic Tomography for early tumor diagnostic as well these nanoparticles are extensively researched for enhancing the targeted cancer treatment effectiveness such as photo-thermal and radiotherapy. In most biomedical applications biocompatible gold nanoparticles are labeled with specific tumor or other pathology targeting antibodies and used for site specific drug delivery. However, even though gold nanoparticles poses very high level of anti cancer properties, the question of their cytotoxicity ones they are released in normal tissue has to be researched. Moreover, the huge amount of industrially produced gold nanoparticles raises the question of these particles being a health hazard, since the penetration is fairly easy for the "nano" size substances. This study focuses on the effect of AuNPs on a human skin tissue, since it is fall in both categories -- the side effects for biomedical applications and industrial workers and users' exposure during production and handling. Therefore, in the present project, gold nanoparticles stabilized with the biocompatible agent citric acid were generated and characterized by Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). The cytotoxic effect of AuNPs release to healthy skin tissue was modeled on 3 different cell types: human keratinocytes, human dermal fibroblasts, and human adipose derived stromal (ADS) cells. The AuNPs localization inside the cell was found to be cell type dependent. Overall cytotoxicity was found to be dependent

Hybridization chain reaction-based colorimetric aptasensor of adenosine 5'-triphosphate on unmodified gold nanoparticles and two label-free hairpin probes.

PubMed

Gao, Zhuangqiang; Qiu, Zhenli; Lu, Minghua; Shu, Jian; Tang, Dianping

2017-03-15

This work designs a new label-free aptasensor for the colorimetric determination of small molecules (adenosine 5'-triphosphate, ATP) by using visible gold nanoparticles as the signal-generation tags, based on target-triggered hybridization chain reaction (HCR) between two hairpin DNA probes. The assay is carried out referring to the change in the color/absorbance by salt-induced aggregation of gold nanoparticles after the interaction with hairpins, gold nanoparticles and ATP. To construct such an assay system, two hairpin DNA probes with a short single-stranded DNA at the sticky end are utilized for interaction with gold nanoparticles. In the absence of target ATP, the hairpin DNA probes can prevent gold nanoparticles from the salt-induced aggregation through the interaction of the single-stranded DNA at the sticky end with gold nanoparticles. Upon target ATP introduction, the aptamer-based hairpin probe is opened to expose a new sticky end for the strand-displacement reaction with another complementary hairpin, thus resulting in the decreasing single-stranded DNA because of the consumption of hairpins. In this case, gold nanoparticles are uncovered owing to the formation of double-stranded DNA, which causes their aggregation upon addition of the salt, thereby leading to the change in the red-to-blue color. Under the optimal conditions, the HCR-based colorimetric assay presents good visible color or absorbance responses for the determination of target ATP at a concentration as low as 1.0nM. Importantly, the methodology can be further extended to quantitatively or qualitatively monitor other small molecules or biotoxins by changing the sequence of the corresponding aptamer. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Formation of wormlike aggregates of fluorocarbon-hydrocarbon hybrid surfactant by Langmuir-Blodgett transfer and alignment of gold nanoparticles.

PubMed

Kondo, Yukishige; Fukuoka, Hiroshi; Nakano, Shuichi; Hayashi, Kohei; Tsukagoshi, Tatsuya; Matsumoto, Mutsuyoshi; Yoshino, Norio

2007-05-22

A novel anionic fluorocarbon-hydrocarbon hybrid surfactant (SS-Hyb-Na+) with a disulfide group has been synthesized from 11-bromo-1-undecanal and perfluorohexylethyl iodide via three steps. The Langmuir-Blodgett (LB) transfer of the 1:100 (mol/mol) mixed monolayer of SS-Hyb-Na+ and stearyl alcohol (C18OH) formed on an aqueous solution containing a cationic polymer, poly(diallyldimethylammonium chloride) (PDDA+Cl-) onto a hydrophobic silicon wafer yields the formation of wormlike aggregates consisting of SS-Hyb-/PDDA+ polyion complexes. It is found that the aggregates align along the withdrawal direction of the wafer substrate. When the wafer on which the wormlike aggregates exist is immersed into the dispersion of gold nanoparticles (Au NPs) prepared by the citrate reduction method, Au NPs align along the wormlike structures. Even though the surface of the wafer is placed either vertical or parallel to the monolayer compression direction during the LB transfer, the one-dimensional (1D) array of Au NPs is observed along the withdrawal direction of the wafer. This indicates that the wormlike aggregates of SS-Hyb-/PDDA+ complexes are aligned during the LB transfer, and the aligned aggregates behave as a scaffold in the 1D array of Au NPs.

Long-term exposure to gold nanoparticles accelerates larval metamorphosis without affecting mass in wood frogs (Lithobates sylvaticus) at environmentally relevant concentrations.

PubMed

Fong, Peter P; Thompson, Lucas B; Carfagno, Gerardo L F; Sitton, Andrea J

2016-09-01

Nanoparticles are environmental contaminants of emerging concern. Exposure to engineered nanoparticles has been shown to have detrimental effects on aquatic organisms. The authors synthesized gold nanoparticles (18.1 ± 3.5 nm) and tested their effects on time to and weight at metamorphosis in wood frog (Lithobates sylvaticus) tadpoles, a species known to be sensitive to environmental stressors. Continuous exposure to all concentrations of gold nanoparticles (0.05 pM, 0.5 pM, and 5 pM in particles) for up to 55 d significantly reduced time to metamorphosis by as much as an average of 3 d (p < 0.05). However, exposure to gold nanoparticles had no effect on tadpole mass at metamorphosis. The approximately 18-nm gold nanoparticles used were metastable in dechlorinated tap water, resulting in a change in surface charge and aggregation over time, leading to negatively charged aggregates that were on the order of 60 nm to 110 nm. Nanoparticle aggregation could exacerbate the effect on time to metamorphosis. To the authors' knowledge, the present study is the first report on the effect of engineered nanoparticles of any kind on life-history variables in an amphibian, a taxonomic group that has been declining globally for at least 25 yr. Environ Toxicol Chem 2016;35:2304-2310. © 2016 SETAC. © 2016 SETAC.

Gold nanoparticles-based protease assay

PubMed Central

Guarise, Cristian; Pasquato, Lucia; De Filippis, Vincenzo; Scrimin, Paolo

2006-01-01

We describe here a simple assay that allows the visual detection of a protease. The method takes advantage of the high molar absorptivity of the plasmon band of gold colloids and is based on the color change of their solution when treated with dithiols. We used C- and N-terminal cysteinyl derivatives of a peptide substrate exploiting its selective recognition and cleavage by a specific protease. Contrary to the native ones, cleaved peptides are unable to induce nanoparticles aggregation; hence, the color of the solution does not change. The detection of two proteases is reported: thrombin (involved in blood coagulation and thrombosis) and lethal factor (an enzyme component of the toxin produced by Bacillus anthracis). The sensitivity of this nanoparticle-based assay is in the low nanomolar range. PMID:16537471

Gold nanoparticles-based protease assay.

PubMed

Guarise, Cristian; Pasquato, Lucia; De Filippis, Vincenzo; Scrimin, Paolo

2006-03-14

We describe here a simple assay that allows the visual detection of a protease. The method takes advantage of the high molar absorptivity of the plasmon band of gold colloids and is based on the color change of their solution when treated with dithiols. We used C- and N-terminal cysteinyl derivatives of a peptide substrate exploiting its selective recognition and cleavage by a specific protease. Contrary to the native ones, cleaved peptides are unable to induce nanoparticles aggregation; hence, the color of the solution does not change. The detection of two proteases is reported: thrombin (involved in blood coagulation and thrombosis) and lethal factor (an enzyme component of the toxin produced by Bacillus anthracis). The sensitivity of this nanoparticle-based assay is in the low nanomolar range.

Preparation of gold nanoparticles and determination of their particles size via different methods

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Iqbal, Muhammad; Usanase, Gisele; Oulmi, Kafia

Graphical abstract: Preparation of gold nanoparticles via NaBH{sub 4} reduction method, and determination of their particle size, size distribution and morphology by using different techniques. - Highlights: • Gold nanoparticles were synthesized by NaBH{sub 4} reduction method. • Excess of reducing agent leads to tendency of aggregation. • The particle size, size distribution and morphology were investigated. • Particle size was determined both experimentally as well as theoretically. - Abstract: Gold nanoparticles have been used in various applications covering both electronics, biosensors, in vivo biomedical imaging and in vitro biomedical diagnosis. As a general requirement, gold nanoparticles should be preparedmore » in large scale, easy to be functionalized by chemical compound of by specific ligands or biomolecules. In this study, gold nanoparticles were prepared by using different concentrations of reducing agent (NaBH{sub 4}) in various formulations and their effect on the particle size, size distribution and morphology was investigated. Moreover, special attention has been dedicated to comparison of particles size measured by various techniques, such as, light scattering, transmission electron microscopy, UV spectrum using standard curve and particles size calculated by using Mie theory and UV spectrum of gold nanoparticles dispersion. Particle size determined by various techniques can be correlated for monodispersed particles and excess of reducing agent leads to increase in the particle size.« less

A Facile pH Controlled Citrate-Based Reduction Method for Gold Nanoparticle Synthesis at Room Temperature.

PubMed

Tyagi, Himanshu; Kushwaha, Ajay; Kumar, Anshuman; Aslam, Mohammed

2016-12-01

The synthesis of gold nanoparticles using citrate reduction process has been revisited. A simplified room temperature approach to standard Turkevich synthesis is employed to obtain fairly monodisperse gold nanoparticles. The role of initial pH alongside the concentration ratio of reactants is explored for the size control of Au nanoparticles. The particle size distribution has been investigated using UV-vis spectroscopy and transmission electron microscope (TEM). At optimal pH of 5, gold nanoparticles obtained are highly monodisperse and spherical in shape and have narrower size distribution (sharp surface plasmon at 520 nm). For other pH conditions, particles are non-uniform and polydisperse, showing a red-shift in plasmon peak due to aggregation and large particle size distribution. The room temperature approach results in highly stable "colloidal" suspension of gold nanoparticles. The stability test through absorption spectroscopy indicates no sign of aggregation for a month. The rate of reduction of auric ionic species by citrate ions is determined via UV absorbance studies. The size of nanoparticles under various conditions is thus predicted using a theoretical model that incorporates nucleation, growth, and aggregation processes. The faster rate of reduction yields better size distribution for optimized pH and reactant concentrations. The model involves solving population balance equation for continuously evolving particle size distribution by discretization techniques. The particle sizes estimated from the simulations (13 to 25 nm) are close to the experimental ones (10 to 32 nm) and corroborate the similarity of reaction processes at 300 and 373 K (classical Turkevich reaction). Thus, substitution of experimentally measured rate of disappearance of auric ionic species into theoretical model enables us to capture the unusual experimental observations.

Sensitive colorimetric visualization of dihydronicotinamide adenine dinucleotide based on anti-aggregation of gold nanoparticles via boronic acid-diol binding.

PubMed

Liu, Shufeng; Du, Zongfeng; Li, Peng; Li, Feng

2012-05-15

A facile, highly sensitive colorimetric strategy for dihydronicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH) detection is proposed based on anti-aggregation of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) via boronic acid-diol binding chemistry. The aggregation agent, 4-mercaptophenylboronic acid (MPBA), has specific affinity for AuNPs through Au-S interaction, leading to the aggregation of AuNPs by self-dehydration condensation at a certain concentration, which is responsible for a visible color change of AuNPs from wine red to blue. With the addition of NADH, MPBA would prefer reacting with NADH to form stable borate ester via boronic acid-diol binding dependent on the pH and solvent, revealing an obvious color change from blue to red with increasing the concentration of NADH. The anti-aggregation effect of NADH on AuNPs was seen by the naked eye and monitored by UV-vis extinction spectra. The linear range of the colorimetric sensor for NADH is from 8.0 × 10(-9)M to 8.0 × 10(-6)M, with a low detection limit of 2.0 nM. The as-established colorimetric strategy opened a new avenue for NADH determination. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Immobilization of gold nanoparticles on cell culture surfaces for safe and enhanced gold nanoparticle-mediated laser transfection.

PubMed

Kalies, Stefan; Heinemann, Dag; Schomaker, Markus; Gentemann, Lara; Meyer, Heiko; Ripken, Tammo

2014-01-01

In comparison to standard transfection methods, gold nanoparticle-mediated laser transfection has proven to be a versatile alternative. This is based on its minor influence on cell viability and its high efficiency, especially for the delivery of small molecules like small interfering RNA. However, in order to transfer it to routine usage, a safety aspect is of major concern: The avoidance of nanoparticle uptake by the cells is desired. The immobilization of the gold nanoparticles on cell culture surfaces can address this issue. In this study, we achieved this by silanization of the appropriate surfaces and the binding of gold nanoparticles to them. Comparable perforation efficiencies to the previous approaches of gold nanoparticle-mediated laser transfection with free gold nanoparticles are demonstrated. The uptake of the immobilized particles by the cells is unlikely. Consequently, these investigations offer the possibility of bringing gold nanoparticle-mediated laser transfection closer to routine usage.

Glutathione-facilitated design and fabrication of gold nanoparticle-based logic gates and keypad lock.

PubMed

Huang, Zhenzhen; Wang, Haonan; Yang, Wensheng

2014-07-21

In this paper, we describe how we developed a simple design and fabrication method for logic gates and a device by using a commercially available tripeptide, namely glutathione (GSH), together with metal ions and disodium ethylenediaminetetraacetate (EDTA) to control the dispersion and aggregation of gold nanoparticles (NPs). With the fast adsorption of GSH on gold NPs and the strong coordination of GSH with metal ions, the addition of GSH and Pb(2+) ions immediately resulted in the aggregation of gold NPs, giving rise to an AND function. Either Pb(2+) or Ba(2+) ions induced the aggregation of gold NPs in the presence of GSH, supporting an OR gate. Based on the fact that EDTA has a strong capacity to bind metal ions, thus preventing the aggregation of gold NPs, an INHIBIT gate was also fabricated. More interestingly, we found that the addition sequence of GSH and Hg(2+) ions influenced the aggregation of gold NPs in a controlled manner, which was used to design a sequential logic gate and a three-input keypad lock for potential use in information security. The GSH strategy addresses concerns of low cost, simple fabrication, versatile design and easy operation, and offers a promising platform for the development of functional logic systems.

Thermal stability of supported gold nanoparticles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Turba, Timothy Fredrick

Nanoparticle gold is of interest for a wide array of applications including catalysis, gas sensing, and light absorption for color filters and optical switches. Many of these applications are dependent upon the particles having sizes <5nm. In this paper, the thermal stability of nanoparticle gold is evaluated. Unsupported gold nanoparticles can grow (and in some cases double their size) even at room temperature. An important approach to stabilizing gold nanoparticles is through an interaction with a suitable substrate support material. Semiconductor substrates such as GaN are important supports for gold nanoparticles for applications such as sensors, but GaN does not provide a significant stabilizing effect at high temperatures. This paper covers a number of different substrate materials and in particular shows that for some substrates, such as SiO2, gold nanoparticles can be stable at temperatures up to 500°C, which is significantly above the Tammann temperature for bulk gold (395°C). In this dissertation, gold nanoparticles are shown to have complete stability on aluminum-supported silica nanosprings at 550°C in air. This stability window is one of the highest reported for nanoparticle gold and potentially enables a number of applications for this highly active catalyst. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy measurements were performed before and after heating to 550°C to determine the nature of the interaction between gold and SiO2. A 1.2 eV drop in gold 4f binding energy after heating signified a shift to anionic gold particles (i.e., Au delta-) indicative of strong bonds to oxygen vacancies with neighboring Sidelta+ atoms. Heating in hydrogen at 550°C resulted in a binding energy decrease of 0.4 eV due to an increased fraction of particles with decreased coordination numbers (i.e., more atoms at edges and corners). Lastly, heating gold nanoparticles in an atmosphere of 10% relative humidity at 550°C resulted in apparent encapsulation of the gold.

Size and shape-dependent cytotoxicity profile of gold nanoparticles for biomedical applications.

PubMed

Woźniak, Anna; Malankowska, Anna; Nowaczyk, Grzegorz; Grześkowiak, Bartosz F; Tuśnio, Karol; Słomski, Ryszard; Zaleska-Medynska, Adriana; Jurga, Stefan

2017-06-01

Metallic nanoparticles, in particular gold nanoparticles (AuNPs), offer a wide spectrum of applications in biomedicine. A crucial issue is their cytotoxicity, which depends greatly on various factors, including morphology of nanoparticles. Because metallic nanoparticles have an effect on cell membrane integrity, their shape and size may affect the viability of cells, due to their different geometries as well as physical and chemical interactions with cell membranes. Variations in the size and shape of gold nanoparticles may indicate particular nanoparticle morphologies that provide strong cytotoxicity effects. Synthesis of different sized and shaped bare AuNPs was performed with spherical (~ 10 nm), nanoflowers (~ 370 nm), nanorods (~ 41 nm), nanoprisms (~ 160 nm) and nanostars (~ 240 nm) morphologies. These nanostructures were characterized and interacting with cancer (HeLa) and normal (HEK293T) cell lines and cell viability tests were performed by WST-1 tests and fluorescent live/dead cell imaging experiments. It was shown that various shapes and sizes of gold nanostructures may affect the viability of the cells. Gold nanospheres and nanorods proved to be more toxic than star, flower and prism gold nanostructures. This may be attributed to their small size and aggregation process. This is the first report concerning a comparison of cytotoxic profile in vitro with a wide spectrum of bare AuNPs morphology. The findings show their possible use in biomedical applications.

Silver, gold, and alloyed silver-gold nanoparticles: characterization and comparative cell-biologic action

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mahl, Dirk; Diendorf, Jörg; Ristig, Simon; Greulich, Christina; Li, Zi-An; Farle, Michael; Köller, Manfred; Epple, Matthias

2012-10-01

Silver, gold, and silver-gold-alloy nanoparticles were prepared by citrate reduction modified by the addition of tannin during the synthesis, leading to a reduction in particle size by a factor of three. Nanoparticles can be prepared by this easy water-based synthesis and subsequently functionalized by the addition of either tris(3-sulfonatophenyl)phosphine or poly( N-vinylpyrrolidone). The resulting nanoparticles of silver (diameter 15-25 nm), gold (5-6 nm), and silver-gold (50:50; 10-12 nm) were easily dispersable in water and also in cell culture media (RPMI + 10 % fetal calf serum), as shown by nanoparticle tracking analysis and differential centrifugal sedimentation. High-resolution transmission electron microscopy showed a polycrystalline nature of all nanoparticles. EDX on single silver-gold nanoparticles indicated that the concentration of gold is higher inside a nanoparticle. The biologic action of the nanoparticles toward human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSC) was different: Silver nanoparticles showed a significant concentration-dependent influence on the viability of hMSC. Gold nanoparticles showed only a small effect on the viability of hMSC after 7 days. Surprisingly, silver-gold nanoparticles had no significant influence on the viability of hMSC despite the silver content. Silver nanoparticles and silver-gold nanoparticles in the concentration range of 5-20 μg mL-1 induced the activation of hMSC as indicated by the release of IL-8. In contrast, gold nanoparticles led to a reduction of the release of IL-6 and IL-8.

Assessing the Role of Capping Molecules in Controlling Aggregative Growth of Gold Nanoparticles in Heated Solution.

PubMed

Cheng, Han-Wen; Schadt, Mark J; Zhong, Chuan-Jian

2016-01-01

This report describes findings of an investigation of the role of capping molecules in the size growth in the aggregative growth of pre-formed small-sized gold nanoparticles capped with alkanethiolate monolayers toward monodispersed larger sizes. The size controllability depends on the thiolate chain length and concentration in the thermal solution. The size evolution in solution at different concentrations of alkanethiols is analyzed in relation to adsorption isotherms and cohesive energy. The size dependence on thiolate chain length is also analyzed by considering the cohesive energy of the capping molecules, revealing the importance of cohesive energy in the capping structure. Theoretical and experimental comparisons of the surface plasmonic resonance optical properties have also provided new insights into the mechanism, thus enabling the exploitation of size-dependent nanoscale properties. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Size-dependent in vivo toxicity of PEG-coated gold nanoparticles

PubMed Central

Zhang, Xiao-Dong; Wu, Di; Shen, Xiu; Liu, Pei-Xun; Yang, Na; Zhao, Bin; Zhang, Hao; Sun, Yuan-Ming; Zhang, Liang-An; Fan, Fei-Yue

2011-01-01

Background Gold nanoparticle toxicity research is currently leading towards the in vivo experiment. Most toxicology data show that the surface chemistry and physical dimensions of gold nanoparticles play an important role in toxicity. Here, we present the in vivo toxicity of 5, 10, 30, and 60 nm PEG-coated gold nanoparticles in mice. Methods Animal survival, weight, hematology, morphology, organ index, and biochemistry were characterized at a concentration of 4000 μg/kg over 28 days. Results The PEG-coated gold particles did not cause an obvious decrease in body weight or appreciable toxicity even after their breakdown in vivo. Biodistribution results show that 5 nm and 10 nm particles accumulated in the liver and that 30 nm particles accumulated in the spleen, while the 60 nm particles did not accumulate to an appreciable extent in either organ. Transmission electron microscopic observations showed that the 5, 10, 30, and 60 nm particles located in the blood and bone marrow cells, and that the 5 and 60 nm particles aggregated preferentially in the blood cells. The increase in spleen index and thymus index shows that the immune system can be affected by these small nanoparticles. The 10 nm gold particles induced an increase in white blood cells, while the 5 nm and 30 nm particles induced a decrease in white blood cells and red blood cells. The biochemistry results show that the 10 nm and 60 nm PEG-coated gold nanoparticles caused a significant increase in alanine transaminase and aspartate transaminase levels, indicating slight damage to the liver. Conclusion The toxicity of PEG-coated gold particles is complex, and it cannot be concluded that the smaller particles have greater toxicity. The toxicity of the 10 nm and 60 nm particles was obviously higher than that of the 5 nm and 30 nm particles. The metabolism of these particles and protection of the liver will be more important issues for medical applications of gold-based nanomaterials in future. PMID:21976982

Electrophoretic separation of gold nanoparticles according to bifunctional molecules-induced charge and size.

PubMed

Kim, Jong-Yeob; Kim, Hyung-Bae; Jang, Du-Jeon

2013-03-01

Gold nanospheres modified with bifunctional molecules have been separated and characterized by using agarose gel electrophoresis as well as optical spectroscopy and electron microscopy. The electrophoretic mobility of a gold nanosphere capped with 11-mercaptoundecanoic acid (MUA) has been found to depend on the number of MUA molecules per gold nanosphere, indicating that it increases with the surface charge of the nanoparticle. The extinction spectrum of gold nanospheres capped with MUA at an MUA molecules per gold nanosphere value of 1000 and connected via 1,6-hexanedithiol (HDT) decreases by 33% in magnitude and shifts to the red as largely as 22 nm with the increase of the molar ratio of HDT to MUA (R(HM)). Gold nanospheres capped with MUA and connected via HDT have been separated successfully using gel electrophoresis and characterized by measuring reflectance spectra of discrete electrophoretic bands directly in the gel and by monitoring transmission electron microscope images of gold nanoparticles collected from the discrete bands. Electrophoretic mobility has been found to decrease substantially with the increment of HDT to MUA, indicating that the size of aggregated gold nanoparticles increases with the concentration of HDT. © 2013 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Insight on agglomerates of gold nanoparticles in glass based on surface plasmon resonance spectrum: study by multi-spheres T-matrix method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Avakyan, L. A.; Heinz, M.; Skidanenko, A. V.; Yablunovski, K. A.; Ihlemann, J.; Meinertz, J.; Patzig, C.; Dubiel, M.; Bugaev, L. A.

2018-01-01

The formation of a localized surface plasmon resonance (SPR) spectrum of randomly distributed gold nanoparticles in the surface layer of silicate float glass, generated and implanted by UV ArF-excimer laser irradiation of a thin gold layer sputter-coated on the glass surface, was studied by the T-matrix method, which enables particle agglomeration to be taken into account. The experimental technique used is promising for the production of submicron patterns of plasmonic nanoparticles (given by laser masks or gratings) without damage to the glass surface. Analysis of the applicability of the multi-spheres T-matrix (MSTM) method to the studied material was performed through calculations of SPR characteristics for differently arranged and structured gold nanoparticles (gold nanoparticles in solution, particles pairs, and core-shell silver-gold nanoparticles) for which either experimental data or results of the modeling by other methods are available. For the studied gold nanoparticles in glass, it was revealed that the theoretical description of their SPR spectrum requires consideration of the plasmon coupling between particles, which can be done effectively by MSTM calculations. The obtained statistical distributions over particle sizes and over interparticle distances demonstrated the saturation behavior with respect to the number of particles under consideration, which enabled us to determine the effective aggregate of particles, sufficient to form the SPR spectrum. The suggested technique for the fitting of an experimental SPR spectrum of gold nanoparticles in glass by varying the geometrical parameters of the particles aggregate in the recurring calculations of spectrum by MSTM method enabled us to determine statistical characteristics of the aggregate: the average distance between particles, average size, and size distribution of the particles. The fitting strategy of the SPR spectrum presented here can be applied to nanoparticles of any nature and in various

A visual assay and spectrophotometric determination of LLM-105 explosive using detection of gold nanoparticle aggregation at two pH values.

PubMed

He, Yi; Cheng, Yang

2016-08-01

We report a simple, rapid, and sensitive assay for visual and spectrophotometric detection of the 2,6-diamino-3,5-dinitropyrazine-1-oxide (LLM-105) explosive. The assay is based on different interactions between LLM-105 and gold nanoparticle (AuNP) dispersions at two pH values, leading to the formation of dispersed or aggregated AuNPs. Two AuNP dispersions at two pH values were applied to recognize and detect LLM-105 instead of traditional AuNP dispersion under an aptotic pH to improve the anti-interference ability. The developed assay showed excellent sensitivity with a detection limit of 3 ng/mL, and the presence of as low as 0.2 μg/mL LLM-105 can be directly detected with the bare eye. This sensitivity is about six orders of magnitude higher than that of the reported traditional assays. Additionally, the assay exhibited good selectivity toward LLM-105 over other explosives, sulfur-containing compounds, and amines. Graphical abstract A simple, sensitive, and selective assay for LLM-105 was developed based on the pH-dependent interaction between the LLM-105 explosive and gold nanoparticle dispersion.

Filter-feeding bivalves store and biodeposit colloidally stable gold nanoparticles.

PubMed

Hull, Matthew S; Chaurand, Perrine; Rose, Jerome; Auffan, Melanie; Bottero, Jean-Yves; Jones, Jason C; Schultz, Irvin R; Vikesland, Peter J

2011-08-01

Nanoparticles resistant to salt-induced aggregation are continually being developed for biomedical and industrial applications. Because of their colloidal stability these functionalized nanoparticles are anticipated to be persistent aquatic contaminants. Here, we show that Corbicula fluminea, a globally distributed clam that is a known sentinel of aquatic ecosystem contamination, can uptake and biodeposit bovine serum albumin (BSA) stabilized gold nanoparticles. Nanoparticle clearance rates from suspension were dictated by diameter and concentration, with the largest particles cleared most quickly on a mass basis. Particle capture facilitates size-selective 'biopurification' of particle suspensions with nanoscale resolution. Nanoparticles were retained either within the clam digestive tract or excreted in feces. Our results suggest that biotransformation and biodeposition will play a significant role in the fate and transport of persistent nanoparticles in aquatic systems.

Functionalization of gold nanoparticles as antidiabetic nanomaterial

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Venkatachalam, M.; Govindaraju, K.; Mohamed Sadiq, A.; Tamilselvan, S.; Ganesh Kumar, V.; Singaravelu, G.

2013-12-01

In the present investigation, functionalization of gold nanoparticles synthesized using propanoic acid 2-(3-acetoxy-4,4,14-trimethylandrost-8-en-17-yl) (PAT) an active biocomponent isolated from Cassia auriculata is studied in detail. On reaction of PAT with aqueous HAuCl4, rapid formation of stable gold nanoparticles was achieved. Formation of gold nanoparticles was confirmed by UV-vis spectroscopy, XRD, GC-MS, FTIR, TEM and SEM with EDAX. Gold nanoparticles mostly were monodisperse, spherical in shape and ranged in size 12-41 nm. Gold nanoparticles synthesised using PAT was administered to alloxan (150 mg/kg body weight) induced diabetic male albino rats at different doses (0.25, 0.5, 0.75 and 1.0 mg/kg body weight) for 28 days. Plasma glucose level, cholesterol and triglyceride were significantly (p < 0.001) reduced in experimental animals treated with gold nanoparticles at dosage of 0.5 mg/kg body weight and plasma insulin increased significantly. The newly genre green gold nanoparticles exhibit remarkable protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B inhibitory activity.

Strong plasmon-exciton coupling in a hybrid system of gold nanostars and J-aggregates

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Hybrid materials formed by plasmonic nanostructures and J-aggregates provide a unique combination of highly localized and enhanced electromagnetic field in metal constituent with large oscillator strength and extremely narrow exciton band of the organic component. The coherent coupling of localized plasmons of the multispiked gold nanoparticles (nanostars) and excitons of JC1 dye J-aggregates results in a Rabi splitting reaching 260 meV. Importantly, broad absorption features of nanostars extending over a visible and near-infrared spectral range allowed us to demonstrate double Rabi splitting resulting from the simultaneous coherent coupling between plasmons of the nanostars and excitons of J-aggregates of two different cyanine dyes. PMID:23522305

Increased cellular uptake of peptide-modified PEGylated gold nanoparticles.

PubMed

He, Bo; Yang, Dan; Qin, Mengmeng; Zhang, Yuan; He, Bing; Dai, Wenbing; Wang, Xueqing; Zhang, Qiang; Zhang, Hua; Yin, Changcheng

2017-12-09

Gold nanoparticles are promising drug delivery vehicles for nucleic acids, small molecules, and proteins, allowing various modifications on the particle surface. However, the instability and low bioavailability of gold nanoparticles compromise their clinical application. Here, we functionalized gold nanoparticles with CPP fragments (CALNNPFVYLI, CALRRRRRRRR) through sulfhydryl PEG to increase their stability and bioavailability. The resulting gold nanoparticles were characterized with transmission electron microscopy (TEM), dynamic light scattering (DLS), UV-visible spectrometry and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and the stability in biological solutions was evaluated. Comparing to PEGylated gold nanoparticles, CPP (CALNNPFVYLI, CALRRRRRRRR)-modified gold nanoparticles showed 46 folds increase in cellular uptake in A549 and B16 cell lines, as evidenced by the inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy (ICP-AES). The interactions between gold nanoparticles and liposomes indicated CPP-modified gold nanoparticles bind to cell membrane more effectively than PEGylated gold nanoparticles. Surface plasmon resonance (SPR) was used to measure interactions between nanoparticles and the membrane. TEM and uptake inhibitor experiments indicated that the cellular entry of gold nanoparticles was mediated by clathrin and macropinocytosis. Other energy independent endocytosis pathways were also identified. Our work revealed a new strategy to modify gold nanoparticles with CPP and illustrated the cellular uptake pathway of CPP-modified gold nanoparticles. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Induced nanoparticle aggregation for short nucleic acid quantification by depletion isotachophoresis.

PubMed

Marczak, Steven; Senapati, Satyajyoti; Slouka, Zdenek; Chang, Hsueh-Chia

2016-12-15

A rapid (<20min) gel-membrane biochip platform for the detection and quantification of short nucleic acids is presented based on a sandwich assay with probe-functionalized gold nanoparticles and their separation into concentrated bands by depletion-generated gel isotachophoresis. The platform sequentially exploits the enrichment and depletion phenomena of an ion-selective cation-exchange membrane created under an applied electric field. Enrichment is used to concentrate the nanoparticles and targets at a localized position at the gel-membrane interface for rapid hybridization. The depletion generates an isotachophoretic zone without the need for different conductivity buffers, and is used to separate linked nanoparticles from isolated ones in the gel medium and then by field-enhanced aggregation of only the linked particles at the depletion front. The selective field-induced aggregation of the linked nanoparticles during the subsequent depletion step produces two lateral-flow like bands within 1cm for easy visualization and quantification as the aggregates have negligible electrophoretic mobility in the gel and the isolated nanoparticles are isotachophoretically packed against the migrating depletion front. The detection limit for 69-base single-stranded DNA targets is 10 pM (about 10 million copies for our sample volume) with high selectivity against nontargets and a three decade linear range for quantification. The selectivity and signal intensity are maintained in heterogeneous mixtures where the nontargets outnumber the targets 10,000 to 1. The selective field-induced aggregation of DNA-linked nanoparticles at the ion depletion front is attributed to their trailing position at the isotachophoretic front with a large field gradient. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Size determination of gold nanoparticles in silicate glasses by UV-Vis spectroscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ali, Shahid; Khan, Younas; Iqbal, Yaseen; Hayat, Khizar; Ali, Muhammad

2017-01-01

A relatively easier and more accurate method for the determination of average size of metal nanoparticles/aggregates in silicate glasses based on ultraviolet visible (UV-Vis) spectra fitted with the Mie and Mie-Gans models was reported. Gold ions were diffused into sodalime silicate and borosilicate glasses by field-assisted solid-state ion-exchange technique using the same experimental parameters for both glasses. Transmission electron microscopy was performed to directly investigate the morphology and distribution of the dopant nanoparticles. UV-Vis spectra of the doped glasses showed broad surface plasmon resonance peaks in their fingerprint regions, i.e., at 525 and 500 nm for sodalime silicate and borosilicate glass matrices, respectively. These spectra were fitted with the Mie model for spherical nanoparticles and the Mie-Gans model for spheroidal nanoparticles. Although both the models were developed for colloidal nanoparticles, the size of the nanoparticles/aggregates calculated was accurate to within ˜10% in both the glass matrices in comparison to the size measured directly from the transmission electron microscope images.

A Mixed Stimuli-Responsive Magnetic and Gold Nanoparticle System for Rapid Purification, Enrichment, and Detection of Biomarkers

PubMed Central

Nash, Michael A.; Yager, Paul; Hoffman, Allan S.; Stayton, Patrick S.

2010-01-01

A new diagnostic system for the enrichment and detection of protein biomarkers from human plasma is presented. Gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) were surface-modified with a diblock copolymer synthesized using reversible addition fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization. The diblock copolymer contained a thermally-responsive poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (pNIPAAm) block, a cationic amine-containing block, and a semi-telechelic PEG2-biotin end group. When a mixed suspension of 23 nm pNIPAAm-modified AuNPs was heated with pNIPAAm-coated 10 nm iron oxide magnetic nanoparticles (mNPs) in human plasma, the thermally-responsive pNIPAAm directed the formation of mixed AuNP/mNP aggregates that could be separated efficiently with a magnet. Model studies showed that this mixed nanoparticle system could efficiently purify and strongly enrich the model biomarker protein streptavidin in spiked human plasma. A 10 ng/mL streptavidin sample was mixed with the biotinylated and pNIPAAm modified AuNP and magnetically separated in the mixed nanoparticle system with pNIPAAm mNPs. The aggregates were concentrated into a 50-fold smaller fluid volume at room temperature where the gold nanoparticle reagent redissolved with the streptavidin target still bound. The concentrated gold-labeled streptavidin could be subsequently analyzed directly using lateral flow immunochromatography. This rapid capture and enrichment module thus utilizes the mixed stimuli-responsive nanoparticle system to achieve direct concentration of a gold-labeled biomarker that can be directly analyzed using lateral flow or other rapid diagnostic strategies. PMID:21070026

Rapid and selective lead (II) colorimetric sensor based on azacrown ether-functionalized gold nanoparticles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alizadeh, A.; Khodaei, M. M.; Karami, Ch; Workentin, M. S.; Shamsipur, M.; Sadeghi, M.

2010-08-01

A gold nanoparticle (AuNPs)-based simple and fast colorimetric sensor for selective detecting of Pb(II) in aqueous solution has been developed. Monodisperse AuNPs (approx. 2.0 nm diameter) has been prepared facilely and further modified with an alkanethiol-bearing monoazacrown ether terminus. These AuNPs are shown to selectively sense Pb2 + through color change, which is visually discernible by an appearance of the surface plasmon band (SPB) at 520 nm. The recognition mechanism is attributed to the unique structure of the monoazacrown ether attached to AuNPs and metal sandwich coordination between two azacrown ether moieties that are attached to separate nanoparticles. This inter-particle cross-linking results in an aggregation and apparent color change from brown to purple. Additionally, TEM experiments support the optical absorption data proving the aggregation between azacrown ether-capped gold nanoparticles. This AuNP-based colorimetric assay is a facile and robust method and allows fast detection of Pb2 + at ambient temperatures. More importantly, the developed technique does not utilize enzymatic reactions, light-sensitive dye molecules, lengthy protocols or sophisticated instrumentation.

Detection of squamous carcinoma cells using gold nanoparticles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dai, Wei-Yun; Lee, Sze-tsen; Hsu, Yih-Chih

2015-03-01

The goal of this study is to use gold nanoparticle as a diagnostic agent to detect human squamous carcinoma cells. Gold nanoparticles were synthesized and the gold nanoparticle size was 34.3 ± 6.2 nm. Based on the over-expression of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) biomarkers in squamous carcinoma cells, we hypothesized that EGFR could be a feasible biomarker with a target moiety for detection. We further modified polyclonal antibodies of EGFR on the surface of gold nanoparticles. We found selected squamous carcinoma cells can be selectively detected using EGFR antibody-modified gold nanoparticles via receptor-mediated endocytosis. Cell death was also examined to determine the survival status of squamous carcinoma cells with respect to gold nanoparticle treatment and EGFR polyclonal antibody modification.

Antifungal activity of gold nanoparticles prepared by solvothermal method

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ahmad, Tokeer, E-mail: tahmad3@jmi.ac.in; Wani, Irshad A.; Lone, Irfan H.

2013-01-15

Graphical abstract: Gold nanoparticles (7 and 15 nm) of very high surface area (329 and 269 m{sup 2}/g) have been successfully synthesized through solvothermal method by using tin chloride and sodium borohydride as reducing agents. As-prepared gold nanoparticles shows very excellent antifungal activity against Candida isolates and activity increases with decrease in the particle size. Display Omitted Highlights: ► Effect of reducing agents on the morphology of gold nanoparticles. ► Highly uniform and monodisperse gold nanoparticles (7 nm). ► Highest surface area of gold nanoparticles (329 m{sup 2/}g). ► Excellent antifungal activity of gold nanoparticles against Candida strains. -- Abstract:more » Gold nanoparticles have been successfully synthesized by solvothermal method using SnCl{sub 2} and NaBH{sub 4} as reducing agents. X-ray diffraction studies show highly crystalline and monophasic nature of the gold nanoparticles with face centred cubic structure. The transmission electron microscopic studies show the formation of nearly spherical gold nanoparticles of average size of 15 nm using SnCl{sub 2}, however, NaBH{sub 4} produced highly uniform, monodispersed and spherical gold nanoparticles of average grain size of 7 nm. A high surface area of 329 m{sup 2}/g for 7 nm and 269 m{sup 2}/g for 15 nm gold nanoparticles was observed. UV–vis studies assert the excitations over the visible region due to transverse and longitudinal surface plasmon modes. The gold nanoparticles exhibit excellent size dependant antifungal activity and greater biocidal action against Candida isolates for 7 nm sized gold nanoparticles restricting the transmembrane H{sup +} efflux of the Candida species than 15 nm sized gold nanoparticles.« less

pH Triggered Recovery and Reuse of Thiolated Poly(acrylic acid) Functionalized Gold Nanoparticles with Applications in Colloidal Catalysis.

PubMed

Ansar, Siyam M; Fellows, Benjamin; Mispireta, Patrick; Mefford, O Thompson; Kitchens, Christopher L

2017-08-08

Thiolated poly(acrylic acid) (PAA-SH) functionalized gold nanoparticles were explored as a colloidal catalyst with potential application as a recoverable catalyst where the PAA provides pH-responsive dispersibility and phase transfer capability between aqueous and organic media. This system demonstrates complete nanoparticle recovery and redispersion over multiple reaction cycles without changes in nanoparticle morphology or reduction in conversion. The catalytic activity (rate constant) was reduced in subsequent reactions when recovery by aggregation was employed, despite unobservable changes in morphology or dispersibility. When colloidal catalyst recovery employed a pH induced phase transfer between two immiscible solvents, the catalytic activity of the recovered nanoparticles was unchanged over four cycles, maintaining the original rate constant and 100% conversion. The ability to recover and reuse colloidal catalysts by aggregation/redispersion and phase transfer methods that occur at low and high pH, respectively, could be used for different gold nanoparticle catalyzed reactions that occur at different pH conditions.

Gold Nanoparticle Microwave Synthesis

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Krantz, Kelsie E.; Christian, Jonathan H.; Coopersmith, Kaitlin

At the nanometer scale, numerous compounds display different properties than those found in bulk material that can prove useful in areas such as medicinal chemistry. Gold nanoparticles, for example, display promise in newly developed hyperthermia therapies for cancer treatment. Currently, gold nanoparticle synthesis is performed via the hot injection technique which has large variability in final particle size and a longer reaction time. One underdeveloped area by which these particles could be produced is through microwave synthesis. To initiate heating, microwaves agitate polar molecules creating a vibration that gives off the heat energy needed. Previous studies have used microwaves formore » gold nanoparticle synthesis; however, polar solvents were used that partially absorbed incident microwaves, leading to partial thermal heating of the sample rather than taking full advantage of the microwave to solely heat the gold nanoparticle precursors in a non-polar solution. Through this project, microwaves were utilized as the sole heat source, and non-polar solvents were used to explore the effects of microwave heating only as pertains to the precursor material. Our findings show that the use of non-polar solvents allows for more rapid heating as compared to polar solvents, and a reduction in reaction time from 10 minutes to 1 minute; this maximizes the efficiency of the reaction, and allows for reproducibility in the size/shape of the fabricated nanoparticles.« less

Microbial synthesis of Flower-shaped gold nanoparticles.

PubMed

Singh, Priyanka; Kim, Yeon Ju; Wang, Chao; Mathiyalagan, Ramya; Yang, Deok Chun

2016-09-01

The shape of nanoparticles has been recognized as an important attribute that determines their applicability in various fields. The flower shape (F-shape) has been considered and is being focused on, because of its enhanced properties when compared to the properties of the spherical shape. The present study proposed the microbial synthesis of F-shaped gold nanoparticles within 48 h using the Bhargavaea indica DC1 strain. The F-shaped gold nanoparticles were synthesized extracellularly by the reduction of auric acid in the culture supernatant of B. indica DC1. The shape, size, purity, and crystalline nature of F-shaped gold nanoparticles were revealed by various instrumental techniques including UV-Vis, FE-TEM, EDX, elemental mapping, XRD, and DLS. The UV-Vis absorbance showed a maximum peak at 536 nm. FE-TEM revealed the F-shaped structure of nanoparticles. The EDX peak obtained at 2.3 keV indicated the purity. The peaks obtained on XRD analysis corresponded to the crystalline nature of the gold nanoparticles. In addition, the results of elemental mapping indicated the maximum distribution of gold elements in the nanoproduct obtained. Particle size analysis revealed that the average diameter of the F-shaped gold nanoparticles was 106 nm, with a polydispersity index (PDI) of 0.178. Thus, the methodology developed for the synthesis of F-shaped gold nanoparticles is completely green and economical.

Radiofrequency Heating Pathways for Gold Nanoparticles

PubMed Central

Collins, C. B.; McCoy, R. S.; Ackerson, B. J.; Collins, G. J.

2015-01-01

This feature article reviews the thermal dissipation of nanoscopic gold under radiofrequency (RF) irradiation. It also presents previously unpublished data addressing obscure aspects of this phenomenon. While applications in biology motivated initial investigation of RF heating of gold nanoparticles, recent controversy concerning whether thermal effects can be attributed to nanoscopic gold highlight the need to understand the involved mechanism or mechanisms of heating. Both the nature of the particle and the nature of the RF field influence heating. Aspects of nanoparticle chemistry and physics, including the hydrodynamic diameter of the particle, the oxidation state and related magnetism of the core, and the chemical nature of the ligand shell may all strongly influence to what extent a nanoparticle heats in an RF field. Aspects of RF include: power, frequency and antenna designs that emphasize relative strength of magnetic or electric fields, and also influence the extent to which a gold nanoparticle heats in RF. These nanoparticle and RF properties are analysed in the context of three heating mechanisms proposed to explain gold nanoparticle heating in an RF field. This article also makes a critical analysis of the existing literature in the context of the nanoparticle preparations, RF structure, and suggested mechanisms in previously reported experiments. PMID:24962620

Biophysical characterization of gold nanoparticles-loaded liposomes.

PubMed

Mady, Mohsen Mahmoud; Fathy, Mohamed Mahmoud; Youssef, Tareq; Khalil, Wafaa Mohamed

2012-10-01

Gold nanoparticles were prepared and loaded into the bilayer of dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine (DPPC) liposomes, named as gold-loaded liposomes. Biophysical characterization of gold-loaded liposomes was studied by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy as well as turbidity and rheological measurements. FTIR measurements showed that gold nanoparticles made significant changes in the frequency of the CH(2) stretching bands, revealing that gold nanoparticles increased the number of gauche conformers and create a conformational change within the acyl chains of phospholipids. The transmission electron micrographs (TEM) revealed that gold nanoparticles were loaded in the liposomal bilayer. The zeta potential of DPPC liposomes had a more negative value after incorporating of Au NPs into liposomal membranes. Turbidity studies revealed that the loading of gold nanoparticles into DPPC liposomes results in shifting the temperature of the main phase transition to a lower value. The membrane fluidity of DPPC bilayer was increased by loading the gold nanoparticles as shown from rheological measurements. Knowledge gained in this study may open the door to pursuing liposomes as a viable strategy for Au NPs delivery in many diagnostic and therapeutic applications. Copyright © 2011 Associazione Italiana di Fisica Medica. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Tuning stable and unstable aggregates of gallic acid capped gold nanoparticles using Mg2+ as coordinating agent.

PubMed

Kim, Dae-Young; Shinde, Surendra; Ghodake, Gajanan

2017-05-15

High reducibility of gallic acid allows synthesis of small sized monodisperse gold nanoparticles (GNPs) at ambient temperature (25°C). Mg 2+ rapidly interacts with the gallic acid ligands and suppresses the dispersion of GNPs therefore, causing a decrease in UV-vis absorbance intensity, and color change from red to blue. Thus, the colorimetric response of GNPs with Mg 2+ was investigated by observing temporal quenching of UV-vis absorbance and precise tuning of fractal growth of GNP aggregates. Moreover, Mg 2+ at concentrations as low as 200ppb can be detected using gallic acid ligand-mediated coordination chemistry which results quenching in UV-vis absorbance proportional to the exposure time. This gallic acid-based colorimetric sensor shown a great potential for the selective detection of pathologically important electrolyte Mg 2+ without any interference from other cations Ca 2+ and K + . Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Subchronic inhalation toxicity of gold nanoparticles

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background Gold nanoparticles are widely used in consumer products, including cosmetics, food packaging, beverages, toothpaste, automobiles, and lubricants. With this increase in consumer products containing gold nanoparticles, the potential for worker exposure to gold nanoparticles will also increase. Only a few studies have produced data on the in vivo toxicology of gold nanoparticles, meaning that the absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion (ADME) of gold nanoparticles remain unclear. Results The toxicity of gold nanoparticles was studied in Sprague Dawley rats by inhalation. Seven-week-old rats, weighing approximately 200 g (males) and 145 g (females), were divided into 4 groups (10 rats in each group): fresh-air control, low-dose (2.36 × 104 particle/cm3, 0.04 μg/m3), middle-dose (2.36 × 105 particle/cm3, 0.38 μg/m3), and high-dose (1.85 × 106 particle/cm3, 20.02 μg/m3). The animals were exposed to gold nanoparticles (average diameter 4-5 nm) for 6 hours/day, 5 days/week, for 90-days in a whole-body inhalation chamber. In addition to mortality and clinical observations, body weight, food consumption, and lung function were recorded weekly. At the end of the study, the rats were subjected to a full necropsy, blood samples were collected for hematology and clinical chemistry tests, and organ weights were measured. Cellular differential counts and cytotoxicity measurements, such as albumin, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), and total protein were also monitored in a cellular bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid. Among lung function test measurements, tidal volume and minute volume showed a tendency to decrease comparing control and dose groups during the 90-days of exposure. Although no statistically significant differences were found in cellular differential counts, histopathologic examination showed minimal alveoli, an inflammatory infiltrate with a mixed cell type, and increased macrophages in the high-dose rats. Tissue distribution of gold

Use of near-infrared luminescent gold nanoclusters for detection of macrophages

PubMed Central

Sapozhnikova, Veronika; Willsey, Brian; Asmis, Reto; Wang, Tianyi; Jenkins, James Travis; Mancuso, Jacob; Ma, Li Leo; Kuranov, Roman; Milner, Thomas E.; Johnston, Keith

2012-01-01

Abstract. We determined the effect of aggregation and coating thickness of gold on the luminescence of nanoparticles engulfed by macrophages and in gelatin phantoms. Thin gold-coated iron oxide nanoclusters (nanoroses) have been developed to target macrophages to provide contrast enhancement for near-infrared optical imaging applications. We compare the brightness of nanoroses luminescent emissions in response to 635 nm laser excitation to other nanoparticles including nanoshells, nanorods, and Cy5 conjugated iron oxide nanoparticles. Luminescent properties of all these nanoparticles were investigated in monomeric and aggregated form in gelatin phantoms and primary macrophage cell cultures using confocal microscopy. Aggregation of the gold nanoparticles increased luminescence emission and correlated with increased surface mass of gold per nanoparticle (nanoshells 37±14.30×10−3 brightness with 1.23×10−4 wt of gold (g)/nanoparticle versus original nanorose 1.45±0.37×10−3 with 2.10×10−16 wt of gold/nanoparticle, p<0.05). Nanoshells showed greater luminescent intensity than original nanoroses or Cy5 conjugated iron oxide nanoparticles when compared as nanoparticles per macrophage (38±10 versus 11±2.8 versus 17±6.5, p<0.05, respectively, ANOVA), but showed relatively poor macrophage uptake (1025±128 versus 7549±236 versus 96,000  nanoparticles/cell, p<0.05, student t-test nanoshells versus nanoroses). Enhancement of gold fluorescent emissions by nanoparticles can be achieved by reducing the thickness of the gold coating, by clustering the gold on the surface of the nanoparticles (nanoshells), and by clustering the gold nanoparticles themselves. PMID:22463038

How Do the Size, Charge and Shape of Nanoparticles Affect Amyloid β Aggregation on Brain Lipid Bilayer?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, Yuna; Park, Ji-Hyun; Lee, Hyojin; Nam, Jwa-Min

2016-01-01

Here, we studied the effect of the size, shape, and surface charge of Au nanoparticles (AuNPs) on amyloid beta (Aβ) aggregation on a total brain lipid-based supported lipid bilayer (brain SLB), a fluid platform that facilitates Aβ-AuNP aggregation process. We found that larger AuNPs induce large and amorphous aggregates on the brain SLB, whereas smaller AuNPs induce protofibrillar Aβ structures. Positively charged AuNPs were more strongly attracted to Aβ than negatively charged AuNPs, and the stronger interactions between AuNPs and Aβ resulted in fewer β-sheets and more random coil structures. We also compared spherical AuNPs, gold nanorods (AuNRs), and gold nanocubes (AuNCs) to study the effect of nanoparticle shape on Aβ aggregation on the brain SLB. Aβ was preferentially bound to the long axis of AuNRs and fewer fibrils were formed whereas all the facets of AuNCs interacted with Aβ to produce the fibril networks. Finally, it was revealed that different nanostructures induce different cytotoxicity on neuroblastoma cells, and, overall, smaller Aβ aggregates induce higher cytotoxicity. The results offer insight into the roles of NPs and brain SLB in Aβ aggregation on the cell membrane and can facilitate the understanding of Aβ-nanostructure co-aggregation mechanism and tuning Aβ aggregate structures.

Engineered Gold Nanoparticles and Plant Adaptation Potential

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Siddiqi, Khwaja Salahuddin; Husen, Azamal

2016-09-01

Use of metal nanoparticles in biological system has recently been recognised although little is known about their possible effects on plant growth and development. Nanoparticles accumulation, translocation, growth response and stress modulation in plant system is not well understood. Plants exposed to gold and gold nanoparticles have been demonstrated to exhibit both positive and negative effects. Their growth and yield vary from species to species. Cytoxicity of engineered gold nanoparticles depends on the concentration, particle size and shape. They exhibit increase in vegetative growth and yield of fruit/seed at lower concentration and decrease them at higher concentration. Studies have shown that the gold nanoparticles exposure has improved free radical scavenging potential and antioxidant enzymatic activities and alter micro RNAs expression that regulate different morphological, physiological and metabolic processes in plants. These modulations lead to improved plant growth and yields. Prior to the use of gold nanoparticles, it has been suggested that its cost may be calculated to see if it is economically feasible.

Versatile Methodology to Encapsulate Gold Nanoparticles in PLGA Nanoparticles Obtained by Nano-Emulsion Templating.

PubMed

Fornaguera, Cristina; Feiner-Gracia, Natàlia; Dols-Perez, Aurora; García-Celma, Maria José; Solans, Conxita

2017-05-01

Gold nanoparticles have been proved useful for many biomedical applications, specifically, for their use as advanced imaging systems. However, they usually present problems related with stability and toxicity. In the present work, gold-nanoparticles have been encapsulated in polymeric nanoparticles using a novel methodology based on nano-emulsion templating. Firstly, gold nanoparticles have been transferred from water to ethyl acetate, a solvent classified as class III by the NIH guidelines (low toxic potential). Next, the formation of nano-emulsions loaded with gold nanoparticles has been performed using a low-energy, the phase inversion composition (PIC) emulsification method, followed by solvent evaporation giving rise to polymeric nanoparticles. Using this methodology, high concentrations of gold nanoparticles (>100 pM) have been encapsulated. Increasing gold nanoparticle concentration, nano-emulsion and nanoparticle sizes increase, resulting in a decrease on the stability. It is noteworthy that the designed nanoparticles did not produce cytotoxicity neither hemolysis at the required concentration. Therefore, it can be concluded that a novel and very versatile methodology has been developed for the production of polymeric nanoparticles loaded with gold nanoparticles. Graphical Abstract Schematic representation of AuNP-loaded polymeric nanoparticles preparation from nano-emulsion templating.

Therapeutic gold, silver, and platinum nanoparticles.

PubMed

Yamada, Miko; Foote, Matthew; Prow, Tarl W

2015-01-01

There are an abundance of nanoparticle technologies being developed for use as part of therapeutic strategies. This review focuses on a narrow class of metal nanoparticles that have therapeutic potential that is a consequence of elemental composition and size. The most widely known of these are gold nanoshells that have been developed over the last two decades for photothermal ablation in superficial cancers. The therapeutic effect is the outcome of the thickness and diameter of the gold shell that enables fine tuning of the plasmon resonance. When these metal nanoparticles are exposed to the relevant wavelength of light, their temperature rapidly increases. This in turn induces a localized photothermal ablation that kills the surrounding tumor tissue. Similarly, gold nanoparticles have been developed to enhance radiotherapy. The high-Z nature of gold dramatically increases the photoelectric cross-section. Thus, the photoelectric effects are significantly increased. The outcome of these interactions is enhanced tumor killing with lower doses of radiation, all while sparing tissue without gold nanoparticles. Silver nanoparticles have been used for their wound healing properties in addition to enhancing the tumor-killing effects of anticancer drugs. Finally, platinum nanoparticles are thought to serve as a reservoir for platinum ions that can induce DNA damage in cancer cells. The future is bright with the path to clinical trials is largely cleared for some of the less complex therapeutic metal nanoparticle systems. © 2014 The Authors. WIREs Nanomedicine and Nanobiotechnology published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Gold Nanoparticle Labels Amplify Ellipsometric Signals

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Venkatasubbarao, Srivatsa

2008-01-01

The ellipsometric method reported in the immediately preceding article was developed in conjunction with a method of using gold nanoparticles as labels on biomolecules that one seeks to detect. The purpose of the labeling is to exploit the optical properties of the gold nanoparticles in order to amplify the measurable ellipsometric effects and thereby to enable ultrasensitive detection of the labeled biomolecules without need to develop more-complex ellipsometric instrumentation. The colorimetric, polarization, light-scattering, and other optical properties of nanoparticles depend on their sizes and shapes. In the present method, these size-and-shape-dependent properties are used to magnify the polarization of scattered light and the diattenuation and retardance of signals derived from ellipsometry. The size-and-shape-dependent optical properties of the nanoparticles make it possible to interrogate the nanoparticles by use of light of various wavelengths, as appropriate, to optimally detect particles of a specific type at high sensitivity. Hence, by incorporating gold nanoparticles bound to biomolecules as primary or secondary labels, the performance of ellipsometry as a means of detecting the biomolecules can be improved. The use of gold nanoparticles as labels in ellipsometry has been found to afford sensitivity that equals or exceeds the sensitivity achieved by use of fluorescence-based methods. Potential applications for ellipsometric detection of gold nanoparticle-labeled biomolecules include monitoring molecules of interest in biological samples, in-vitro diagnostics, process monitoring, general environmental monitoring, and detection of biohazards.

Effect of HPV16 L1 virus-like particles on the aggregation of non-functionalized gold nanoparticles.

PubMed

Palomino-Vizcaino, Giovanni; Valencia Reséndiz, Diana Gabriela; Benítez-Hess, María Luisa; Martínez-Acuña, Natalia; Tapia-Vieyra, Juana Virginia; Bahena, Daniel; Díaz-Sánchez, Mauricio; García-González, Octavio Patricio; Alvarez-Sandoval, Brenda Arizaí; Alvarez-Salas, Luis Marat

2018-02-15

Colorimetric assays based on gold nanoparticles (GNPs) are of considerable interest for diagnostics because of their simplicity and low-cost. Nevertheless, a deep understanding of the interaction between the GNPs and the intended molecular target is critical for the development of reliable detection technologies. The present report describes the spontaneous interaction between HPV16 L1 virus-like particles (VLPs) and non-functionalized GNPs (nfGNPs) resulting in the inhibition of nfGNPs salt-induced aggregation and the stabilization of purified VLPs. Ionic-competition experiments suggested that the nature of nfGNPs-VLPs interaction is non-covalent. Adsorption of an RNA aptamer on nfGNPs surface showed an additive aggregation-inhibitory effect. The use of mutant VLPs confirmed that the interaction nfGNPs-VLPs is not mediated by the opposing superficial electrostatic charges, suggesting that non-electrostatic forces participate in the arrangement of nfGNPs on the VLPs surface. Competition experiments using increasing ethanol concentrations on nfGNPs-VLPs complexes suggested hydrophobic interactions as the main stabilizing force. Therefore, the nfGNPs-VLPs interaction described here should facilitate the development of adsorption assays based on nfGNPs for HPV detection and cervical cancer prevention. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Correlation of the physicochemical properties of natural organic matter samples from different sources to their effects on gold nanoparticle aggregation in monovalent electrolyte.

PubMed

Louie, Stacey M; Spielman-Sun, Eleanor R; Small, Mitchell J; Tilton, Robert D; Lowry, Gregory V

2015-02-17

Engineered nanoparticles (NPs) released into natural environments will interact with natural organic matter (NOM) or humic substances, which will change their fate and transport behavior. Quantitative predictions of the effects of NOM are difficult because of its heterogeneity and variability. Here, the effects of six types of NOM and molecular weight fractions of each on the aggregation of citrate-stabilized gold NPs are investigated. Correlations of NP aggregation rates with electrophoretic mobility and the molecular weight distribution and chemical attributes of NOM (including UV absorptivity or aromaticity, functional group content, and fluorescence) are assessed. In general, the >100 kg/mol components provide better stability than lower molecular weight components for each type of NOM, and they contribute to the stabilizing effect of the unfractionated NOM even in small proportions. In many cases, unfractionated NOM provided better stability than its separated components, indicating a synergistic effect between the high and low molecular weight fractions for NP stabilization. Weight-averaged molecular weight was the best single explanatory variable for NP aggregation rates across all NOM types and molecular weight fractions. NP aggregation showed poorer correlation with UV absorptivity, but the exponential slope of the UV-vis absorbance spectrum was a better surrogate for molecular weight. Functional group data (including reduced sulfur and total nitrogen content) were explored as possible secondary parameters to explain the strong stabilizing effect of a low molecular weight Pony Lake fulvic acid sample to the gold NPs. These results can inform future correlations and measurement requirements to predict NP attachment in the presence of NOM.

Inhibition of HIV Fusion with Multivalent Gold Nanoparticles

PubMed Central

Bowman, Mary-Catherine; Ballard, T. Eric; Ackerson, Christopher J.; Feldheim, Daniel L.; Margolis, David M.; Melander, Christian

2010-01-01

The design and synthesis of a multivalent gold nanoparticle therapeutic is presented. SDC-1721, a fragment of the potent HIV inhibitor TAK-779, was synthesized and conjugated to 2.0 nm diameter gold nanoparticles. Free SDC-1721 had no inhibitory effect on HIV infection; however, the (SDC-1721)-gold nanoparticle conjugates displayed activity comparable to that of TAK-779. This result suggests that multivalent presentation of small molecules on gold nanoparticle surfaces can convert inactive drugs into potent therapeutics. PMID:18473457

Optical amplification of photothermal therapy with gold nanoparticles and nanoclusters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Khlebtsov, Boris; Zharov, Vladimir; Melnikov, Andrei; Tuchin, Valery; Khlebtsov, Nikolai

2006-10-01

Recently, several groups (Anderson, Halas, Zharov, and their co-workers, 2003; El-Sayed and co-workers, 2006) demonstrated, through pioneering results, the great potential of photothermal (PT) therapy for the selective treatment of cancer cells, bacteria, viruses, and DNA targeted with gold nanospheres, nanoshells, nanorods, and nanosphere clusters. However, the current understanding of the relationship between the nanoparticle/cluster parameters (size, shape, particle/cluster structure, etc) and the efficiency of PT therapy is limited. Here, we report theoretical simulations aimed at finding the optimal single-particle and cluster structures to achieve its maximal absorption, which is crucial for PT therapeutic effects. To characterize the optical amplification in laser-induced thermal effects, we introduce relevant parameters such as the ratio of the absorption cross section to the gold mass of a single-particle structure and absorption amplification, defined as the ratio of cluster absorption to the total absorption of non-interacting particles. We consider the absorption efficiency of single nanoparticles (gold spheres, rods, and silica/gold nanoshells), linear chains, 2D lattice arrays, 3D random volume clusters, and the random aggregated N-particle ensembles on the outer surface of a larger dielectric sphere, which mimic aggregation of nanosphere bioconjugates on or within cancer cells. The cluster particles are bare or biopolymer-coated gold nanospheres. The light absorption of cluster structures is studied by using the generalized multiparticle Mie solution and the T-matrix method. The gold nanoshells with (silica core diameter)/(gold shell thickness) parameters of (50-100)/(3-8) nm and nanorods with minor/major sizes of (15-20)/(50-70) nm are shown to be more efficient PT labels and sensitizers than the equivolume solid single gold spheres. In the case of nanosphere clusters, the interparticle separations and the short linear-chain fragments are the main

Naked Gold Nanoparticles and hot Electrons in Water.

PubMed

Ghandi, Khashayar; Wang, Furong; Landry, Cody; Mostafavi, Mehran

2018-05-08

The ionizing radiation in aqueous solutions of gold nanoparticles, stabilized by electrostatic non-covalent intermolecular forces and steric interactions, with antimicrobial compounds, are investigated with picosecond pulse radiolysis techniques. Upon pulse radiolysis of an aqueous solution containing very low concentrations of gold nanoparticles with naked surfaces available in water (not obstructed by chemical bonds), a change to Cerenkov spectrum over a large range of wavelengths are observed and pre-solvated electrons are captured by gold nanoparticles exclusively (not by ionic liquid surfactants used to stabilize the nanoparticles). The solvated electrons are also found to decay rapidly compared with the decay kinetics in water. These very fast reactions with electrons in water could provide an enhanced oxidizing zone around gold nanoparticles and this could be the reason for radio sensitizing behavior of gold nanoparticles in radiation therapy.

Gastrointestinal bioavailability of 2.0 nm diameter gold nanoparticles.

PubMed

Smith, Candice A; Simpson, Carrie A; Kim, Ganghyeok; Carter, Carly J; Feldheim, Daniel L

2013-05-28

The use of gold nanoparticles as imaging agents and therapeutic delivery systems is growing rapidly. However, a significant limitation of gold nanoparticles currently is their low absorption efficiencies in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract following oral administration. In an attempt to identify ligands that facilitate gold nanoparticle absorption in the GI tract, we have studied the oral bioavailability of 2.0 nm diameter gold nanoparticles modified with the small molecules p-mercaptobenzoic acid and glutathione, and polyethylene glycols (PEG) of different lengths and charge (neutral and anionic). We show that GI absorption of gold nanoparticles modified with the small molecules tested was undetectable. However, the absorption of PEGs depended upon PEG length, with the shortest PEG studied yielding gold nanoparticle absorptions that are orders-of-magnitude larger than observed previously. As the oral route is the most convenient one for administering drugs and diagnostic reagents, these results suggest that short-chain PEGs may be useful in the design of gold nanoparticles for the diagnosis and treatment of disease.

Gold-Coated Superparamagnetic Nanoparticles for Single Methyl Discrimination in DNA Aptamers

PubMed Central

Tintoré, Maria; Mazzini, Stefania; Polito, Laura; Marelli, Marcello; Latorre, Alfonso; Somoza, Álvaro; Aviñó, Anna; Fàbrega, Carme; Eritja, Ramon

2015-01-01

Au- and iron-based magnetic nanoparticles (NPs) are promising NPs for biomedical applications due to their unique properties. The combination of a gold coating over a magnetic core puts together the benefits from adding the magnetic properties to the robust chemistry provided by the thiol functionalization of gold. Here, the use of Au-coated magnetic NPs for molecular detection of a single methylation in DNA aptamer is described. Binding of α-thrombin to two aptamers conjugated to these NPs causes aggregation, a phenomenon that can be observed by UV, DLS and MRI. These techniques discriminate a single methylation in one of the aptamers, preventing aggregation due to the inability of α-thrombin to recognize it. A parallel study with gold and ferromagnetic NPs is detailed, concluding that the Au coating of FexOy NP does not affect their performance and that they are suitable as complex biosensors. These results prove the high detection potency of Au-coated SPIONs for biomedical applications especially for DNA repair detection. PMID:26593913

A novel reflectance-based aptasensor using gold nanoparticles for the detection of oxytetracycline.

PubMed

Seo, Ho Bin; Kwon, Young Seop; Lee, Ji-eun; Cullen, David; Noh, Hongseok Moses; Gu, Man Bock

2015-10-07

We present a novel reflectance-based colorimetric aptasensor using gold nanoparticles for the detection of oxytetracycline for the first time. It was found that the reflectance-based measurement at two wavelengths (650 and 520 nm) can generate more stable and sensitive signals than absorbance-based sensors to determine the aggregation of AuNPs, even at high AuNP concentrations. One of the most common antibacterial agents, oxytetracycline (OTC), was detected at concentrations as low as 1 nM in both buffer solution and tap water, which was 25-fold more sensitive, compared to the previous absorbance-based colorimetric aptasensors. This reflectance-based colorimetric aptasensor using gold nanoparticles is considered to be a better platform for portable sensing of small molecules using aptamers.

Gold-coated nanoparticles for use in biotechnology applications

DOEpatents

Berning, Douglas E [Los Alamos, NM; Kraus, Jr., Robert H.; Atcher, Robert W [Los Alamos, NM; Schmidt, Jurgen G [Los Alamos, NM

2009-07-07

A process of preparing gold-coated magnetic nanoparticles is disclosed and includes forming a suspension of magnetic nanoparticles within a suitable liquid, adding an amount of a reducible gold compound and a reducing agent to the suspension, and, maintaining the suspension for time sufficient to form gold-coated magnetic nanoparticles.

Gold-coated nanoparticles for use in biotechnology applications

DOEpatents

Berning, Douglas E [Los Alamos, NM; Kraus, Jr., Robert H.; Atcher, Robert W [Los Alamos, NM; Schmidt, Jurgen G [Los Alamos, NM

2007-06-05

A process of preparing gold-coated magnetic nanoparticles is disclosed and includes forming a suspension of magnetic nanoparticles within a suitable liquid, adding an amount of a reducible gold compound and a reducing agent to the suspension, and, maintaining the suspension for time sufficient to form gold-coated magnetic nanoparticles.

Microfluidic magnetic switching valves based on aggregates of magnetic nanoparticles: Effects of aggregate length and nanoparticle sizes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jiemsakul, Thanakorn; Manakasettharn, Supone; Kanharattanachai, Sivakorn; Wanna, Yongyuth; Wangsuya, Sujint; Pratontep, Sirapat

2017-01-01

We demonstrate microfluidic switching valves using magnetic nanoparticles blended within the working fluid as an alternative microfluidic flow control in microchannels. Y-shaped microchannels have been fabricated by using a CO2 laser cutter to pattern microchannels on transparent poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) sheets covered with thermally bonded transparent polyvinyl chloride (PVC) sheets. To examine the performance of the microfluidic magnetic switching valves, an aqueous magnetic nanoparticle suspension was injected into the microchannels by a syringe pump. Neodymium magnets were then employed to attract magnetic nanoparticles and form an aggregate that blocked the microchannels at a required position. We have found that the maximum volumetric flow rate of the syringe pump that the magnetic nanoparticle aggregate can withstand scales with the square of the external magnetic flux density. The viscosity of the fluid exhibits dependent on the aggregate length and the size of the magnetic nanoparticles. This microfluidic switching valve based on aggregates of magnetic nanoparticles has strong potentials as an on-demand flow control, which may help simplifying microfluidic channel designs.

Use of gold nanoparticles as crosslink agent to form chitosan nanocapsules: study of the direct interaction in aqueous solutions.

PubMed

Prado-Gotor, R; López-Pérez, G; Martín, M J; Cabrera-Escribano, F; Franconetti, A

2014-06-01

A systematic study of the interaction between free anionic gold nanoparticles and chitosan in a solution is presented. A spectroscopic study of the interaction between 10nm gold nanoparticles and low molecular weight chitosan is reported as a function of the concentration and pH of the polymer in a solution. Zeta potential measurements and TEM images indicate the effective aggregation of the nanoparticles in the presence of chitosan. At the same time, anionic gold nanoparticles act as crosslink agents to form chitosan nanocapsules with an average molecular size of 260nm. The changes of the surface plasmon band due to the adsorption of the polymer on the nanoparticle surface allow using of the citrate gold nanoparticles as sensors of the polymer for analytical purposes. The limit of detection for chitosan biopolymer is 69nM. The optimum pH for the interaction between the biopolymer and the nanoparticles is found at a value of 6.4, obtained from spectrophotometric measurements and applying a deconvolution analysis of the experimental data. A simple model based on molecular surface electrostatic interactions is proposed to understand the pH dependence of the investigated system. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Nucleation and island growth of alkanethiolate ligand domains on gold nanoparticles.

PubMed

Wang, Yifeng; Zeiri, Offer; Neyman, Alevtina; Stellacci, Francesco; Weinstock, Ira A

2012-01-24

The metal oxide cluster α-AlW(11)O(39)(9-) (1), readily imaged by cryogenic transmission electron microscopy (cryo-TEM), is used as a diagnostic protecting anion to investigate the self-assembly of alkanethiolate monolayers on electrostatically stabilized gold nanoparticles in water. Monolayers of 1 on 13.8 ± 0.9 nm diameter gold nanoparticles are displaced from the gold surface by mercaptoundecacarboxylate, HS(CH(2))(10)CO(2)(-) (11-MU). During this process, no aggregation is observed by UV-vis spectroscopy, and the intermediate ligand-shell organizations of 1 in cryo-TEM images indicate the presence of growing hydrophobic domains, or "islands", of alkanethiolates. UV-vis spectroscopic "titrations", based on changes in the surface plasmon resonance upon exchange of 1 by thiol, reveal that the 330 ± 30 molecules of 1 initially present on each gold nanoparticle are eventually replaced by 2800 ± 30 molecules of 11-MU. UV-vis kinetic data for 11-MU-monolayer formation reveal a slow phase, followed by rapid self-assembly. The Johnson, Mehl, Avrami, and Kolmogorov model gives an Avrami parameter of 2.9, indicating continuous nucleation and two-dimensional island growth. During nucleation, incoming 11-MU ligands irreversibly displace 1 from the Au-NP surface via an associative mechanism, with k(nucleation) = (6.1 ± 0.4) × 10(2) M(-1) s(-1), and 19 ± 8 nuclei, each comprised of ca. 8 alkanethiolates, appear on the gold-nanoparticle surface before rapid growth becomes kinetically dominant. Island growth is also first-order in [11-MU], and its larger rate constant, k(growth), (2.3 ± 0.2) × 10(4) M(-1) s(-1), is consistent with destabilization of molecules of 1 at the boundaries between the hydrophobic (alkanethiolate) and the electrostatically stabilized (inorganic) domains. © 2011 American Chemical Society

Gold Nanoparticle Hyperthermia Reduces Radiotherapy Dose

PubMed Central

Lin, Lynn; Slatkin, Daniel N.; Dilmanian, F. Avraham; Vadas, Timothy M.; Smilowitz, Henry M.

2014-01-01

Gold nanoparticles can absorb near infrared light, resulting in heating and ablation of tumors. Gold nanoparticles have also been used for enhancing the dose of X-rays in tumors during radiotherapy. The combination of hyperthermia and radiotherapy is synergistic, importantly allowing a reduction in X-ray dose with improved therapeutic results. Here we intratumorally infused small 15 nm gold nanoparticles engineered to be transformed from infrared-transparent to infrared-absorptive by the tumor, which were then heated by infrared followed by X-ray treatment. Synergy was studied using a very radioresistant subcutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (SCCVII) in mice. It was found that the dose required to control 50% of the tumors, normally 55 Gy, could be reduced to <15 Gy (a factor of >3.7). Gold nanoparticles therefore provide a method to combine hyperthermia and radiotherapy to drastically reduce the X-ray radiation needed, thus sparing normal tissue, reducing the side effects, and making radiotherapy more effective. PMID:24990355

Chemically functionalized gold nanoparticles: Synthesis, characterization, and applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Daniel, Weston Lewis

This thesis focuses on the development and application of gold nanoparticle based detection systems and biomimetic structures. Each class of modified nanoparticle has properties that are defined by its chemical moieties that interface with solution and the gold nanoparticle core. In Chapter 2, a comparison of the biomolecular composition and binding properties of various preparations of antibody oligonucleotide gold nanoparticle conjugates is presented. These constructs differed significantly in terms of their structure and binding properties. Chapter 3 reports the use of electroless gold deposition as a light scattering signal enhancer in a multiplexed, microarray-based scanometric immunoassay using the gold nanoparticle probes evaluated in Chapter 2. The use of gold development results in greater signal enhancement than the typical silver development, and multiple rounds of metal development were found to increase the resulting signal compared to one development. Chapter 4 describes an amplified scanometric detection method for human telomerase activity. Gold nanoparticles functionalized with specific oligonucleotide sequences can efficiently capture telomerase enzymes and subsequently be elongated. Both the elongated and unmodified oligonucleotide sequences are simultaneously measured. At low telomerase concentrations, elongated strands cannot be detected, but the unmodified sequences, which come from the same probe particles, can be detected because their concentration is higher, providing a novel form of amplification. Chapter 5 reports the development of a novel colorimetric nitrite and nitrate ion assay based upon gold nanoparticle probes functionalized with Griess reaction reagents. This assay takes advantage of the distance-dependent plasmonic properties of the gold nanoparticles and the ability of nitrite ion to facilitate the cross coupling of novel nanoparticle probes. The assay works on the concept of a kinetic end point and can be triggered at the EPA

Gold nanoparticles with patterned surface monolayers for nanomedicine: current perspectives.

PubMed

Pengo, Paolo; Şologan, Maria; Pasquato, Lucia; Guida, Filomena; Pacor, Sabrina; Tossi, Alessandro; Stellacci, Francesco; Marson, Domenico; Boccardo, Silvia; Pricl, Sabrina; Posocco, Paola

2017-12-01

Molecular self-assembly is a topic attracting intense scientific interest. Various strategies have been developed for construction of molecular aggregates with rationally designed properties, geometries, and dimensions that promise to provide solutions to both theoretical and practical problems in areas such as drug delivery, medical diagnostics, and biosensors, to name but a few. In this respect, gold nanoparticles covered with self-assembled monolayers presenting nanoscale surface patterns-typically patched, striped or Janus-like domains-represent an emerging field. These systems are particularly intriguing for use in bio-nanotechnology applications, as presence of such monolayers with three-dimensional (3D) morphology provides nanoparticles with surface-dependent properties that, in turn, affect their biological behavior. Comprehensive understanding of the physicochemical interactions occurring at the interface between these versatile nanomaterials and biological systems is therefore crucial to fully exploit their potential. This review aims to explore the current state of development of such patterned, self-assembled monolayer-protected gold nanoparticles, through step-by-step analysis of their conceptual design, synthetic procedures, predicted and determined surface characteristics, interactions with and performance in biological environments, and experimental and computational methods currently employed for their investigation.

A novel immunoassay based on the dissociation of immunocomplex and fluorescence quenching by gold nanoparticles.

PubMed

Peng, Zhaofeng; Chen, Zhaopeng; Jiang, Jianhui; Zhang, Xiaobing; Shen, Guoli; Yu, Ruqin

2007-01-30

This study reports a novel, simple and sensitive immunoassay using fluorescence quenching caused by gold nanoparticles coated with antibody. The method is based on a non-competitive heterogeneous immunoassay of human IgG conducted by the typical procedure of sandwich immunocomplex formation. Goat anti-human IgG was first adsorbed on polystyrene microwells, and human IgG analyte was captured by the primary antibody and then sandwiched by antibody labeled with gold nanoparticles. The sandwich-type immunocomplex was subsequently dissociated by the mixed solution of sodium hydroxide and trisodium citrate, the solution obtained, which contains gold nanoparticles coated with antibody, was used to quench fluorescence. The fluorescence intensity of fluorescein at 517 nm was inversely proportional to the logarithm of the concentration of human IgG in the dynamic range of 10-5000 ng mL(-1) with a detection limit of 4.7 ng mL(-1). The electrochemical experiments and the UV-vis measurements were applied to demonstrate whether the immunogold was dissociated completely and whether the gold nanoparticles aggregated after being dissociated, respectively. The proposed system can be extended to detect target molecules such as other kinds of antigen and DNA strands, and has broad potential applications in disease diagnosis.

Solid-State Dewetting of Gold Aggregates/Islands on TiO2 Nanorod Structures Grown by Oblique Angle Deposition.

PubMed

Liu, Shizhao; Plawsky, Joel L

2017-12-12

A composite film made of a stable gold nanoparticle (NP) array with well-controlled separation and size atop a TiO 2 nanorod film was fabricated via the oblique angle deposition (OAD) technique. The fabrication of the NP array is based on controlled, Rayleigh-instability-induced, solid-state dewetting of as-deposited gold aggregates on the TiO 2 nanorods. It was found that the initial spacing between as-deposited gold aggregates along the vapor flux direction should be greater than the TiO 2 interrod spacing created by 80° OAD to control dewetting and produce NP arrays. A numerical investigation of the process was conducted using a phase-field modeling approach. Simulation results showed that coalescence between neighboring gold aggregates is likely to have caused the uncontrolled dewetting in the 80° deposition, and this could be circumvented if the initial spacing between gold aggregates is larger than a critical value s min . We also found that TiO 2 nanorod tips affect dewetting dynamics differently than planar TiO 2 . The topology of the tips can induce contact line pinning and an increase in the contact angle along the vapor flux direction to the supported gold aggregates. These two effects are beneficial for the fabrication of monodisperse NPs based on Rayleigh-instability-governed self-assembly of materials, as they help to circumvent the undesired coalescence and facilitate the instability growth on the supported material. The findings uncover the application potential of OAD as a new method to fabricate structured films as template substrates to mediate dewetting. The reported composite films would have uses in optical coatings and photocatalytic systems, taking advantage of their ability to combine plasmonic nanostructures within a nanostructured dielectric film.

Radiofrequency heating pathways for gold nanoparticles.

PubMed

Collins, C B; McCoy, R S; Ackerson, B J; Collins, G J; Ackerson, C J

2014-08-07

This feature article reviews the thermal dissipation of nanoscopic gold under radiofrequency (RF) irradiation. It also presents previously unpublished data addressing obscure aspects of this phenomenon. While applications in biology motivated initial investigation of RF heating of gold nanoparticles, recent controversy concerning whether thermal effects can be attributed to nanoscopic gold highlight the need to understand the involved mechanism or mechanisms of heating. Both the nature of the particle and the nature of the RF field influence heating. Aspects of nanoparticle chemistry which may affect thermal dissipation include the hydrodynamic diameter of the particle, the oxidation state and related magnetism of the core, and the chemical nature of the ligand shell. Aspects of RF which may affect thermal dissipation include power, frequency and antenna designs that emphasize relative strength of magnetic or electric fields. These nanoparticle and RF properties are analysed in the context of three heating mechanisms proposed to explain gold nanoparticle heating in an RF field. This article also makes a critical analysis of the existing literature in the context of the nanoparticle preparations, RF structure, and suggested mechanisms in previously reported experiments.

Extracellular mycosynthesis of gold nanoparticles using Fusarium solani

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gopinath, K.; Arumugam, A.

2014-08-01

The development of eco-friendly methods for the synthesis of nanomaterial shape and size is an important area of research in the field of nanotechnology. The present investigation deals with the extracellular rapid biosynthesis of gold nanoparticles using Fusarium solani culture filtrate. The UV-vis spectra of the fungal culture filtrate medium containing gold ion showed peak at 527 nm corresponding to the plasmon absorbance of gold nanoparticles. FTIR spectra provide an evidence for the presence of heterocyclic compound in the culture filtrate, which increases the stability of the synthesized gold nanoparticles. The X-ray analysis respects the Bragg's law and confirmed the crystalline nature of the gold nanoparticles. AFM analysis showed the results of particle sizes (41 nm). Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) showed that the gold nanoparticles are spherical in shape with the size range from 20 to 50 nm. The use of F. solani will offer several advantages since it is considered as a non-human pathogenic organism. The fungus F. solani has a fast growth rate, rapid capacity of metallic ions reduction, NPs stabilization and facile and economical biomass handling. Extracellular biosynthesis of gold nanoparticles could be highly advantageous from the point of view of synthesis in large quantities, time consumption, eco-friendly, non-toxic and easy downstream processing.

Gold Nanoparticle Conjugation Enhances the Antiacanthamoebic Effects of Chlorhexidine

PubMed Central

Aqeel, Yousuf; Siddiqui, Ruqaiyyah; Anwar, Ayaz; Shah, Muhammad Raza

2015-01-01

Acanthamoeba keratitis is a serious infection with blinding consequences and often associated with contact lens wear. Early diagnosis, followed by aggressive topical application of drugs, is a prerequisite in successful treatment, but even then prognosis remains poor. Several drugs have shown promise, including chlorhexidine gluconate; however, host cell toxicity at physiologically relevant concentrations remains a challenge. Nanoparticles, subcolloidal structures ranging in size from 10 to 100 nm, are effective drug carriers for enhancing drug potency. The overall aim of the present study was to determine whether conjugation with gold nanoparticles enhances the antiacanthamoebic potential of chlorhexidine. Gold-conjugated chlorhexidine nanoparticles were synthesized. Briefly, gold solution was mixed with chlorhexidine and reduced by adding sodium borohydride, resulting in an intense deep red color, indicative of colloidal gold-conjugated chlorhexidine nanoparticles. The synthesis was confirmed using UV-visible spectrophotometry that shows a plasmon resonance peak of 500 to 550 nm, indicative of gold nanoparticles. Further characterization using matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-mass spectrometry showed a gold-conjugated chlorhexidine complex at m/z 699 ranging in size from 20 to 100 nm, as determined using atomic force microscopy. To determine the amoebicidal and amoebistatic effects, amoebae were incubated with gold-conjugated chlorhexidine nanoparticles. For controls, amoebae also were incubated with gold and silver nanoparticles alone, chlorhexidine alone, neomycin-conjugated nanoparticles, and neomycin alone. The findings showed that gold-conjugated chlorhexidine nanoparticles exhibited significant amoebicidal and amoebistatic effects at 5 μM. Amoebicidal effects were observed by parasite viability testing using a Trypan blue exclusion assay and flow-cytometric analysis using propidium iodide, while amoebistatic effects were observed using growth

Gold nanoparticles coated polystyrene/reduced graphite oxide microspheres with improved dispersibility and electrical conductivity for dopamine detection.

PubMed

Qian, Tao; Yu, Chenfei; Wu, Shishan; Shen, Jian

2013-12-01

Gold nanoparticles coated polystyrene/reduced graphite oxide (AuNPs@PS/RGO) microspheres have been successfully prepared via a facile process, and the decorative gold nanoparticles could prevent the aggregation of RGO by electrostatic repulsive interaction, and lead to high dispersibility of the composite. The prepared composite has a highly increased conductivity of 129Sm(-1) due to the unique electrical properties of citrate reduced gold nanoparticles. Being employed as an electrochemical sensor for detection of dopamine, the modified electrode exhibits remarkable sensitivity (3.44μA/μM) and lower detection limit (5nM), with linear response in a range of 0.05-20μM. Moreover, valid response to dopamine obtained in present work also indicates the prospective performances of AuNPs@PS/RGO microspheres to other biological molecules, such as nucleic acids, proteins and enzymes. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Green synthesis, characterization and catalytic degradation studies of gold nanoparticles against congo red and methyl orange.

PubMed

Umamaheswari, C; Lakshmanan, A; Nagarajan, N S

2018-01-01

The present study reports, novel and greener method for synthesis of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) using 5,7-dihydroxy-6-metoxy-3 ' ,4 ' methylenedioxyisoflavone (Dalspinin), isolated from the roots of Dalbergia coromandeliana was carried out for the first time. The synthesized gold nanoparticles were characterized by UV-Vis spectroscopy, high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM), selected area electron diffraction (SAED), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The observed surface plasmon resonance (SPR) at 532nm in the UV-Vis absorption spectrum indicates the formation of gold nanoparticles. The powder XRD and SAED pattern for synthesized gold nanoparticles confirms crystalline nature. The HR-TEM images showed that the AuNPs formed were small in size, highly monodispersed and spherical in shape. The average particle sizes of the AuNPs are found to be ~10.5nm. The prepared AuNPs were found to be stable for more than 5months without any aggregation. The catalytic degradation studies of the synthesized AuNPs towards degradation of congo red and methyl orange, showed good catalytic in the complete degradation of both the dyes. The reduction catalyzed by gold nanoparticles followed the pseudo-first order kinetics, with a rate constant of 4.5×10 -3 s -1 (R 2 =0.9959) and 1.7×10 -3 s -1 (R 2 =0.9918) for congo red (CR) and methyl orange (MO), respectively. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Synthesis of new liquid crystals embedded gold nanoparticles for photoswitching properties.

PubMed

Rahman, Md Lutfor; Biswas, Tapan Kumar; Sarkar, Shaheen M; Yusoff, Mashitah Mohd; Yuvaraj, A R; Kumar, Sandeep

2016-09-15

A new series of liquid crystals decorated gold nanoparticles is synthesized whose molecular architecture has azobenzenes moieties as the peripheral units connected to gold nanoparticles (Au NPs) via alkyl groups. The morphology and mesomorphic properties were investigated by field emission scanning electron microscope, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, differential scanning calorimetry and polarizing optical microscopy. The thiolated ligand molecules (3a-c) showed enantiotropic smectic A phase, whereas gold nanoparticles (5a-c) exhibit nematic and smectic A phase with monotropic nature. HR-TEM measurement showed that the functionalized Au NPs are of the average size of 2nm and they are well dispersed without any aggregation. The trans-form of azo compounds showed a strong band in the UV region at ∼378nm for the π-π(∗) transition, and a weak band in the visible region at ∼472nm due to the n-π(∗) transition. These molecules exhibit attractive photoisomerization behaviour in which trans-cis transition takes about 15s whereas the cis-trans transition requires about 45min for compound 5c. The extent of reversible isomerization did not decay after 10 cycles, which proved that the photo-responsive properties of 5c were stable and repeatable. Therefore, these materials may be suitably exploited in the field of molecular switches and the optical storage devices. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Multifunctional gold nanoparticles for diagnosis and therapy of disease

PubMed Central

Mieszawska, Aneta J.; Mulder, Willem J. M.; Fayad, Zahi A.

2013-01-01

Gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) have a number of physical properties that make them appealing for medical applications. For example, the attenuation of X-rays by gold nanoparticles has led to their use in computed tomography imaging and as adjuvants for radiotherapy. AuNPs have numerous other applications in imaging, therapy and diagnostic systems. The advanced state of synthetic chemistry of gold nanoparticles offers precise control over physicochemical and optical properties. Furthermore gold cores are inert and are considered to be biocompatible and non-toxic. The surface of gold nanoparticles can easily be modified for a specific application and ligands for targeting, drugs or biocompatible coatings can be introduced. AuNPs can be incorporated into larger structures such as polymeric nanoparticles or liposomes that deliver large payloads for enhanced diagnostic applications, efficiently encapsulate drugs for concurrent therapy or add additional imaging labels. This array of features has led to the afore-mentioned applications in biomedical fields, but more recently in approaches where multifunctional gold nanoparticles are used for multiple methods, such as concurrent diagnosis and therapy, so called theranostics. The following review covers basic principles and recent findings in gold nanoparticle applications for imaging, therapy and diagnostics, with a focus on reports of multifunctional AuNPs. PMID:23360440

Gold nanoparticles as novel agents for cancer therapy

PubMed Central

Jain, S; Hirst, D G; O'Sullivan, J M

2012-01-01

Gold nanoparticles are emerging as promising agents for cancer therapy and are being investigated as drug carriers, photothermal agents, contrast agents and radiosensitisers. This review introduces the field of nanotechnology with a focus on recent gold nanoparticle research which has led to early-phase clinical trials. In particular, the pre-clinical evidence for gold nanoparticles as sensitisers with ionising radiation in vitro and in vivo at kilovoltage and megavoltage energies is discussed. PMID:22010024

Terminalia chebula mediated green and rapid synthesis of gold nanoparticles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mohan Kumar, Kesarla; Mandal, Badal Kumar; Sinha, Madhulika; Krishnakumar, Varadhan

2012-02-01

Biologically inspired experimental process in synthesising nanoparticles is of great interest in present scenario. Biosynthesis of nanoparticles is considered to be one of the best green techniques in synthesising metal nanoparticles. Here, an in situ green biogenic synthesis of gold nanoparticles using aqueous extracts of Terminalia chebula as reducing and stabilizing agent is reported. Gold nanoparticles were confirmed by surface plasmon resonance in the range of 535 nm using UV-visible spectrometry. TEM analysis revealed that the morphology of the particles thus formed contains anisotropic gold nanoparticles with size ranging from 6 to 60 nm. Hydrolysable tannins present in the extract of T. chebula are responsible for reductions and stabilization of gold nanoparticles. Antimicrobial activity of gold nanoparticles showed better activity towards gram positive S. aureus compared to gram negative E. coli using standard well diffusion method.

Use of Soybean Lecithin in Shape Controlled Synthesis of Gold Nanoparticles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ayres, Benjamin Robert

The work presented in this dissertation is a composite of experiments in the growth of gold nanoparticles with specific optical properties of interest. The goal is to synthesize these gold nanoparticles using soybean extract for not only shape control, but for propensity as a biocompatible delivery system. The optical properties of these nanoparticles has found great application in coloring glass during the Roman empire and, over the centuries, has grown into its own research field in applications of nanoparticulate materials. Many of the current functions include use in biological systems as biosensors and therapeutic applications, thus making biocompatibility a necessity. Current use of cetyltrimethylammonium bromide leads to rod-shaped gold nanoparticles, however, the stability of these gold nanoparticles does not endure for extended periods of time in aqueous media. In my research, two important components were found to be necessary for stable, anisotropic growth of gold nanoparticles. In the first experiments, it was found that bromide played a key role in shape control. Bromide exchange on the gold atoms led to specific packing of the growing crystals, allowing for two-dimensional growth of gold nanoparticles. It was also discerned that soybean lecithin contained ligands that blocked specific gold facets leading to prismatic gold nanoparticle growth. These gold nanoprisms give a near infrared plasmon absorption similar to that of rod-shaped gold nanoparticles. These gold nanoprisms are discovered to be extremely stable in aqueous media and remain soluble for extended periods of time, far longer than that of gold nanoparticles grown using cetyltrimethylammonium bromide. Since soy lecithin has a plethora of compounds present, it became necessary to discover which compound was responsible for the shape control of the gold nanoprisms in order to optimize the synthesis and allow for a maximum yield of the gold nanoprisms. Many of these components were identified

Functionalized gold nanoparticles for the detection of arsenic in water.

PubMed

Domínguez-González, R; González Varela, L; Bermejo-Barrera, P

2014-01-01

Gold nanoparticles are attractive as sensing materials because of their size and shape are related with their optical properties. The color change produced by the aggregation of functionalized AuNPs allows the detection of arsenic at low levels. A simple, cheap and fast analytical procedure to perform arsenic determination using functionalized gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) and VIS spectrometry as a detection technique is studied. Three different synthesis procedures to obtain the AuNPs and two different functionalization modes were studied. AuNPs functionalized with GSH-DTT-CYs-PDCA were selected as the most adequate. The correlation between the decrease in the absorbance signal and the arsenic concentration was good in the 2-20 µg l(-1)interval. Repeatability, expressed as average of RSD (%), obtained for the different arsenic concentrations studied was 0.6%. The average value of the analytical recovery was 99.7%. The detection and quantifications limits were 2.5 and 8.4 µg l(-1) respectively. These limits are sufficient to detect World Health Organization's guideline value of 10 µg l(-1). © 2013 Published by Elsevier B.V.

Extinction, emission, and scattering spectroscopy of 5-50 nm citrate-coated gold nanoparticles: An argument for curvature effects on aggregation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Esfahani, Milad Rabbani; Pallem, Vasanta L.; Stretz, Holly A.; Wells, Martha J. M.

2017-03-01

The interaction of macromolecules with gold nanoparticles (GNPs) is of interest in the emerging field of biomedical and environmental detection devices. However, the physicochemical properties, including spectra, of GNPs in aqueous solution in the absence of metal-macromolecular interactions must first be considered before their activity in biological and environmental systems can be understood. The specific objective of this research was to experimentally illuminate the role of nanoparticle core size on the spectral (simultaneous consideration of extinction, emission, and scattering) versus aggregation behaviors of citrate-coated GNPs (CT-GNPs). It is difficult to find in the literature systematic simultaneous presentation of scattering, emission, and extinction spectra, including the UV range, and thus the present work will aid those who would use such particles for spectroscopic related separations or sensors. The spectroscopic behavior of CT-GNPs with different core sizes (5, 10, 30, and 50 nm) was studied in ultra-pure water at pH 6.0-6.5 employing UV-visible extinction, excitation-emission matrix (EEM), resonance Rayleigh scattering, and dynamic light scattering (DLS) spectroscopies. The CT-GNP-5 and CT-GNP-10 samples aggregated, absorbed light, and emitted light. In contrast, the CT-GNP-30 and CT-GNP-50 samples did not aggregate and did not emit light, but scattered light intensely. Multimodal peaks were observed in the intensity-based DLS spectra of CT-GNP-5 and CT-GNP-10 samples. Monomodal peaks in the volume-based DLS spectra overestimated particle diameters by 60% and 30% for the CT-GNP-5 and CT-GNP-10 samples, respectively, but underestimated diameters by 10% and 4% for the CT-GNP-30 and CT-GNP-50 samples. The volume-based DLS spectra indicated that dimer and trimer aggregates contributed most to the overall volume of particles in the 5- and 10-nm CT-GNPs, whereas the CT-GNP-30 and CT-GNP-50 samples did not aggregate. Here, we discuss the potential

Polyaspartic acid functionalized gold nanoparticles for tumor targeted doxorubicin delivery.

PubMed

Khandekar, Sameera V; Kulkarni, M G; Devarajan, Padma V

2014-01-01

In this paper, we present polyaspartic acid, a biodegradable polymer as a reducing and functionalizing agent for the synthesis of doxorubicin loaded gold nanoparticles by a green process. Gold nanoparticles were stable to electrolytes and pH. Secondary amino groups of polyaspartic acid enabled reduction of gold chloride to form gold nanoparticles of size 55 +/-10 nm, with face centered cubic crystalline structure as confirmed by UV, TEM, SAED and XRD studies. Cationic doxorubicin was readily loaded onto anionic polyaspartic acid gold nanoparticles by ionic complexation. Fluorescence studies confirmed doxorubicin loading while FTIR spectra confirmed ionic complexation. Doxorubicin loading onto polyaspartic acid gold nanoparticles was studied at doxorubicin/polyaspartic acid molar ratios 1:10 to 1:1. As the molar ratio tended to unity, although loading up to 60% was achieved, colloidal instability resulted and is attributed to effective covering of negative charges of polyaspartic acid. Stable doxorubicin loaded polyaspartic acid gold nanoparticles of 105 +/- 15.1 nm with doxorubicin loading of 23.85% w/w and zeta potential value of -28 +/- 0.77 mV were obtained at doxorubicin/polyaspartic acid molar ratio 1:10. Higher doxorubicin release rate from the doxorubicin loaded polyaspartic acid gold nanoparticles in an acid medium (i.e., pH 5.5) as compared to that in pH 7.4 and deionized water is a desirable characteristic for tumor targeted delivery. Enhanced cytotoxicity and 3 fold higher uptake of doxorubicin loaded polyaspartic acid gold nanoparticles as compared to doxorubicin solution were seen in MCF-7 breast cancer cells while polyaspartic acid gold nanoparticles revealed no cytotoxicity confirming safety. Prominent regression in tumor size in-vivo in fibrosarcoma tumor induced mouse model was observed upto 59 days with doxorubicin loaded polyaspartic acid gold nanoparticles while doxorubicin solution treated mice showed regrowth beyond 23rd day. Moreover, a

Cancer nanomedicine: gold nanoparticle mediated combined cancer therapy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, C.; Bromma, Kyle; Chithrani, B. D.

2018-02-01

Recent developments in nanotechnology has provided new tools for cancer therapy and diagnosis. Among other nanomaterial systems, gold nanoparticles are being used as radiation dose enhancers and anticancer drug carriers in cancer therapy. Fate of gold nanoparticles within biological tissues can be probed using techniques such as TEM (transmission electron microscopy) and SEM (Scanning Electron Microscopy) due to their high electron density. We have shown for the first time that cancer drug loaded gold nanoparticles can reach the nucleus (or the brain) of cancer cells enhancing the therapeutic effect dramatically. Nucleus of the cancer cells are the most desirable target in cancer therapy. In chemotherapy, smart delivery of highly toxic anticancer drugs through packaging using nanoparticles will reduce the side effects and improve the quality and care of cancer patients. In radiation therapy, use of gold nanoparticles as radiation dose enhancer is very promising due to enhanced localized dose within the cancer tissue. Recent advancement in nanomaterial characterization techniques will facilitate mapping of nanomaterial distribution within biological specimens to correlate the radiobiological effects due to treatment. Hence, gold nanoparticle mediated combined chemoradiation would provide promising tools to achieve personalized and tailored cancer treatments in the near future.

Gold nanoparticles for photoacoustic imaging

PubMed Central

Li, Wanwan; Chen, Xiaoyuan

2015-01-01

Photoacoustic (PA) imaging is a biomedical imaging modality that provides functional information regarding the cellular and molecular signatures of tissue by using endogenous and exogenous contrast agents. There has been tremendous effort devoted to the development of PA imaging agents, and gold nanoparticles as exogenous contrast agents have great potential for PA imaging due to their inherent and geometrically induced optical properties. The gold-based nanoparticles that are most commonly employed for PA imaging include spheres, rods, shells, prisms, cages, stars and vesicles. This article provides an overview of the current state of research in utilizing these gold nanomaterials for PA imaging of cancer, atherosclerotic plaques, brain function and image-guided therapy. PMID:25600972

Techniques for Accurate Sizing of Gold Nanoparticles Using Dynamic Light Scattering with Particular Application to Chemical and Biological Sensing Based on Aggregate Formation.

PubMed

Zheng, Tianyu; Bott, Steven; Huo, Qun

2016-08-24

Gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) have found broad applications in chemical and biological sensing, catalysis, biomolecular imaging, in vitro diagnostics, cancer therapy, and many other areas. Dynamic light scattering (DLS) is an analytical tool used routinely for nanoparticle size measurement and analysis. Due to its relatively low cost and ease of operation in comparison to other more sophisticated techniques, DLS is the primary choice of instrumentation for analyzing the size and size distribution of nanoparticle suspensions. However, many DLS users are unfamiliar with the principles behind the DLS measurement and are unware of some of the intrinsic limitations as well as the unique capabilities of this technique. The lack of sufficient understanding of DLS often leads to inappropriate experimental design and misinterpretation of the data. In this study, we performed DLS analyses on a series of citrate-stabilized AuNPs with diameters ranging from 10 to 100 nm. Our study shows that the measured hydrodynamic diameters of the AuNPs can vary significantly with concentration and incident laser power. The scattered light intensity of the AuNPs has a nearly sixth order power law increase with diameter, and the enormous scattered light intensity of AuNPs with diameters around or exceeding 80 nm causes a substantial multiple scattering effect in conventional DLS instruments. The effect leads to significant errors in the reported average hydrodynamic diameter of the AuNPs when the measurements are analyzed in the conventional way, without accounting for the multiple scattering. We present here some useful methods to obtain the accurate hydrodynamic size of the AuNPs using DLS. We also demonstrate and explain an extremely powerful aspect of DLS-its exceptional sensitivity in detecting gold nanoparticle aggregate formation, and the use of this unique capability for chemical and biological sensing applications.

Aggregation in charged nanoparticles solutions induced by different interactions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abbas, S.; Kumar, Sugam; Aswal, V. K.; Kohlbrecher, J.

2016-05-01

Small-angle neutron scattering (SANS) has been used to study the aggregation of anionic silica nanoparticles as induced through different interactions. The nanoparticle aggregation is induced by addition of salt (NaCl), cationic protein (lysozyme) and non-ionic surfactant (C12E10) employing different kind of interactions. The results show that the interaction in presence of salt can be explained using DLVO theory whereas non-DLVO forces play important role for interaction of nanoparticles with protein and surfactant. The presence of salt screens the repulsion between charged nanoparticles giving rise to a net attraction in the DLVO potential. On the other hand, strong electrostatic attraction between nanoparticle and oppositely charged protein leads to protein-mediated nanoparticle aggregation. In case of non-ionic surfactant, the relatively long-range attractive depletion interaction is found to be responsible for the particle aggregation. Interestingly, the completely different interactions lead to similar kind of aggregate morphology. The nanoparticle aggregates formed are found to have mass fractal nature having a fractal dimension (~2.5) consistent with diffusion limited type of fractal morphology in all three cases.

Gold Nanoparticle Quantitation by Whole Cell Tomography.

PubMed

Sanders, Aric W; Jeerage, Kavita M; Schwartz, Cindi L; Curtin, Alexandra E; Chiaramonti, Ann N

2015-12-22

Many proposed biomedical applications for engineered gold nanoparticles require their incorporation by mammalian cells in specific numbers and locations. Here, the number of gold nanoparticles inside of individual mammalian stem cells was characterized using fast focused ion beam-scanning electron microscopy based tomography. Enhanced optical microscopy was used to provide a multiscale map of the in vitro sample, which allows cells of interest to be identified within their local environment. Cells were then serially sectioned using a gallium ion beam and imaged using a scanning electron beam. To confirm the accuracy of single cross sections, nanoparticles in similar cross sections were imaged using transmission electron microscopy and scanning helium ion microscopy. Complete tomographic series were then used to count the nanoparticles inside of each cell and measure their spatial distribution. We investigated the influence of slice thickness on counting single particles and clusters as well as nanoparticle packing within clusters. For 60 nm citrate stabilized particles, the nanoparticle cluster packing volume is 2.15 ± 0.20 times the volume of the bare gold nanoparticles.

[Biosynthesis of gold nanoparticles by Azospirillum brasilense].

PubMed

Kupriashina, M A; Vetchinkina, E P; Burov, A M; Ponomareva, E G; Nikitina, V E

2014-01-01

Plant-associated nitrogen-fixing soil bacteria Azospirillum brasilense were shown to reduce the gold of chloroauric acid to elemental gold, resulting in formation of gold nanoparicles. Extracellular phenoloxidizing enzymes (laccases and Mn peroxidases) were shown to participate in reduction of Au+3 (HAuCl4) to Au(0). Transmission electron microscopy revealed accumulation of colloidal gold nanoparticles of diverse shape in the culture liquid of A. brasilense strains Sp245 and Sp7. The size of the electron-dense nanospheres was 5 to 50 nm, and the size of nanoprisms varied from 5 to 300 nm. The tentative mechanism responsible for formation of gold nanoparticles is discussed.

Catalase coupled gold nanoparticles: Comparison between carbodiimide and biotin-streptavidin methods

PubMed Central

Chirra, Hariharasudhan D.; Sexton, Travis; Biswal, Dipti; Hersh, Louis B.; Hilt, J. Zach

2011-01-01

The use of proteins for therapeutic applications requires the protein to maintain sufficient activity for the period of in vivo treatment. Many proteins exhibit a short half-life in vivo and, thus, require delivery systems for them to be applied as therapeutics. The relative biocompatibility and the ability to form functionalized bioconjugates via simple chemistry make gold nanoparticles excellent candidates as protein delivery systems. Herein, two protocols for coupling proteins to gold nanoparticles were compared. In the first, the strong biomolecular binding between biotin and streptavidin was used to couple catalase to the surface of gold nanoparticles. In the second protocol, the formation of an amide bond between carboxylic acid coated gold nanoparticles and free surface amines of catalase using carbodiimide chemistry was performed. The stability and kinetics of the different steps involved in these protocols were studied using UV-Visible spectroscopy, dynamic light scattering, and transmission electron microscopy. The addition of mercaptoundecanoic acid in conjugation with (N-(6-(biotinamido)hexyl)-3′-(2′-pyridyldithio)-propionamide increased the stability of biotinylated gold nanoparticles. Although the carbodiimide chemistry based bioconjugation approach exhibited a decrease in catalase activity, the carbodiimide chemistry based bioconjugation approach resulted in more active catalase per gold nanoparticle compared to that of mercaptoundecanoic acid stabilized biotinylated gold nanoparticles. Both coupling protocols resulted in gold nanoparticles loaded with active catalase. Thus, these gold nanoparticle systems and coupling protocols represent promising methods for the application of gold nanoparticles for protein delivery. PMID:21232642

GOLD NANOPARTICLES: A REVIVAL IN PRECIOUS METAL ADMINISTRATION TO PATIENTS

PubMed Central

Thakor, AS; Jokerst, J; Zaveleta, C; Massoud, TF; Gambhir, SS

2011-01-01

Gold has been used as a therapeutic agent to treat a wide variety of rheumatic diseases including psoriatic arthritis, juvenile arthritis and discoid lupus erythematosus. Although the use of gold has been largely superseded by newer drugs, gold nanoparticles are being used effectively in laboratory based clinical diagnostic methods whilst concurrently showing great promise in vivo either as a diagnostic imaging agent or a therapeutic agent. For these reasons, gold nanoparticles are therefore well placed to enter mainstream clinical practice in the near future. Hence, the present review summarizes the chemistry, pharmacokinetics, bio-distribution, metabolism and toxicity of bulk gold in humans based on decades of clinical observation and experiments in which gold was used to treat patients with rheumatoid arthritis. The beneficial attributes of gold nanoparticles, such as their ease of synthesis, functionalization and shape control are also highlighted demonstrating why gold nanoparticles are an attractive target for further development and optimization. The importance of controlling the size and shape of gold nanoparticles to minimize any potential toxic side effects is also discussed. PMID:21846107

Effects of functional groups and ionization on the structure of alkanethiol coated gold nanoparticles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bolintineanu, Dan S.; Lane, J. Matthew D.; Grest, Gary S.

2013-03-01

We report fully atomistic molecular dynamics simulations of alkanethiol coated gold nanoparticles solvated in water and decane. The structure of the coatings is analyzed as a function of various functional end groups, including amine and carboxyl groups in different neutralization states. We study the effects of charge in the end groups for two different chain lengths (10 and 18 carbons) and different counterions (mono- and divalent). For the longer alkanes we find significant local phase segregation of chains on the nanoparticle surface, which results in highly asymmetric coating structures. In general, the charged end groups attenuate this effect by enhancing the water solubility of the nanoparticles. Based on the coating structures and density profiles, we can qualitatively infer the overall solubility of the nanoparticles. The asymmetry in the alkanethiol coatings is also likely to have a significant effect on aggregation behavior. More importantly, our simulations suggest the ability to modulate end group charge states (e.g. by changing the pH of the solution) in order to control coating structure, and therefore control solubility and aggregation behavior.

Comparison of amino acids interaction with gold nanoparticle.

PubMed

Ramezani, Fatemeh; Amanlou, Massoud; Rafii-Tabar, Hashem

2014-04-01

The study of nanomaterial/biomolecule interface is an important emerging field in bionanoscience, and additionally in many biological processes such as hard-tissue growth and cell-surface adhesion. To have a deeper understanding of the amino acids/gold nanoparticle assemblies, the adsorption of these amino acids on the gold nanoparticles (GNPs) has been investigated via molecular dynamics simulation. In these simulations, all the constituent atoms of the nanoparticles were considered to be dynamic. The geometries of amino acids, when adsorbed on the nanoparticle, were studied and their flexibilities were compared with one another. The interaction of each of 20 amino acids was considered with 3 and 8 nm gold GNPs.

Aggregation in charged nanoparticles solutions induced by different interactions

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Abbas, S.; Kumar, Sugam; Aswal, V. K., E-mail: vkaswal@barc.gov.in

2016-05-23

Small-angle neutron scattering (SANS) has been used to study the aggregation of anionic silica nanoparticles as induced through different interactions. The nanoparticle aggregation is induced by addition of salt (NaCl), cationic protein (lysozyme) and non-ionic surfactant (C12E10) employing different kind of interactions. The results show that the interaction in presence of salt can be explained using DLVO theory whereas non-DLVO forces play important role for interaction of nanoparticles with protein and surfactant. The presence of salt screens the repulsion between charged nanoparticles giving rise to a net attraction in the DLVO potential. On the other hand, strong electrostatic attraction betweenmore » nanoparticle and oppositely charged protein leads to protein-mediated nanoparticle aggregation. In case of non-ionic surfactant, the relatively long-range attractive depletion interaction is found to be responsible for the particle aggregation. Interestingly, the completely different interactions lead to similar kind of aggregate morphology. The nanoparticle aggregates formed are found to have mass fractal nature having a fractal dimension (~2.5) consistent with diffusion limited type of fractal morphology in all three cases.« less

Biotin-streptavidin-induced aggregation of gold nanorods: tuning rod-rod orientation.

PubMed

Gole, Anand; Murphy, Catherine J

2005-11-08

We report herein biotin-streptavidin-mediated aggregation studies of long gold nanorods. We have previously demonstrated end-to-end linkages of gold nanorods driven by the biotin-streptavidin interaction (Caswell et al. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2003, 125, 13914). In that report, the specific binding of biotin disulfide to the gold nanorod edges was achieved due to the preferred binding of thiol molecules to the Au[111] surface (gold nanorod ends) as opposed to the gold nanorod side faces. This led to the end-end linkage of gold nanorods upon subsequent addition of streptavidin. In this report we demonstrate a simple procedure to biotinylate the entire gold nanorod surface and subsequently form a 3-D assembly by addition of streptavidin. Gold nanorods were synthesized by the three-step seeding protocol documented in our previous articles. The surface of gold nanorods was further modified by a layer of a weak polyelectrolyte, poly(acrylic acid), PAA. A biotin molecule which has an amine group at one end (biotin-PEO-amine) was anchored to the carboxylic acid group of the polyelectrolyte using the well-known carbodiimide chemistry. This process biotinylates the entire gold nanorod surface. Addition of streptavidin further leads to aggregation of gold nanorods. A closer look at the aggregates reveals a preferential side-to-side assembly of gold nanorods. The gold nanorods were characterized at each stage by UV-vis spectroscopy, light scattering, and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) measurements.

Selectivity of Glycine for Facets on Gold Nanoparticles.

PubMed

Shao, Qing; Hall, Carol K

2018-04-05

The performance of nanoparticles in medical applications depends on their interactions with various molecules. Despite extensive research on this subject, it remains unclear where on an inhomogeneous nanoparticle molecules prefer to adsorb. Here we investigate the selectivity of glycine molecules for facets on five bare gold nanoparticles with diameters from 1.0 to 5.0 nm. Well-tempered metadynamics simulations are conducted to calculate the adsorption free-energy landscapes of a glycine molecule on various locations for the five gold nanoparticles in explicit water. We also calculate the glycine molecule's adsorption free energies on the five gold nanoparticles in vacuum and on three flat gold surfaces as a reference. The simulation results show that glycine molecules prefer to adsorb on the (110) facet for the 1.0 and 2.0 nm nanoparticles, the edges for the 3.0 nm nanoparticle, and the (111) facet for the 4.0 and 5.0 nm nanoparticles in water. The effect of water solvent on the selectivity is investigated through comparing the adsorption free-energy landscapes for glycine molecules on the nanoparticles in water and in vacuum. The area of the facet plays a key role in determining the selectivity of glycine molecules for the different facets, especially the shift of the selectivity as the nanoparticle diameter changes. Our simulations suggest that nanoparticle size and shape can be engineered to control the preferred adsorption location of molecules.

Extracellular biosynthesis of monodispersed gold nanoparticles by a SAM capping route

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wen, Li; Lin, Zhonghua; Gu, Pingying; Zhou, Jianzhang; Yao, Bingxing; Chen, Guoliang; Fu, Jinkun

2009-02-01

Monodispersed gold nanoparticles capped with a self-assembled monolayer of dodecanethiol were biosynthesized extracellularly by an efficient, simple, and environmental friendly procedure, which involved the use of Bacillus megatherium D01 as the reducing agent and the use of dodecanethiol as the capping ligand at 26 °C. The kinetics of gold nanoparticle formation was followed by transmission electron microscope (TEM) and UV-vis spectroscopy. It was shown that reaction time was an important parameter in controlling the morphology of gold nanoparticles. The effect of thiol on the shape, size, and dispersity of gold nanoparticles was also studied. The results showed that the presence of thiol during the biosynthesis could induce the formation of small size gold nanoparticles (<2.5 nm), hold the shape of spherical nanoparticles, and promote the monodispersity of nanoparticles. Through the modulation of reaction time and the use of thiol, monodispersed spherical gold nanoparticles capped with thiol of 1.9 ± 0.8 nm size were formed by using Bacillus megatherium D01.

Rapid detection of Cyprinid herpesvirus-3 (CyHV-3) using a gold nanoparticle-based hybridization assay.

PubMed

Saleh, Mona; El-Matbouli, Mansour

2015-06-01

Cyprinid herpesvirus-3 (CyHV-3) is a highly infectious pathogen that causes fatal disease in common and koi carp Cyprinus carpio L. CyHV-3 detection is usually based on virus propagation or amplification of the viral DNA using the PCR or LAMP techniques. However, due to the limited susceptibility of cells used for propagation, it is not always possible to successfully isolate CyHV-3 even from tissue samples that have high virus titres. All previously described detection methods including PCR-based assays are time consuming, laborious and require specialized equipment. To overcome these limitations, gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) have been explored for direct and sensitive detection of DNA. In this study, a label-free colorimetric nanodiagnostic method for direct detection of unamplified CyHV-3 DNA using gold nanoparticles is introduced. Under appropriate conditions, DNA probes hybridize with their complementary target sequences in the sample DNA, which results in aggregation of the gold nanoparticles and a concomitant colour change from red to blue, whereas test samples with non complementary DNA sequences remain red. In this study, gold nanoparticles were used to develop and evaluate a specific and sensitive hybridization assay for direct and rapid detection of the highly infectious pathogen termed Cyprinid herpesvirus-3. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The Applications of Gold Nanoparticle-Initialed Chemiluminescence in Biomedical Detection

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Zezhong; Zhao, Furong; Gao, Shandian; Shao, Junjun; Chang, Huiyun

2016-10-01

Chemiluminescence technique as a novel detection method has gained much attention in recent years owning to the merits of high sensitivity, wider linear ranges, and low background signal. Similarly, nanotechnology especially for gold nanoparticles has emerged as detection tools due to their unique physical and chemical properties. Recently, it has become increasingly popular to couple gold nanoparticles with chemiluminescence technique in biological agents' detection. In this review, we describe the superiority of both chemiluminescence and gold nanoparticles and conclude the different applications of gold nanoparticle-initialed chemiluminescence in biomedical detection.

Short-term exposure to gold nanoparticle suspension impairs swimming behavior in a widespread calanoid copepod.

PubMed

Michalec, François-Gaël; Holzner, Markus; Barras, Alexandre; Lacoste, Anne-Sophie; Brunet, Loïc; Lee, Jae-Seong; Slomianny, Christian; Boukherroub, Rabah; Souissi, Sami

2017-09-01

Calanoid copepods play an important role in the functioning of marine and brackish ecosystems. Information is scarce on the behavioral toxicity of engineered nanoparticles to these abundant planktonic organisms. We assessed the effects of short-term exposure to nonfunctionalized gold nanoparticles on the swimming behavior of the widespread estuarine copepod Eurytemora affinis. By means of three-dimensional particle tracking velocimetry, we reconstructed the trajectories of males, ovigerous and non-ovigerous females. We quantified changes in their swimming activity and in the kinematics and geometrical properties of their motion, three important descriptors of the motility patterns of zooplankters. In females, exposure to gold nanoparticles in suspension (11.4 μg L -1 ) for 30 min caused depressed activity and lower velocity and acceleration, whereas the same exposure caused minimal effects in males. This response differs clearly from the hyperactive behavior that is commonly observed in zooplankters exposed to pollutants, and from the generally lower sensitivity of female copepods to toxicants. Accumulation of gold nanoparticles on the external appendages was not observed, precluding mechanical effects. Only very few nanoparticles appeared sporadically in the inner part of the gut in some samples, either as aggregates or as isolated nanoparticles, which does not suggest systemic toxicity resulting from pronounced ingestion. Hence, the precise mechanisms underlying the behavioral toxicity observed here remain to be elucidated. These results demonstrate that gold nanoparticles can induce marked behavioral alterations at very low concentration and short exposure duration. They illustrate the applicability of swimming behavior as a suitable and sensitive endpoint for investigating the toxicity of nanomaterials present in estuarine and marine environments. Changes in swimming behavior may impair the ability of planktonic copepods to interact with their environment

Microwave absorption properties of gold nanoparticle doped polymers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jiang, C.; Ouattara, L.; Ingrosso, C.; Curri, M. L.; Krozer, V.; Boisen, A.; Jakobsen, M. H.; Johansen, T. K.

2011-03-01

This paper presents a method for characterizing microwave absorption properties of gold nanoparticle doped polymers. The method is based on on-wafer measurements at the frequencies from 0.5 GHz to 20 GHz. The on-wafer measurement method makes it possible to characterize electromagnetic (EM) property of small volume samples. The epoxy based SU8 polymer and SU8 doped with gold nanoparticles are chosen as the samples under test. Two types of microwave test devices are designed for exciting the samples through electrical coupling and magnetic coupling, respectively. Measurement results demonstrate that the nanocomposites absorb a certain amount of microwave energy due to gold nanoparticles. Higher nanoparticle concentration results in more significant absorption effect.

Green Synthesis, Characterization and Application of Proanthocyanidins-Functionalized Gold Nanoparticles

PubMed Central

Biao, Linhai; Tan, Shengnan; Meng, Qinghuan; Gao, Jing; Zhang, Xuewei; Liu, Zhiguo; Fu, Yujie

2018-01-01

Green synthesis of gold nanoparticles using plant extracts is one of the more promising approaches for obtaining environmentally friendly nanomaterials for biological applications and environmental remediation. In this study, proanthocyanidins-functionalized gold nanoparticles were synthesized via a hydrothermal method. The obtained gold nanoparticles were characterized by ultraviolet and visible spectrophotometry (UV-Vis), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) measurements. UV-Vis and FTIR results indicated that the obtained products were mainly spherical in shape, and that the phenolic hydroxyl of proanthocyanidins had strong interactions with the gold surface. TEM and XRD determination revealed that the synthesized gold nanoparticles had a highly crystalline structure and good monodispersity. The application of proanthocyanidins-functionalized gold nanoparticles for the removal of dyes and heavy metal ions Ni2+, Cu2+, Cd2+ and Pb2+ in an aqueous solution was investigated. The primary results indicate that proanthocyanidins-functionalized gold nanoparticles had high removal rates for the heavy metal ions and dye, which implies that they have potential applications as a new kind of adsorbent for the removal of contaminants in aqueous solution. PMID:29361727

Gold metal liquid-like droplets.

PubMed

Smirnov, Evgeny; Scanlon, Micheál D; Momotenko, Dmitry; Vrubel, Heron; Méndez, Manuel A; Brevet, Pierre-Francois; Girault, Hubert H

2014-09-23

Simple methods to self-assemble coatings and films encompassing nanoparticles are highly desirable in many practical scenarios, yet scarcely any examples of simple, robust approaches to coat macroscopic droplets with continuous, thick (multilayer), reflective and stable liquid nanoparticle films exist. Here, we introduce a facile and rapid one-step route to form films of reflective liquid-like gold that encase macroscopic droplets, and we denote these as gold metal liquid-like droplets (MeLLDs). The present approach takes advantage of the inherent self-assembly of gold nanoparticles at liquid-liquid interfaces and the increase in rates of nanoparticle aggregate trapping at the interface during emulsification. The ease of displacement of the stabilizing citrate ligands by appropriate redox active molecules that act as a lubricating molecular glue is key. Specifically, the heterogeneous interaction of citrate stabilized aqueous gold nanoparticles with the lipophilic electron donor tetrathiafulvalene under emulsified conditions produces gold MeLLDs. This methodology relies exclusively on electrochemical reactions, i.e., the oxidation of tetrathiafulvalene to its radical cation by the gold nanoparticle, and electrostatic interactions between the radical cation and nanoparticles. The gold MeLLDs are reversibly deformable upon compression and decompression and kinetically stable for extended periods of time in excess of a year.

Preparation and bactericide activity of gallic acid stabilized gold nanoparticles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moreno-Álvarez, S. A.; Martínez-Castañón, G. A.; Niño-Martínez, N.; Reyes-Macías, J. F.; Patiño-Marín, N.; Loyola-Rodríguez, J. P.; Ruiz, Facundo

2010-10-01

In this work, gold nanoparticles with three different sizes (13.7, 39.4, and 76.7 nm) were prepared using a simple aqueous method with gallic acid as the reducing and stabilizing agent, the different sizes were obtained varying some experimental parameters as the pH of the reaction and the amount of the gallic acid. The prepared nanoparticles were characterized using X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, dynamic light scattering, and UV-Vis spectroscopy. Samples were identified as elemental gold and present spherical morphology, a narrow size distribution and good stabilization according to TEM and DLS results. The antibacterial activity of this gallic acid stabilized gold nanoparticles against S. mutans (the etiologic agent of dental caries) was assessed using a microdilution method obtaining a minimum inhibitory concentration of 12.31, 12.31, and 49.25 μg/mL for 13.7, 39.4, and 76.7 nm gold nanoparticles, respectively. The antibacterial assay showed that gold nanoparticles prepared in this work present a bactericide activity by a synergistic action with gallic acid. The MIC found for this nanoparticles are much lower than those reported for mixtures of gold nanoparticles and antibiotics.

Gold-magnetite nanoparticle-biomolecule conjugates: Synthesis, properties and toxicity studies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pariti, Akshay

This thesis study focuses on synthesizing and characterizing gold-magnetite optically active magnetic nanoparticle and its conjugation with biomolecules for biomedical applications, especially magnetic fluid hyperthermia treatment for cancerous tissue. Gold nanoparticles have already displayed their potential in the biomedical field. They exhibit excellent optical properties and possess strong surface chemistry which renders them suitable for various biomolecule attachments. Studies have showed gold nanoparticles to be a perfect biocompatible vector. However, clinical trials for gold mediated drug delivery and treatment studied in rat models identified some problems. Of these problems, the low retention time in bloodstream and inability to maneuver externally has been the consequential. To further enhance their potential applications and overcome the problems faced in using gold nanoparticles alone, many researchers have synthesized multifunctional magnetic materials with gold at one terminal. Magnetite, among the investigated magnetic materials is a promising and reliable candidate because of its high magnetic saturation moment and low toxicity. This thesis showcases a simple and facile one pot synthesis of gold-magnetite nanoparticles with an average particle size of 80 nm through hot injection method. The as-synthesized nanoparticles were characterized by XRD, TEM, Mossbauer spectroscopy, SQUID and MTS toxicity studies. The superparamagnetism of the as-synthesized nanoparticles has an interestingly high saturation magnetization moment and low toxicity than the literature values reported earlier. L-cysteine and (-)-EGCG (epigallacatechin-3-gallate) were attached to this multifunctional nanoparticles through the gold terminal and characterized to show the particles applicability through Raman, FTIR and UV-Vis spectroscopy.

Generation of polypeptide-templated gold nanoparticles using ionizing radiation.

PubMed

Walker, Candace Rae; Pushpavanam, Karthik; Nair, Divya Geetha; Potta, Thrimoorthy; Sutiyoso, Caesario; Kodibagkar, Vikram D; Sapareto, Stephen; Chang, John; Rege, Kaushal

2013-08-13

Ionizing radiation, including γ rays and X-rays, are high-energy electromagnetic radiation with diverse applications in nuclear energy, astrophysics, and medicine. In this work, we describe the use of ionizing radiation and cysteine-containing elastin-like polypeptides (C(n)ELPs, where n = 2 or 12 cysteines in the polypeptide sequence) for the generation of gold nanoparticles. In the presence of C(n)ELPs, ionizing radiation doses higher than 175 Gy resulted in the formation of maroon-colored gold nanoparticle dispersions, with maximal absorbance at 520 nm, from colorless metal salts. Visible color changes were not observed in any of the control systems, indicating that ionizing radiation, gold salt solution, and C(n)ELPs were all required for nanoparticle formation. The hydrodynamic diameters of nanoparticles, determined using dynamic light scattering, were in the range of 80-150 nm, while TEM imaging indicated the formation of gold cores 10-20 nm in diameter. Interestingly, C2ELPs formed 1-2 nm diameter gold nanoparticles in the absence of radiation. Our results describe a facile method of nanoparticle formation in which nanoparticle size can be tailored based on radiation dose and C(n)ELP type. Further improvements in these polypeptide-based systems can lead to colorimetric detection of ionizing radiation in a variety of applications.

Gold and silver nanoparticles from Trianthema decandra: synthesis, characterization, and antimicrobial properties

PubMed Central

Geethalakshmi, R; Sarada, DVL

2012-01-01

Background There is an increasing commercial demand for nanoparticles due to their wide applicability in various markets, including medicine, catalysis, electronics, chemistry, and energy. In this report, a simple and ecofriendly chemical reaction for the synthesis of gold and silver nanoparticles from Trianthema decandra (Aizoaceae) has been developed. Methods and results On treatment of aqueous solutions containing chloroauric acid or silver nitrate with root extract of T. decandra, stable gold or silver nanoparticles were rapidly formed. The kinetics of reduction of gold and silver ions during the reaction was analyzed by ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy. Field emission-scanning electron microscopy showed formation of gold nanoparticles in various shapes, including spherical, cubical, triangular, and hexagonal, while silver nanoparticles were spherical. The size of the gold nanoparticles was 33–65 nm and that of the silver nanoparticles was 36–74 nm. Energy dispersive x-ray and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy confirmed the presence of metallic gold and metallic silver in the respective nanoparticles. The antimicrobial properties of the synthesized nanoparticles were analyzed using the Kirby-Bauer method. The results show varied susceptibility of microorganisms to the gold and silver nanoparticles. Conclusion It is believed that phytochemicals present in T. decandra extract reduce the silver and gold ions into metallic nanoparticles. This strategy reduces the cost of production and the environmental impact. The silver and gold nanoparticles formed showed strong activity against all microorganisms tested. PMID:23091381

A Comparative XAFS Study of Gold-thiolate Nanoparticles and Nanoclusters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chevrier, D. M.; Chatt, A.; Sham, T. K.; Zhang, P.

2013-04-01

Tiopronin-capped gold nanoparticles and gold nanoclusters of sizes 3.0 and 1.5 nm, respectively, were investigated with XAFS at the gold L3-edge. The specific EXAFS fitting procedure is discussed for obtaining reliable fit parameters for each system. The difficulties and challenges faced when analysing EXAFS data for gold nanoparticles and nanoclusters are also mentioned. Fitting results for gold nanoparticles reveal a small amount of surface Au-thiolate interactions with a large Au-Au metal core. For gold nanoclusters, only a one-shell fit was obtainable. Instead of Au-Au metal core, long-range interactions are expected for gold nanoclusters. Tiopronin-capped gold nanoclusters are proposed to be polymeric in nature, which helps explain the observed red luminescence.

Fabrication, characterisation and voltammetric studies of gold amalgam nanoparticle modified electrodes.

PubMed

Welch, Christine M; Nekrassova, Olga; Dai, Xuan; Hyde, Michael E; Compton, Richard G

2004-09-20

The tabrication, characterisation, and electroanalytical application of gold and gold amalgam nanoparticles on glassy carbon electrodes is examined. Once the deposition parameters for gold nanoparticle electrodes were optimised, the analytical utility of the electrodes was examined in CrIII electroanalysis. It was found that gold nanoparticle modified (Au-NM) electrodes possess higher sensitivity than gold macroelectrodes. In addition, gold amalgam nanoparticle modified (AuHg-NM) electrodes were fabricated and characterised. The response of those electrodes was recorded in the presence of important environmental analytes (heavy metal cations). It was found AuHg-NM electrodes demonstrate a unique voltammetric behaviour and can be applied for electroanalysis when enhanced sensitivity is crucial.

Optical trapping gold nanoparticles by a pulse laser

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, XiaoYu; Wang, Feng

2010-11-01

Gold nanoparticles are widely employed in nanomaterials, nanobiotechnology and health care, but generally they are considered difficult to trap stably. Compared with the continuous laser which is popular to the optical trapping, pulse laser has a relatively larger power in its work pulse, which is useful for trap particles. So this paper comprehensively analyzes the forces (the radiation forces, the gravitation, and the Brownian motion) on the gold nanoparticles in the optical tweezers formed by a pulse laser, through building up a mathematical model. Finally gets the dependence relation between the characteristics of the pulse laser and that of the gold nanoparticles.

Gold core@silver semishell Janus nanoparticles prepared by interfacial etching

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Limei; Deming, Christopher P.; Peng, Yi; Hu, Peiguang; Stofan, Jake; Chen, Shaowei

2016-07-01

Gold core@silver semishell Janus nanoparticles were prepared by chemical etching of Au@Ag core-shell nanoparticles at the air/water interface. Au@Ag core-shell nanoparticles were synthesized by chemical deposition of a silver shell onto gold seed colloids followed by the self-assembly of 1-dodecanethiol onto the nanoparticle surface. The nanoparticles then formed a monolayer on the water surface of a Langmuir-Blodgett trough, and part of the silver shell was selectively etched away by the mixture of hydrogen peroxide and ammonia in the water subphase, where the etching was limited to the side of the nanoparticles that was in direct contact with water. The resulting Janus nanoparticles exhibited an asymmetrical distribution of silver on the surface of the gold cores, as manifested in transmission electron microscopy, UV-vis absorption, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy measurements. Interestingly, the Au@Ag semishell Janus nanoparticles exhibited enhanced electrocatalytic activity in oxygen reduction reactions, as compared to their Au@Ag and Ag@Au core-shell counterparts, likely due to a synergistic effect between the gold cores and silver semishells that optimized oxygen binding to the nanoparticle surface.Gold core@silver semishell Janus nanoparticles were prepared by chemical etching of Au@Ag core-shell nanoparticles at the air/water interface. Au@Ag core-shell nanoparticles were synthesized by chemical deposition of a silver shell onto gold seed colloids followed by the self-assembly of 1-dodecanethiol onto the nanoparticle surface. The nanoparticles then formed a monolayer on the water surface of a Langmuir-Blodgett trough, and part of the silver shell was selectively etched away by the mixture of hydrogen peroxide and ammonia in the water subphase, where the etching was limited to the side of the nanoparticles that was in direct contact with water. The resulting Janus nanoparticles exhibited an asymmetrical distribution of silver on the surface of the gold

NON-INVASIVE RADIOFREQUENCY ABLATION OF CANCER TARGETED BY GOLD NANOPARTICLES

PubMed Central

Cardinal, Jon; Klune, John Robert; Chory, Eamon; Jeyabalan, Geetha; Kanzius, John S.; Nalesnik, Michael; Geller, David A.

2008-01-01

Introduction Current radiofrequency ablation (RFA) techniques require invasive needle placement and are limited by accuracy of targeting. The purpose of this study was to test a novel non-invasive radiowave machine that uses RF energy to thermally destroy tissue. Gold nanoparticles were designed and produced to facilitate tissue heating by the radiowaves. Methods A solid state radiowave machine consisting of a power generator and transmitting/receiving couplers which transmit radiowaves at 13.56 MHz was used. Gold nanoparticles were produced by citrate reduction and exposed to the RF field either in solutions testing or after incubation with HepG2 cells. A rat hepatoma model using JM-1 cells and Fisher rats was employed using direct injection of nanoparticles into the tumor to focus the radiowaves for select heating. Temperatures were measured using a fiber-optic thermometer for real-time data. Results Solutions containing gold nanoparticles heated in a time- and power-dependent manner. HepG2 liver cancer cells cultured in the presence of gold nanoparticles achieved adequate heating to cause cell death upon exposure to the RF field with no cytotoxicity attributable to the gold nanoparticles themselves. In vivo rat exposures at 35W using gold nanoparticles for tissue injection resulted in significant temperature increases and thermal injury at subcutaneous injection sites as compared to vehicle (water) injected controls. Discussion These data show that non-invasive radiowave thermal ablation of cancer cells is feasible when facilitated by gold nanoparticles. Future studies will focus on tumor selective targeting of nanoparticles for in vivo tumor destruction. PMID:18656617

Quantitative detection of liver-relevant biomarkers by SERS-immunolabeled gold nanoparticles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Payne, William Mark

Lab-on-a-chip technology has the potential to rapidly change the way experiments are conducted in a variety of fields ranging from medicine to environmental science. Specifically, sensors, detectors, and monitoring devices are increasingly being miniaturized to perform many experiments or measurements on a single chip. In this research, we develop an immunolabeled gold nanoparticle complex capable of detecting liver organoid biomarkers intended for use in a microfluidic device. Human Serum Albumin (HSA) and alpha-Glutathione S-Transferase (alpha-GST) are liver biomarkers that indicate liver health and damage respectively. Herein we demonstrate detection of the liver organoid biomarkers at nanomolar concentrations. Through plasmonic coupling induced by aggregation in the presence of analyte, the SERS signal obtained from the nanoparticles is dramatically increased. Furthermore, detection is demonstrated in a simple fluidic device to show the feasibility of implementing an optimized SERS-immunolabeled nanoparticle for translational application.

Memecylon edule leaf extract mediated green synthesis of silver and gold nanoparticles

PubMed Central

Elavazhagan, Tamizhamudu; Arunachalam, Kantha D

2011-01-01

We used an aqueous leaf extract of Memecylon edule (Melastomataceae) to synthesize silver and gold nanoparticles. To our knowledge, this is the first report where M. edule leaf broth was found to be a suitable plant source for the green synthesis of silver and gold nanoparticles. On treatment of aqueous solutions of silver nitrate and chloroauric acid with M. edule leaf extract, stable silver and gold nanoparticles were rapidly formed. The gold nanoparticles were characterized by UV-visible spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDAX) and Fourier transform infra-red spectroscopy (FTIR). The kinetics of reduction of aqueous silver and gold ions during reaction with the M. edule leaf broth were easily analyzed by UV-visible spectroscopy. SEM analysis showed that aqueous gold ions, when exposed to M. edule leaf broth, were reduced and resulted in the biosynthesis of gold nanoparticles in the size range 20–50 nm. TEM analysis of gold nanoparticles showed formation of triangular, circular, and hexagonal shapes in the size range 10–45 nm. The resulting silver nanoparticles were predominantly square with uniform size range 50–90 nm. EDAX results confirmed the presence of triangular nanoparticles in the adsorption peak of 2.30 keV. Further FTIR analysis was also done to identify the functional groups in silver and gold nanoparticles. The characterized nanoparticles of M. edule have potential for various medical and industrial applications. Saponin presence in aqueous extract of M. edule is responsible for the mass production of silver and gold nanoparticles. PMID:21753878

Memecylon edule leaf extract mediated green synthesis of silver and gold nanoparticles.

PubMed

Elavazhagan, Tamizhamudu; Arunachalam, Kantha D

2011-01-01

We used an aqueous leaf extract of Memecylon edule (Melastomataceae) to synthesize silver and gold nanoparticles. To our knowledge, this is the first report where M. edule leaf broth was found to be a suitable plant source for the green synthesis of silver and gold nanoparticles. On treatment of aqueous solutions of silver nitrate and chloroauric acid with M. edule leaf extract, stable silver and gold nanoparticles were rapidly formed. The gold nanoparticles were characterized by UV-visible spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDAX) and Fourier transform infra-red spectroscopy (FTIR). The kinetics of reduction of aqueous silver and gold ions during reaction with the M. edule leaf broth were easily analyzed by UV-visible spectroscopy. SEM analysis showed that aqueous gold ions, when exposed to M. edule leaf broth, were reduced and resulted in the biosynthesis of gold nanoparticles in the size range 20-50 nm. TEM analysis of gold nanoparticles showed formation of triangular, circular, and hexagonal shapes in the size range 10-45 nm. The resulting silver nanoparticles were predominantly square with uniform size range 50-90 nm. EDAX results confirmed the presence of triangular nanoparticles in the adsorption peak of 2.30 keV. Further FTIR analysis was also done to identify the functional groups in silver and gold nanoparticles. The characterized nanoparticles of M. edule have potential for various medical and industrial applications. Saponin presence in aqueous extract of M. edule is responsible for the mass production of silver and gold nanoparticles.

Functionalized Gold Nanoparticles and Their Biomedical Applications

PubMed Central

Tiwari, Pooja M.; Vig, Komal; Dennis, Vida A.; Singh, Shree R.

2011-01-01

Metal nanoparticles are being extensively used in various biomedical applications due to their small size to volume ratio and extensive thermal stability. Gold nanoparticles (GNPs) are an obvious choice due to their amenability of synthesis and functionalization, less toxicity and ease of detection. The present review focuses on various methods of functionalization of GNPs and their applications in biomedical research. Functionalization facilitates targeted delivery of these nanoparticles to various cell types, bioimaging, gene delivery, drug delivery and other therapeutic and diagnostic applications. This review is an amalgamation of recent advances in the field of functionalization of gold nanoparticles and their potential applications in the field of medicine and biology. PMID:28348279

Enhanced chemiluminescence-based detection on gold substrate after electrografting of diazonium precursor-coated gold nanoparticles.

PubMed

Houmed Adabo, Ali; Zeggari, Rabah; Mohamed Saïd, Nasser; Bazzi, Rana; Elie-Caille, Céline; Marquette, Christophe; Martini, Matteo; Tillement, Olivier; Perriat, Pascal; Chaix, Carole; Boireau, Wilfrid; Roux, Stéphane

2016-04-01

Since it was demonstrated that nanostructured surfaces are more efficient for the detection based on the specific capture of analytes, there is a real need to develop strategies for grafting nanoparticles onto flat surfaces. Among the different routes for the functionalization of a surface, the reduction of diazonium salts appears very attractive for the covalent immobilization of nanoparticles because this method does not require a pre-treatment of the surface. For achieving this goal, gold nanoparticles coated by precursor of diazonium salts were synthesized by reduction of gold salt in presence of mercaptoaniline. These mercaptoaniline-coated gold nanoparticles (Au@MA) were successfully immobilized onto various conducting substrates (indium tin oxide (ITO), glassy carbon (GC) and gold electrodes with flat terraces) after addition of sodium nitrite at fixed potential. When applied onto the gold electrodes, such a grafting strategy led to an obvious enhancement of the luminescence of luminol used for the biodetection. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Ultrasensitive aptamer biosensor for malathion detection based on cationic polymer and gold nanoparticles.

PubMed

Bala, Rajni; Kumar, Munish; Bansal, Kavita; Sharma, Rohit K; Wangoo, Nishima

2016-11-15

In this work, we have demonstrated a novel sensing strategy for an organophosphorus pesticide namely, malathion, employing unmodified gold nanoparticles, aptamer and a positively charged, water-soluble polyelectrolyte Polydiallyldimethylammonium chloride (PDDA). The PDDA when associated with the aptamer prevents the aggregation of the gold-nanoparticles while no such inhibition is observed when the aptamer specific pesticide is added to the solution, thereby changing the color of the solution from red to blue. This type of biosensor is quite simple and straightforward and can be completed in a few minutes without the need of any expensive equipment or trained personnel. The proposed method was linear in the concentration range of 0.5-1000pM with 0.06pM as the limit of detection. Moreover, the proposed assay selectively recognized malathion in the presence of other interfering substances and thus, can be applied to real samples for the rapid screening of malathion. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Single step, pH induced gold nanoparticle chain formation in lecithin/water system.

PubMed

Sharma, Damyanti

2013-07-01

Gold nanoparticle (AuNP) chains have been formed by a single step method in a lecithin/water system where lecithin itself plays the role of a reductant and a template for AuNP chain formation. Two preparative strategies were explored: (1) evaporating lecithin solution with aqueous gold chloride (HAuCl4) at different pHs and (2) dispersing lecithin vesicles in aqueous HAuCl4 solutions of various pHs in the range of 2.5-11.3. In method 1, at initial pH 2.5, 20-50 nm AuNPs are found attached to lecithin vesicles. When pH is raised to 5.5 there are no vesicles present and 20 nm monodisperse particles are found aggregating. Chain formation of fine nanoparticles (3-5 nm) is observed from neutral to basic pH, between 6.5-10.3 The chains formed are hundreds of nanometers to micrometer long and are usually 2-3 nanoparticles wide. On further increasing pH to 11.3, particles form disk-like or raft-like structures. When method (ii) was used a little chain formation was observed. Most of the nanoparticles formed were found either sitting together as raft like structures or scattered on lecithin structures. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Modular Carbon and Gold Nanoparticles for High Field MR Imaging and Theranostics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rammohan, Nikhil

The ability to track labeled cancer cells in vivo would allow researchers to study their distribution, growth and metastatic potential within the intact organism. Magnetic Resonance (MR) imaging is invaluable for tracking cancer cells in vivo as it benefits from high spatial resolution and absence of ionizing radiation. However, many MR contrast agents (CAs) required to label cells either do not significantly accumulate in cells or are not biologically compatible for translational studies. Accordingly, we have developed carbon- and gold-nanoparticles coupled to gadolinium(III) [Gd(III)] chelates for T1-weighted MR imaging that demonstrated remarkable properties for cell tracking in vitro and in vivo.. We created nanodiamond-Gd(III) aggregates (NDG) by peptide coupling Gd(III) chelates to aminated nanodiamonds. NDG had high relaxivity independent of field strength (unprecedented for Gd(III)-nanoparticle conjugates), and demonstrated a 300-fold increase in cellular delivery of Gd(III) compared to clinical Gd(III) chelates. Further, we were able to monitor the tumor growth of NDG-labeled flank tumors by T1-weighted MRI for 26 days in vivo, longer than reported for other MR CAs or nuclear agents. Further, theranostic nanodiamond-gadolinium(III)-doxorubicin (ND-Gd-Dox) aggregates were generated by conjugating doxorubicin (ND-Gd-Dox), which enabled efficient cancer chemotherapy in breast cancer cells. Further, we synthesized Gd(III)-gold nanoconjugates (Gd AuNPs) with varied chelate structure and nanoparticle-chelate linker length. Significantly enhanced cell labeling was demonstrated compared to previous gadolinium-gold-DNA nanoconstructs. Differences in Gd(III) loading, surface packing and cell uptake were observed between four different Gd AuNP formulations suggesting that linker length and surface charge play an important role in cell labeling. The best performing Gd AuNPs afforded 23.6 +/- 3.6 fmol of Gd(III) per cell at an incubation concentration of 27.5 micro

Highly sensitive, colorimetric detection of mercury(II) in aqueous media by quaternary ammonium group-capped gold nanoparticles at room temperature.

PubMed

Liu, Dingbin; Qu, Weisi; Chen, Wenwen; Zhang, Wei; Wang, Zhuo; Jiang, Xingyu

2010-12-01

We provide a highly sensitive and selective assay to detect Hg(2+) in aqueous solutions using gold nanoparticles modified with quaternary ammonium group-terminated thiols at room temperature. The mechanism is the abstraction of thiols by Hg(2+) that led to the aggregation of nanoparticles. With the assistance of solar light irradiation, the detection limit can be as low as 30 nM, which satisfies the guideline concentration of Hg(2+) in drinking water set by the WHO. In addition, the dynamic range of detection is wide (3 × 10(-8)-1 × 10(-2) M). This range, to our best knowledge, is the widest one that has been reported so far in gold nanoparticle (AuNP)-based assays for Hg(2+).

In situ gold nanoparticles formation: contrast agent for dental optical coherence tomography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Braz, Ana K. S.; Araujo, Renato E. de; Ohulchanskyy, Tymish Y.; Shukla, Shoba; Bergey, Earl J.; Gomes, Anderson S. L.; Prasad, Paras N.

2012-06-01

In this work we demonstrate the potential use of gold nanoparticles as contrast agents for the optical coherence tomography (OCT) imaging technique in dentistry. Here, a new in situ photothermal reduction procedure was developed, producing spherical gold nanoparticles inside dentinal layers and tubules. Gold ions were dispersed in the primer of commercially available dental bonding systems. After the application and permeation in dentin by the modified adhesive systems, the dental bonding materials were photopolymerized concurrently with the formation of gold nanoparticles. The gold nanoparticles were visualized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The SEM images show the presence of gold nanospheres in the hybrid layer and dentinal tubules. The diameter of the gold nanoparticles was determined to be in the range of 40 to 120 nm. Optical coherence tomography images were obtained in two- and three-dimensions. The distribution of nanoparticles was analyzed and the extended depth of nanosphere production was determined. The results show that the OCT technique, using in situ formed gold nanoparticles as contrast enhancers, can be used to visualize dentin structures in a non-invasive and non-destructive way.

Rapid extra-/intracellular biosynthesis of gold nanoparticles by the fungus Penicillium sp.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Du, Liangwei; Xian, Liang; Feng, Jia-Xun

2011-03-01

In this work, the fungus Penicillium was used for rapid extra-/intracellular biosynthesis of gold nanoparticles. AuCl4 - ions reacted with the cell filtrate of Penicillium sp. resulting in extracellular biosynthesis of gold nanoparticles within 1 min. Intracellular biosynthesis of gold nanoparticles was obtained by incubating AuCl4 - solution with fungal biomass for 8 h. The gold nanoparticles were characterized by means of visual observation, UV-Vis absorption spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX). The extracellular nanoparticles exhibited maximum absorbance at 545 nm in UV-Vis spectroscopy. The XRD spectrum showed Bragg reflections corresponding to the gold nanocrystals. TEM exhibited the formed spherical gold nanoparticles in the size range from 30 to 50 nm with an average size of 45 nm. SEM and TEM revealed that the intracellular gold nanoparticles were well dispersed on the cell wall and within the cell, and they are mostly spherical in shape with an average diameter of 50 nm. The presence of gold was confirmed by EDX analysis.

Liquid crystals from mesogens containing gold nanoparticles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lewandowski, Wiktor; Gorecka, Ewa

Long-range ordered structures made of nanoparticles are perspective materials for future optical, electronic and sensing technologies. Conspicuous physicochemical features of nanoparticle aggregates originate from distant-dependent collective interactions, therefore lately a lot of attention was put to the development of assembly strategies allowing control over nanoparticle spatial distribution. In this chapter we will focus on the assembly process based on using thermotropic liquid-crystalline molecules as surface nanoparticle ligands. First, we discuss architectural parameters that inuence structure and thermal properties of the aggregates. Then, we show that this approach enables formation of assemblies with metamaterial characteristic, gives access to dynamic materials with light-, magneto- and thermo-responsive behavior and allows formation of aggregates with unique structures, which all make this strategy an attractive object of research.

Kinetics of aggregation in charged nanoparticle solutions driven by different mechanisms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abbas, S.; Yadav, I.; Kumar, Sugam; Aswal, V. K.; Kohlbrecher, J.

2017-05-01

The structure and kinetics during aggregation of anionic silica nanoparticles as induced through different mechanisms have been studied by dynamic light scattering (DLS) and small-angle neutron scattering (SANS). Three different additives, namely an electrolyte (NaCl), cationic protein (lysozyme) and non-ionic surfactant (C12E10) were used to initiate nanoparticle aggregation. Electrolyte induced aggregation can be explained by DLVO interaction, whereas depletion interaction (non-DLVO interaction) is found responsible for nanoparticle aggregation in case of non-ionic surfactant. Unlike these two cases, strong electrostatic attraction between nanoparticle and oppositely charged protein results into protein-mediated nanoparticle aggregation. The electrolyte induced aggregation show quite slow aggregation rate whereas protein mediated as well as surfactant induced aggregation takes place almost instantaneously. The significant differences observed in the kinetics are explained based on range of interactions responsible for the aggregation. In spite of differences in mechanism and kinetics, the nanoparticle clusters are found to have similar fractal morphology (fractal dimension ˜ 2.5) in all the three cases.

Particle size-dependent organ distribution of gold nanoparticles after intravenous administration.

PubMed

De Jong, Wim H; Hagens, Werner I; Krystek, Petra; Burger, Marina C; Sips, Adriënne J A M; Geertsma, Robert E

2008-04-01

A kinetic study was performed to determine the influence of particle size on the in vivo tissue distribution of spherical-shaped gold nanoparticles in the rat. Gold nanoparticles were chosen as model substances as they are used in several medical applications. In addition, the detection of the presence of gold is feasible with no background levels in the body in the normal situation. Rats were intravenously injected in the tail vein with gold nanoparticles with a diameter of 10, 50, 100 and 250 nm, respectively. After 24 h, the rats were sacrificed and blood and various organs were collected for gold determination. The presence of gold was measured quantitatively with inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). For all gold nanoparticle sizes the majority of the gold was demonstrated to be present in liver and spleen. A clear difference was observed between the distribution of the 10 nm particles and the larger particles. The 10 nm particles were present in various organ systems including blood, liver, spleen, kidney, testis, thymus, heart, lung and brain, whereas the larger particles were only detected in blood, liver and spleen. The results demonstrate that tissue distribution of gold nanoparticles is size-dependent with the smallest 10nm nanoparticles showing the most widespread organ distribution.

Plasmonic Aptamer-Gold Nanoparticle Sensors for Small Molecule Fingerprint Identification

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-08-01

AFRL-RH-WP-TR-2014-0107 PLASMONIC APTAMER -GOLD NANOPARTICLE SENSORS FOR SMALL MOLECULE FINGERPRINT IDENTIFICATION Jorge Chávez Grant Slusher...Plasmonic Aptamer -Gold Nanoparticle Sensors for Small Molecule Fingerprint Identification 5a. CONTRACT NUMBER N/A 5b. GRANT NUMBER 5c. PROGRAM...The utilization of the plasmonic response of aptamer -gold nanoparticle conjugates (Apt-AuNPs) to design cross- reactive arrays for fingerprint

Synthesis and characterization of pHLIP® coated gold nanoparticles.

PubMed

Daniels, Jennifer L; Crawford, Troy M; Andreev, Oleg A; Reshetnyak, Yana K

2017-07-01

Novel approaches in synthesis of spherical and multispiked gold nanoparticles coated with polyethylene glycol (PEG) and pH Low Insertion Peptide (pHLIP ® ) were introduced. The presence of a tumor-targeting pHLIP ® peptide in the nanoparticle coating enhances the stability of particles in solution and promotes a pH-dependent cellular uptake. The spherical particles were prepared with sodium citrate as a gold reducing agent to form particles of 7.0±2.5 nm in mean metallic core diameter and ∼43 nm in mean hydrodynamic diameter. The particles that were injected into tumors in mice (21 µg of gold) were homogeneously distributed within a tumor mass with no staining of the muscle tissue adjacent to the tumor. Up to 30% of the injected gold dose remained within the tumor one hour post-injection. The multispiked gold nanoparticles with a mean metallic core diameter of 146.0±50.4 nm and a mean hydrodynamic size of ~161 nm were prepared using ascorbic acid as a reducing agent and disk-like bicelles as a template. Only the presence of a soft template, like bicelles, ensured the appearance of spiked nanoparticles with resonance in the near infrared region. The irradiation of spiked gold nanoparticles by an 805 nm laser led to the time- and concentration-dependent increase of temperature. Both pHLIP ® and PEG coated gold spherical and multispiked nanoparticles might find application in radiation and thermal therapies of tumors.

Antibody modified gold nanoparticles for fast and selective, colorimetric T7 bacteriophage detection.

PubMed

Lesniewski, Adam; Los, Marcin; Jonsson-Niedziółka, Martin; Krajewska, Anna; Szot, Katarzyna; Los, Joanna M; Niedziolka-Jonsson, Joanna

2014-04-16

Herein, we report a colorimetric immunosensor for T7 bacteriophage based on gold nanoparticles modified with covalently bonded anti-T7 antibodies. The new immunosensor allows for a fast, simple, and selective detection of T7 virus. T7 virions form immunological complexes with the antibody modified gold nanoparticles which causes them to aggregate. The aggregation can be observed with the naked eye as a color change from red to purple, as well as with a UV-vis spectrophotometer. The aggregate formation was confirmed with SEM imaging. Sensor selectivity against the M13 bacteriophage was demonstrated. The limit of detection (LOD) is 1.08 × 10(10) PFU/mL (18 pM) T7. The new method was compared with a traditional plaque test. In contrast to biological tests the colorimetric method allows for detection of all T7 phages, not only those biologically active. This includes phage ghosts and fragments of virions. T7 virus has been chosen as a model organism for adenoviruses. The described method has several advantages over the traditional ones. It is much faster than a standard plaque test. It is more robust since no bacteria-virus interactions are utilized in the detection process. Since antibodies are available for a large variety of pathogenic viruses, the described concept is very flexible and can be adapted to detect many different viruses, not only bacteriophages. Contrary to the classical immunoassays, it is a one-step detection method, and no additional amplification, e.g., enzymatic, is needed to read the result.

Acute toxicity and pharmacokinetics of 13 nm-sized PEG-coated gold nanoparticles

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Cho, Wan-Seob; Cho, Minjung; Jeong, Jinyoung

2009-04-01

In general, gold nanoparticles are recognized as being as nontoxic. Still, there have been some reports on their toxicity, which has been shown to depend on the physical dimension, surface chemistry, and shape of the nanoparticles. In this study, we carry out an in vivo toxicity study using 13 nm-sized gold nanoparticles coated with PEG (MW 5000). In our findings the 13 nm sized PEG-coated gold nanoparticles were seen to induce acute inflammation and apoptosis in the liver. These nanoparticles were found to accumulate in the liver and spleen for up to 7 days after injection and to have longmore » blood circulation times. In addition, transmission electron microscopy showed that numerous cytoplasmic vesicles and lysosomes of liver Kupffer cells and spleen macrophages contained the PEG-coated gold nanoparticles. These findings of toxicity and kinetics of PEG-coated gold nanoparticles may have important clinical implications regarding the safety issue as PEG-coated gold nanoparticles are widely used in biomedical applications.« less

Biosynthesis and computational analysis of amine-ended dual thiol ligand functionalized gold nanoparticles for conventional spectroscopy detection of melamine.

PubMed

Anand, K; Singh, Thishana; Madhumitha, G; Phulukdaree, A; Gengan, Robert M; Chuturgoon, A A

2017-04-01

The bio-synthesized DTAuNPs have an average size of 21nm. The aggregation extent depends on the concentration of melamine, which was validated by UV-vis spectra and visual method of melamine detection was developed. The major observation in this method was the color change of DTAuNPs from red to purple due to the aggregation of ligand capped gold nanoparticles instigated by melamine. The reaction of color changes were processed due to the shifting of bonding in hydrogen in between nanoparticles and melamine. The aggregation extent depends on the concentration of melamine, which can be validated UV-vis spectra and visual method of detecting melamine is developed. The electron density and conventional UV-vis, FTIR spectroscopy and DFT studies on the ligand was performed using computational methods. The theoretical and experimental data for the energy transitions and the molar extinction coefficients of the ligands studied has been obtained. Further, the ligand capped gold nanoparticles was assessed for cytotoxicity against A549 cells which resulted in significant decrease in cell viability was noted in 50μg/mL DTAu, 4-ATP and AXT treated cells at 2h (85% and 66%) and 6h (83% and 36%) respectively, (p<0.01) were studied and reported in this manuscript. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Gas-Phase Synthesis of Gold- and Silica-Coated Nanoparticles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Boies, Adam Meyer

2011-12-01

Composite nanoparticles consisting of separate core-shell materials are of interest for a variety of biomedical and industrial applications. By combining different materials at the nanoscale, particles can exhibit enhanced or multi-functional behavior such as plasmon resonance combined with superparamagnetism. Gas-phase nanoparticle synthesis processes are promising because they can continuously produce particles with high mass-yield rates. In this dissertation, new methods are investigated for producing gas-phase coatings of nanoparticles in an "assembly-line" fashion. Separate processes are developed to create coatings from silica and gold that can be used with a variety of core-particle chemistries. A photoinduced chemical vapor deposition (photo-CVD) method is used to produce silica coatings from tetraethyl orthosilicate (TEOS) on the surface of nanoparticles (diameter ˜5--70 nm). Tandem differential mobility analysis (TDMA) of the process demonstrates that particle coatings can be produced with controllable thicknesses (˜1--10 nm) by varying system parameters such as precursor flow rate. Electron microscopy and infrared spectroscopy confirm that the photo-CVD films uniformly coat the particles and that the coatings are silica. In order to describe the coating process a chemical mechanism is proposed that includes gas-phase, surface and photochemical reactions. A chemical kinetics model of the mechanism indicates that photo-CVD coating proceeds primarily through the photodecomposition of TEOS which removes ethyl groups, thus creating activated TEOS species. The activated TEOS then adsorbs onto the surface of the particle where a series of subsequent reactions remove the remaining ethyl groups to produce a silica film with an open site for further attachment. The model results show good agreement with the experimentally measured coating trends, where increased TEOS flow increases coating thickness and increased nitrogen flow decreases coating thickness. Gold

A Dispersion-Dominated Chromogenic Strategy for Colorimetric Sensing of Glutathione at the Nanomolar Level Using Gold Nanoparticles.

PubMed

Xianyu, Yunlei; Xie, Yangzhouyun; Wang, Nuoxin; Wang, Zhuo; Jiang, Xingyu

2015-11-04

A dispersion-dominated chromogenic strategy for glutathione sensing is developed. Glutathione prevents the aggregation of arginine-modified gold nanoparticles via mercury-thiol interaction, which allows for glutathione sensing at the nanomolar level (10.9 × 10(-9) m) with facile operation and naked-eye readout. © 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Diazonium-derived aryl films on gold nanoparticles: evidence for a carbon-gold covalent bond.

PubMed

Laurentius, Lars; Stoyanov, Stanislav R; Gusarov, Sergey; Kovalenko, Andriy; Du, Rongbing; Lopinski, Gregory P; McDermott, Mark T

2011-05-24

Tailoring the surface chemistry of metallic nanoparticles is generally a key step for their use in a wide range of applications. There are few examples of organic films covalently bound to metal nanoparticles. We demonstrate here that aryl films are formed on gold nanoparticles from the spontaneous reduction of diazonium salts. The structure and the bonding of the film is probed with surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS). Extinction spectroscopy and SERS show that a nitrobenzene film forms on gold nanoparticles from the corresponding diazonium salt. Comparison of the SERS spectrum with spectra computed from density functional theory models reveals a band characteristic of a Au-C stretch. The observation of this stretch is direct evidence of a covalent bond. A similar band is observed in high-resolution electron energy loss spectra of nitrobenzene layers on planar gold. The bonding of these types of films through a covalent interaction on gold is consistent with their enhanced stability observed in other studies. These findings provide motivation for the use of diazonium-derived films on gold and other metals in applications where high stability and/or strong adsorbate-substrate coupling are required.

Biosynthesis of Gold Nanoparticles Using Pseudomonas Aeruginosa

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Abd El-Aziz, M.; Badr, Y.; Mahmoud, M. A.

2007-02-14

Pseudomonas aeruginosa were used for extracellular biosynthesis of gold nanoparticles (Au NPs). Consequently, Au NPs were formed due to reduction of gold ion by bacterial cell supernatant of P. aeruginos ATCC 90271, P. aeruginos (2) and P. aeruginos (1). The UV-Vis. and fluorescence spectra of the bacterial as well as chemical prepared Au NPs were recorded. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) micrograph showed the formation of well-dispersed gold nanoparticles in the range of 15-30 nm. The process of reduction being extracellular and may lead to the development of an easy bioprocess for synthesis of Au NPs.

Colorimetric determination of Al(III) based on the aggregation of gold nanoparticles functionalized with novel 4-benzoyl pyrazolone derivative

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abubaker, Mariam; Ngah, Che Wan Zanariah Che Wan; Ahmad, Musa; Kuswandi, Bambang

2018-06-01

A sensitive and selective colorimetric method has been developed for detection of Al3+ ion using 4-benzoyl pyrazolone-functionalized gold nanoparticles (BMPBP-AuNPs) as novel colorimetric probes. The BMPBP-AuNPs were characterized by UV-visible spectrometry and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). It was found that the addition of the Al3+ ions led to a rapid aggregation of the BMPBP-AuNPs, which changed the color of the mixture from red to blue. Furthermore, there was a shift in the characteristic surface plasmon resonance (SPR) peak from 524 to 650 nm of BMPBP-AuNPs, which confirmed that a good linear relation (R2 = 0.9935) was present between the absorption ratio of 524 and 650 nm. Also, the assay detected the Al3+ ion concentrations in the linear range 0-12 ppm with the detection limit is 0.05 ppm. Finally, the synthesized BMPBP-AuNPs were successfully used as a colorimetric sensor for the selective and sensitive detection of the Al3+ ions in water samples.

In vivo toxicity, biodistribution, and clearance of glutathione-coated gold nanoparticles.

PubMed

Simpson, Carrie A; Salleng, Kenneth J; Cliffel, David E; Feldheim, Daniel L

2013-02-01

Gold nanoparticles are emerging as promising materials from which to construct nanoscale therapeutics and therapeutic delivery systems. However, animal studies have shown that gold nanoparticles modified with certain thiol monolayers such as tiopronin can cause renal complications and morbidity. Although these effects may be eliminated by coadsorbing small amounts of polyethylene glycol (PEG) onto the nanoparticle surface, PEG can also lower cellular internalization efficiency and binding interactions with protein disease targets, significantly reducing the potential for using gold nanoparticles as therapeutics. Using ICP-MS analysis of blood, urine, and several organs, we show in this article that glutathione-coated gold nanoparticles (1.2 nm ± 0.9 nm) cause no morbidity at any concentration up to and including 60 μM and target primary organs although providing gradual dissipation and clearance over time. This study suggests that glutathione may be an attractive alternative to PEG in the design of gold nanoparticle therapeutics. This study describes the utility and toxicity of glutathione coated gold nanoparticles in comparison to PEGylated counterparts that are commonly used to increase "Stealth" properties and lower cytotoxicity. Too much PEG on the NPs can lead to lower cellular internalization efficiency and less efficient binding interactions with protein disease targets, significantly reducing the potential for using gold nanoparticles as therapeutics. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A label-free colorimetric aptasensor for simple, sensitive and selective detection of Pt (II) based on platinum (II)-oligonucleotide coordination induced gold nanoparticles aggregation.

PubMed

Fan, Daoqing; Zhai, Qingfeng; Zhou, Weijun; Zhu, Xiaoqing; Wang, Erkang; Dong, Shaojun

2016-11-15

Herein, a gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) based label-free colorimetric aptasensor for simple, sensitive and selective detection of Pt (II) was constructed for the first time. Four bases (G-G mismatch) mismatched streptavidin aptamer (MSAA) was used to protect AuNPs from salt-induced aggregation and recognize Pt (II) specifically. Only in the presence of Pt (II), coordination occurs between G-G bases and Pt (II), leading to the activation of streptavidin aptamer. Streptavidin coated magnetic beads (MBs) were used as separation agent to separate Pt (II)-coordinated MSAA. The residual less amount of MSAA could not efficiently protect AuNPs anymore and aggregation of AuNPs will produce a colorimetric product. With the addition of Pt (II), a pale purple-to-blue color variation could be observed by the naked eye. A detection limit of 150nM and a linear range from 0.6μM to 12.5μM for Pt (II) could be achieved without any amplification. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Biosynthesis, structural characterization and antimicrobial activity of gold and silver nanoparticles.

PubMed

Ahmad, Tokeer; Wani, Irshad A; Manzoor, Nikhat; Ahmed, Jahangeer; Asiri, Abdullah M

2013-07-01

An eco friendly simple biosynthetic route was used for the preparation of monodisperse and highly crystalline gold and silver nanoparticles using cell free extract of fungus, Candida albicans. Transmission electron microscopic studies show the formation of gold and silver nanocrystals of average size of 5 nm and 30 nm with the specific surface areas of 18.9 m(2)/g and 184.4 m(2)/g respectively. The interaction of gold and silver nanoparticles with proteins has been formulated by FT-IR spectroscopy and thermal gravimetric analysis. The formation of gold and silver nanoparticles was also confirmed by the appearance of a surface plasmon band at 540 nm and 450 nm respectively. The antimicrobial activity of the synthesized gold and silver nanoparticles was investigated against both Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli. The results suggest that these nanoparticles can be used as effective growth inhibitors against the test microorganisms. Greater bactericidal activity was observed for silver nanoparticles. The E. coli, a gram negative bacterium was found to be more susceptible to gold and silver nanoparticles than the S. aureus, a gram positive bacterium. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A spectroscopic study on the interaction between gold nanoparticles and hemoglobin

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Garabagiu, Sorina, E-mail: sgarabagiu@itim-cj.ro

2011-12-15

Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The interaction was studied using UV-vis and fluorescence spectroscopy. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Gold nanoparticles quench the fluorescence emission of hemoglobin solution. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The binding and thermodynamic constants were calculated. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Major impact: electrochemical applications of the complex onto a substrate. -- Abstract: The interaction between horse hemoglobin and gold nanoparticles was studied using optical spectroscopy. UV-vis and fluorescence spectra show that a spontaneous binding process occurred between hemoglobin and gold nanoparticles. The Soret band of hemoglobin in the presence of gold nanoparticles does not show significant changes, which proves that the protein retained its biological function. A shift to longermore » wavelengths appears in the plasmonic band of gold nanoparticles upon the attachment of hemoglobin molecules. Gold nanoparticles quench the fluorescence emission of tryptophan residues in the structure of hemoglobin. The Stern-Volmer quenching constant, the binding constant and the number of binding sites were also calculated. Thermodynamic parameters indicate that the binding was mainly due to hydrophobic interactions.« less

Gold core@silver semishell Janus nanoparticles prepared by interfacial etching.

PubMed

Chen, Limei; Deming, Christopher P; Peng, Yi; Hu, Peiguang; Stofan, Jake; Chen, Shaowei

2016-08-14

Gold core@silver semishell Janus nanoparticles were prepared by chemical etching of Au@Ag core-shell nanoparticles at the air/water interface. Au@Ag core-shell nanoparticles were synthesized by chemical deposition of a silver shell onto gold seed colloids followed by the self-assembly of 1-dodecanethiol onto the nanoparticle surface. The nanoparticles then formed a monolayer on the water surface of a Langmuir-Blodgett trough, and part of the silver shell was selectively etched away by the mixture of hydrogen peroxide and ammonia in the water subphase, where the etching was limited to the side of the nanoparticles that was in direct contact with water. The resulting Janus nanoparticles exhibited an asymmetrical distribution of silver on the surface of the gold cores, as manifested in transmission electron microscopy, UV-vis absorption, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy measurements. Interestingly, the Au@Ag semishell Janus nanoparticles exhibited enhanced electrocatalytic activity in oxygen reduction reactions, as compared to their Au@Ag and Ag@Au core-shell counterparts, likely due to a synergistic effect between the gold cores and silver semishells that optimized oxygen binding to the nanoparticle surface.

Small angle neutron scattering study of polyelectrolyte brushes grafted to well-defined gold nanoparticle interfaces.

PubMed

Jia, Haidong; Grillo, Isabelle; Titmuss, Simon

2010-05-18

Small angle neutron scattering (SANS) has been used to study the conformations, and response to added salt, of a polyelectrolyte layer grafted to the interfaces of well-defined gold nanoparticles. The polyelectrolyte layer is prepared at a constant coverage by grafting thiol-functionalized polystyrene (M(w) = 53k) to gold nanoparticles of well-defined interfacial curvature (R(c) = 26.5 nm) followed by a soft-sulfonation of 38% of the segments to sodium polystyrene sulfonate (NaPSS). The SANS profiles can be fit by Fermi-Dirac distributions that are consistent with a Gaussian distribution but are better described by a parabolic distribution plus an exponential tail, particularly in the high salt regime. These distributions are consistent with the predictions and measurements for osmotic and salted brushes at interfaces of low curvature. When the concentration of added salt exceeds the concentration of counterions inside the brush, there is a salt-induced deswelling, but even at the highest salt concentration the brush remains significantly swollen due to a short-ranged excluded volume interaction. This is responsible for the observed resistance to aggregation of these comparatively high concentration polyelectrolyte stabilized gold nanoparticle dispersions even in the presence of a high concentration of added salt.

Functionalization of lamellar molybdenum disulphide nanocomposite with gold nanoparticles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lavayen, V.; O'Dwyer, C.; Ana, M. A. Santa; Mirabal, N.; Benavente, E.; Cárdenas, G.; González, G.; Torres, C. M. Sotomayor

2007-01-01

This work explores the functionalization of an organic-inorganic MoS2 lamellar compound, prepared by a chemical liquid deposition method (CLD), that has an interlamellar distance of ∼5.2 nm, using clusters of gold nanoparticles. The gold nanoparticles have a mean diameter of 1.2 nm, a stability of ∼85 days, and a zeta potential measured to be ζ = -6.8 mV (solid). The nanoparticles are localized in the hydrophilic zones, defined by the presence of amine groups of the surfactant between the lamella of MoS2. SEM, TEM, EDAX and electron diffraction provide conclusive evidence of the interlamellar insertion of the gold nanoparticles in the MoS2.

Green synthesis of anisotropic gold nanoparticles for photothermal therapy of cancer.

PubMed

Fazal, Sajid; Jayasree, Aswathy; Sasidharan, Sisini; Koyakutty, Manzoor; Nair, Shantikumar V; Menon, Deepthy

2014-06-11

Nanoparticles of varying composition, size, shape, and architecture have been explored for use as photothermal agents in the field of cancer nanomedicine. Among them, gold nanoparticles provide a simple platform for thermal ablation owing to its biocompatibility in vivo. However, the synthesis of such gold nanoparticles exhibiting suitable properties for photothermal activity involves cumbersome routes using toxic chemicals as capping agents, which can cause concerns in vivo. Herein, gold nanoparticles, synthesized using green chemistry routes possessing near-infrared (NIR) absorbance facilitating photothermal therapy, would be a viable alternative. In this study, anisotropic gold nanoparticles were synthesized using an aqueous route with cocoa extract which served both as a reducing and stabilizing agent. The as-prepared gold nanoparticles were subjected to density gradient centrifugation to maximize its NIR absorption in the wavelength range of 800-1000 nm. The particles also showed good biocompatibility when tested in vitro using A431, MDA-MB231, L929, and NIH-3T3 cell lines up to concentrations of 200 μg/mL. Cell death induced in epidermoid carcinoma A431 cells upon irradiation with a femtosecond laser at 800 nm at a low power density of 6 W/cm(2) proved the suitability of green synthesized NIR absorbing anisotropic gold nanoparticles for photothermal ablation of cancer cells. These gold nanoparticles also showed good X-ray contrast when tested using computed tomography (CT), proving their feasibility for use as a contrast agent as well. This is the first report on green synthesized anisotropic and cytocompatible gold nanoparticles without any capping agents and their suitability for photothermal therapy.

Theoretical and experimental insights into the origin of the catalytic activity of subnanometric gold clusters: attempts to predict reactivity with clusters and nanoparticles of gold.

PubMed

Boronat, Mercedes; Leyva-Pérez, Antonio; Corma, Avelino

2014-03-18

Particle size is one of the key parameters determining the unexpected catalytic activity of gold, with reactivity improving as the particle gets smaller. While this is valid in the 1-5 nm range, chemists are now investigating the influence of particle size in the subnanometer regime. This is due to recent advances in both characterization techniques and synthetic routes capable of stabilizing these size-controlled gold clusters. Researchers reported in early studies that small clusters or aggregates of a few atoms can be extremely active in some reactions, while 1-2 nm nanoparticles are catalytically more efficient for other reactions. Furthermore, the possibility that small gold clusters generated in situ from gold salts or complexes could be the real active species in homogeneous gold-catalyzed organic reactions should be considered. In this Account, we address two questions. First, what is the origin of the enhanced reactivity of gold clusters on the subnanometer scale? And second, how can we predict the reactions where small clusters should work better than larger nanoparticles? Both geometric factors and electronic or quantum size effects become important in the subnanometer regime. Geometric reasons play a key role in hydrogenation reactions, where only accessible low coordinated neutral Au atoms are needed to dissociate H2. The quantum size effects of gold clusters are important as well, as clusters formed by only a few atoms have discrete molecule-like electronic states and their chemical reactivity is related to interactions between the cluster's frontier molecular orbitals and those of the reactant molecules. From first principles calculations, we predict an enhanced reactivity of small planar clusters for reactions involving activation of CC multiple bonds in alkenes and alkynes through Lewis acid-base interactions, and a better catalytic performance of 3D gold nanoparticles in redox reactions involving bond dissociation by oxidative addition and new

Absorption Spectra of Gold Nanoparticle Suspensions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Anan'eva, M. V.; Nurmukhametov, D. R.; Zverev, A. S.; Nelyubina, N. V.; Zvekov, A. A.; Russakov, D. M.; Kalenskii, A. V.; Eremenko, A. N.

2018-02-01

Three gold nanoparticle suspensions are obtained, and mean radii in distributions - (6.1 ± 0.2), (11.9 ± 0.3), and (17.3 ± 0.7) nm - are determined by the transmission electron microscopy method. The optical absorption spectra of suspensions are obtained and studied. Calculation of spectral dependences of the absorption index of suspensions at values of the gold complex refractive index taken from the literature showed a significant deviation of experimental and calculated data in the region of 450-800 nm. Spectral dependences of the absorption of suspensions are simulated within the framework of the Mie-Drude theory taking into account the interband absorption in the form of an additional term in the imaginary part of the dielectric permittivity of the Gaussian type. It is shown that to quantify the spectral dependences in the region of the plasmon absorption band of nanoparticles, correction of the parameters of the interband absorption is necessary in addition to the increase of the relaxation parameter of the Drude theory. Spectral dependences of the dielectric permittivity of gold in nanodimensional state are refined from the solution of the inverse problem. The results of the present work are important for predicting the special features of operation of photonic devices and optical detonators based on gold nanoparticles.

Biosynthesis of size-controlled gold nanoparticles using fungus, Penicillium sp.

PubMed

Zhang, Xiaorong; He, Xiaoxiao; Wang, Kemin; Wang, Yonghong; Li, Huimin; Tan, Weihong

2009-10-01

The unique optoelectronic and physicochemical properties of gold nanoparticles are significantly dependent on the particle size, shape and structure. In this paper, biosynthesis of size-controlled gold nanoparticles using fungus Penicillium sp. is reported. Fungus Penicillium sp. could successfully bioreduce and nucleate AuCl4(-) ions, and lead to the assembly and formation of intracellular Au nanoparticles with spherical morphology and good monodispersity after exposure to HAuCl4 solution. Reaction temperature, as an important physiological parameter for fungus Penicillium sp. growth, could significantly control the size of the biosynthesized Au nanoparticles. The biological compositions and FTIR spectra analysis of fungus Penicillium sp. exposed to HAuCl4 solution indicated the intracellular reducing sugar played an important role in the occurrence of intracellular reduction of AuCl4(-) ions and the growth of gold nanoparticles. Furthermore, the intracellular gold nanoparticles could be easily separated from the fungal cell lysate by ultrasonication and centrifugation.

Enzymes immobilization on Fe 3O 4-gold nanoparticles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kalska-Szostko, B.; Rogowska, M.; Dubis, A.; Szymański, K.

2012-01-01

In the present study Fe3O4 magnetic nanoparticles were synthesized by coprecipitation of Fe2+ and Fe3+ from chlorides. In the next step magnetite-gold core-shell nanoparticles were synthesized from HAuCl4 using an ethanol as a reducing agent. Finally, magnetic nanoparticles were functionalized by hexadecanethiol. The immobilization of biological molecules (trypsin and glucose oxidase) to the thiol-modified and unmodified magnetite-gold nanoparticles surface was tested. The resulting nanoparticles were characterized by infrared spectroscopy, differential scanning calorimetry, Mössbauer spectroscopy and transmission electron microscopy.

Bubble template synthesis of hollow gold nanoparticles and their applications as theranostic agents

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huang, Chienwen

Hollow gold nanoparticle with a sub-30nm polycrystalline shell and a 50 nm hollow core has been successfully synthesized through the reduction of sodium gold sulfite by electrochemically evolved hydrogen. Such hollow gold nanoparticles exhibit unique plasmonic properties. They strongly scatter and absorb near infrared light. In this thesis we seek to understand the formation mechanism of hollow gold nanoparticles in this new synthesis process and their plasmonic properties. Also, we explore their biomedical applications as theranostic agents (therapeutic and diagnostic imaging). A lithographically patterned electrode consisting of Ag stripes on a glass substrate was used to investigate the formation process of hollow gold nanoparticles. Ag stripes served as working electrode for electrochemically evolution of hydrogen, and adjacent glass areas provided supporting surface for hydrogen nanobubbles nucleation and growth. Hydrogen nanobubbles served as both templates and reducing agents to trigger the autocatalytic disproportionation reaction of sodium gold sulfite. The effects of applied potential and the additives in the electrolyte have been studied. It has been found that the size and size distribution of hollow gold nanoparticle are directly relative to the applied potential, i.e. the hydrogen evolution rate. It has also been found the addition of Ni2+ ions can greatly improve the size distribution of hollow gold nanoparticles that can be contributed to that the newly electrodeposited nickel metal can enhance the hydrogen evolution efficiency. Another additive, ethylenediamine (EDA) can suppress the autocatalytic reaction of gold sulfite to increase the stability of sodium gold sulfite electrolyte. To capture such electrochemically evolved hydrogen nanobubbles, and subsequently to generate hollow gold nanoparticles in large numbers, alumina membranes were placed on the top of the working electrode. Anodic alumina membrane consists of ~200 nm pores, which provides

Silver nanoparticle aggregation not triggered by an ionic strength mechanism

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Botasini, Santiago; Méndez, Eduardo

2013-04-01

The synthesis of stable colloidal solutions of silver nanoparticles is a major goal in the industry to control their fate in aqueous solutions. The present work studies 10-20-nm silver nanoparticle aggregation triggered by the presence of chloride ions. The aggregation process was followed by UV-Vis-NIR spectroscopy and transmission electron microscopy. We found that the mechanism involved differs from the classic explanation of nanoparticle aggregation triggered by an increase in the ionic strength. Moreover, our results give evidence that even when nanoparticles are resistant to an increment of the total amount of ions, the formation of insoluble salts in the vicinity of the nanoparticle is enough to induce the aggregation. The presence of silver chloride around the silver nanoparticles was documented by an X-ray diffraction pattern and electrochemical methods because chloride anions are ubiquitous in real media; this alternative process jeopardized the development of many applications with silver nanoparticles that depend on the use of stable colloids.

Peptide-activated gold nanoparticles for selective visual sensing of virus

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sajjanar, Basavaraj; Kakodia, Bhuvna; Bisht, Deepika; Saxena, Shikha; Singh, Arvind Kumar; Joshi, Vinay; Tiwari, Ashok Kumar; Kumar, Satish

2015-05-01

In this study, we report peptide-gold nanoparticles (AuNP)-based visual sensor for viruses. Citrate-stabilized AuNP (20 ± 1.9 nm) were functionalized with strong sulfur-gold interface using cysteinylated virus-specific peptide. Peptide-Cys-AuNP formed complexes with the viruses which made them to aggregate. The aggregation can be observed with naked eye and also with UV-Vis spectrophotometer as a color change from bright red to purple. The test allows for fast and selective detection of specific viruses. Spectroscopic measurements showed high linear correlation ( R 2 = 0.995) between the changes in optical density ratio (OD610/OD520) with the different concentrations of virus. The new method was compared with the hemagglutinating (HA) test for Newcastle disease virus (NDV). The results indicated that peptide-Cys-AuNP was more sensitive and can visually detect minimum number of virus particles present in the biological samples. The limit of detection for the NDV was 0.125 HA units of the virus. The method allows for selective detection and quantification of the NDV, and requires no isolation of viral RNA and PCR experiments. This strategy may be utilized for detection of other important human and animal viral pathogens.

Recent progress in theranostic applications of hybrid gold nanoparticles.

PubMed

Gharatape, Alireza; Salehi, Roya

2017-09-29

A significant area of research is theranostic applications of nanoparticles, which involves efforts to improve delivery and reduce side effects. Accordingly, the introduction of a safe, effective, and, most importantly, renewable strategy to target, deliver and image disease cells is important. This state-of-the-art review focuses on studies done from 2013 to 2016 regarding the development of hybrid gold nanoparticles as theranostic agents in the diagnosis and treatment of cancer and infectious disease. Several syntheses (chemical and green) methods of gold nanoparticles and their applications in imaging, targeting, and delivery are reviewed; their photothermal efficiency is discussed as is the toxicity of gold nanoparticles. Owing to the unique characterizations of hybrid gold nanoparticles and their potential to be developed as multifunctional, we predict they will present an undeniable role in clinical studies and provide treatment platforms for various diseases. Thus, their clearance and interactions with extra- and intra-cellular molecules need to be considered in future projects. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Synthesis of netlike gold nanoparticles using ampicillin as a stabilizing reagent and its application

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Song, Y.Z., E-mail: singyuanzhi@sina.com; Zhou, J.F.; Song, Y., E-mail: songyang@mail.buct.edu.cn

Graphical abstract: Electrochemical deposition of netlike gold nanoparticles (GNPs) on the surface of glassy carbon electrode and preparation of netlike GNPs in aqueous solution using ampicillin as a stabilizing reagent were proposed. The catalytic properties of netlike gold nanoparticles on the glassy carbon electrode for dopamine were demonstrated. The results indicate that the netlike gold nanoparticle modified electrode has an excellent repeatability and reproducibility. Display Omitted Highlights: ► Synthesis of netlike gold nanoparticles using ampicillin as a stabilizing reagent. ► Excellent repeatability and reproducibility of netlike gold nanoparticle modified glassy carbon electrode. ► The catalytic properties of netlike gold nanoparticlemore » for dopamine. -- Abstract: Electrochemical deposition of netlike gold nanoparticles on the surface of glassy carbon electrode and preparation of netlike GNPs in aqueous solution using ampicillin as a stabilizing reagent were proposed. The netlike gold nanoparticles were characterized by scanning electron microscope, transmission electron microscope, infrared spectrometer, UV spectrophotometer, powder X-ray diffractometer and electrochemical analyzer. The catalysis of the netlike gold nanoparticles on the glassy carbon electrode for dopamine was demonstrated. The results indicate that the gold nanoparticle modified electrode has an excellent repeatability and reproducibility.« less

The stability of self-organized 1-nonanethiol-capped gold nanoparticle monolayer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jiang, Peng; Xie, Si-shen; Yao, Jian-nian; Pang, Shi-jin; Gao, Hong-jun

2001-08-01

1-Nonanethiol-protected gold nanoparticles with the size of about 2 nm have been prepared by a wet chemical method through choosing a suitable ratio of Au:S (2.5:1). Size selective precipitation of nanoparticles has been used to narrow their size distribution, which facilitates the formation of an ordered nanoparticle close-packed structure. A Fourier transform infrared investigation provides the evidence of the encapsulation of Au nanoparticles by 1-nonanethiol while an ultraviolet-visible spectrum shows a broad absorption around 520 nm, corresponding to surface plasmon band of Au nanoparticles. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy of the samples demonstrates the metallic state of the gold (Au0) and the existence of sulfur (S). The data from x-ray powder diffraction measurements confirm that the gold nanoparticles have the same face-centred cubic crystalline structure as the bulk gold phase. Finally, transmission electron microscopy (TEM) characterization indicates that the size of the monodisperse colloidal gold nanoparticles is about 2 nm and they can self-organize to form a two-dimensional hexagonal close-packed structure after evaporating a concentrated drop of nanoparticles-toluene solution on a carbon-coated TEM copper grid.

A biocompatible synthesis of gold nanoparticles by Tris(hydroxymethyl)aminomethane

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Feng; Wang, Yanwei; Ma, Jun; Yang, Guangcan

2014-05-01

Gold nanoparticles' novel properties are widely realized in catalysis, plasmonics, electronics, and biomedical applications. For biomedical application, one challenge is to find a non-toxic chemical and/or physical method of functionalizing gold nanoparticles with biomolecular compounds that can promote efficient binding, clearance, and biocompatibility and to assess their safety to other biological systems and their long-term effects on human health and reproduction. In the present study, we describe a new method by using Tris(hydroxymethyl)aminomethane (Tris), a widely used buffer solvent of nucleic acid and proteins, as the reducing agent for synthesizing gold nanoparticles by one step. It is found that Tris carries out the reduction reactions in relatively mild conditions for biomacromolecules. Particularly, it can be used to modify the DNA during the process of preparation of gold nanoparticles. The morphology and size distribution of gold nanoparticles are consistent and were confirmed by many different approaches including dynamic light scattering (DLS), UV-visible (UV-vis) spectrophotometry, atomic force microscopy (AFM), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM).

Influence of structure of iron nanoparticles in aggregates on their magnetic properties

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Zero-valent iron nanoparticles rapidly aggregate. One of the reasons is magnetic forces among the nanoparticles. Magnetic field around particles is caused by composition of the particles. Their core is formed from zero-valent iron, and shell is a layer of magnetite. The magnetic forces contribute to attractive forces among the nanoparticles and that leads to increasing of aggregation of the nanoparticles. This effect is undesirable for decreasing of remediation properties of iron particles and limited transport possibilities. The aggregation of iron nanoparticles was established for consequent processes: Brownian motion, sedimentation, velocity gradient of fluid around particles and electrostatic forces. In our previous work, an introduction of influence of magnetic forces among particles on the aggregation was presented. These forces have significant impact on the rate of aggregation. In this article, a numerical computation of magnetic forces between an aggregate and a nanoparticle and between two aggregates is shown. It is done for random position of nanoparticles in an aggregate and random or arranged directions of magnetic polarizations and for structured aggregates with arranged vectors of polarizations. Statistical computation by Monte Carlo is done, and range of dominant area of magnetic forces around particles is assessed. PMID:21917152

Gold and silver nanoparticles conjugated with heparin derivative possess anti-angiogenesis properties

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kemp, Melissa M.; Kumar, Ashavani; Mousa, Shaymaa; Dyskin, Evgeny; Yalcin, Murat; Ajayan, Pulickel; Linhardt, Robert J.; Mousa, Shaker A.

2009-11-01

Silver and gold nanoparticles display unique physical and biological properties that have been extensively studied for biological and medical applications. Typically, gold and silver nanoparticles are prepared by chemical reductants that utilize excess toxic reactants, which need to be removed for biological purposes. We utilized a clean method involving a single synthetic step to prepare metal nanoparticles for evaluating potential effects on angiogenesis modulation. These nanoparticles were prepared by reducing silver nitrate and gold chloride with diaminopyridinyl (DAP)-derivatized heparin (HP) polysaccharides. Both gold and silver nanoparticles reduced with DAPHP exhibited effective inhibition of basic fibroblast growth factor (FGF-2)-induced angiogenesis, with an enhanced anti-angiogenesis efficacy with the conjugation to DAPHP (P<0.01) as compared to glucose conjugation. These results suggest that DAPHP-reduced silver nanoparticles and gold nanoparticles have potential in pathological angiogenesis accelerated disorders such as cancer and inflammatory diseases.

X-ray absorption spectroscopic studies on gold nanoparticles in mesoporous and microporous materials.

PubMed

Akolekar, Deepak B; Foran, Garry; Bhargava, Suresh K

2004-05-01

Au L(3)-edge X-ray absorption spectroscopic measurements were carried out over a series of mesoporous and microporous materials containing gold nanoparticles to investigate the effects of the host matrix and preparation methods on the properties of gold nanoparticles. The materials of structure type MCM-41, ZSM-5, SAPO-18 and LSX with varying framework composition containing low concentrations of gold nanoparticles were prepared and characterized. In these materials the size of the gold nanoparticles varied in the range approximately 1 to 4 nm. A series of gold nanoparticles within different mesoporous and microporous materials have been investigated using X-ray absorption fine structure (XANES, EXAFS) and other techniques. Information such as atomic distances, bonding and neighbouring environment obtained from XAFS measurements was useful in elucidating the nature and structure of gold nanoparticles on these catalytic materials. The influence of the high-temperature (823, 1113, 1273 K) treatment on gold nanoparticles inside the mesoporous matrix was investigated using the XAFS technique. The XAFS and XANES results confirm various characteristics of gold nanoparticles in these materials suitable for catalysis, fabrication of nanodevices and other applications.

Facile synthesis of size-tunable gold nanoparticles by pomegranate (Punica granatum) leaf extract: Applications in arsenate sensing

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Rao, Ashit; Mahajan, Ketakee; Bankar, Ashok

Highlights: ► Pomegranate leaf extracts mediated rapid gold nanoparticle (AuNP) synthesis. ► The phyto-inspired AuNPs were size-tuned and characterized. ► The reducing and capping agents in the extract were identified. ► The nanoparticles reacted specifically with arsenate (V) ions. - Abstract: When pomegranate leaf extracts were incubated with chloroauric acid (HAuCl{sub 4}), gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) were synthesized. These were characterized by a variety of techniques. With an increasing content of the leaf extract, a gradual decrease in size and an increase in monodispersity were observed. Transmission electron microscope (TEM) images showed that the phyto-fabricated AuNPs were surrounded by an amorphousmore » layer. Gallic acid in the extract mediated the reduction and a natural decapeptide capped the nanostructures. Blocking of thiol groups in the decapeptide cysteine residues caused the nanoparticles to aggregate. On interaction with arsenate (V) ions, the UV–vis spectra of the nanoparticles showed a decrease in intensity and a red-shift. Energy dispersive spectra confirmed the presence of arsenate associated with the AuNPs. Thus, by using these AuNPs, a method for sensing the toxic arsenate ions could be developed.« less

Label-free immunosensor based on gold nanoparticle silver enhancement.

PubMed

Yang, Minghui; Wang, Cunchang

2009-02-01

A label-free immunosensor for the sensitive detection of human immunoglobulin G (IgG) was prepared based on gold nanoparticle-silver enhancement detection with a simple charge-coupled device (CCD) detector. The gold nanoparticles, which were used as nuclei for the deposit of metallic silver and also for the adsorption of antibodies, were immobilized into wells of a 9-well chip. With the addition of silver enhancement buffer, metallic silver will deposit onto gold nanoparticles, causing darkness that can be optically measured by the CCD camera and quantified using ImageJ software. When antibody was immobilized onto the gold nanoparticles and antigen was captured, the formed immunocomplex resulted in a decrease of the darkness and the intensity of the darkness was in line with IgG concentrations from 0.05 to 10 ng/ml. The CCD detector is simple and portable, and the reported method has many desirable merits such as sensitivity and accuracy, making it a promising technique for protein detection.

In Situ Observations of Electric-Field Induced Nanoparticle Aggregation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Woehl, T. J.; Browning, N. D.; Ristenpart, W. D.

2010-11-01

Nanoparticles have been widely observed to aggregate laterally on electrodes in response to applied electric fields. The mechanism driving this behavior, however, is unclear. Several groups have interpreted the aggregation in terms of electrohydrodynamic or electroosmotic fluid motion, but little corroborating evidence has been presented. Notably, work to date has relied on post situ observations using electron microscopy. Here we present a fluorescence microscopy technique to track the dynamics of nanoparticle aggregation in situ. Fluorescent 20-nm polystyrene nanoparticles are observed to form optically visible aggregates in response to an applied AC field. Although single particle resolution is lost, the existence of aggregates on the electrode surface is marked by growing clusters of increasingly bright intensity. We present a systematic investigation of the effects of applied potential and frequency on the aggregation rate, and we interpret the behavior in terms of a mechanism based on electrically induced convective flow.

Directed assembly of gold nanowires on silicon via reorganization and simultaneous fusion of randomly distributed gold nanoparticles.

PubMed

Reinhardt, Hendrik M; Bücker, Kerstin; Hampp, Norbert A

2015-05-04

Laser-induced reorganization and simultaneous fusion of nanoparticles is introduced as a versatile concept for pattern formation on surfaces. The process takes advantage of a phenomenon called laser-induced periodic surface structures (LIPSS) which originates from periodically alternating photonic fringe patterns in the near-field of solids. Associated photonic fringe patterns are shown to reorganize randomly distributed gold nanoparticles on a silicon wafer into periodic gold nanostructures. Concomitant melting due to optical heating facilitates the formation of continuous structures such as periodic gold nanowire arrays. Generated patterns can be converted into secondary structures using directed assembly or self-organization. This includes for example the rotation of gold nanowire arrays by arbitrary angles or their fragmentation into arrays of aligned gold nanoparticles.

Interaction of gold nanoparticles with nanosecond laser pulses: Nanoparticle heating

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nedyalkov, N. N.; Imamova, S. E.; Atanasov, P. A.; Toshkova, R. A.; Gardeva, E. G.; Yossifova, L. S.; Alexandrov, M. T.; Obara, M.

2011-04-01

Theoretical and experimental results on the heating process of gold nanoparticles irradiated by nanosecond laser pulses are presented. The efficiency of particle heating is demonstrated by in-vitro photothermal therapy of human tumor cells. Gold nanoparticles with diameters of 40 and 100 nm are added as colloid in the cell culture and the samples are irradiated by nanosecond pulses at wavelength of 532 nm delivered by Nd:YAG laser system. The results indicate clear cytotoxic effect of application of nanoparticle as more efficient is the case of using particles with diameter of 100 nm. The theoretical analysis of the heating process of nanoparticle interacting with laser radiation is based on the Mie scattering theory, which is used for calculation of the particle absorption coefficient, and two-dimensional heat diffusion model, which describes the particle and the surrounding medium temperature evolution. Using this model the dependence of the achieved maximal temperature in the particles on the applied laser fluence and time evolution of the particle temperature is obtained.

Gold nanoparticles to improve HIV drug delivery.

PubMed

Garrido, Carolina; Simpson, Carrie A; Dahl, Noelle P; Bresee, Jamee; Whitehead, Daniel C; Lindsey, Erick A; Harris, Tyler L; Smith, Candice A; Carter, Carly J; Feldheim, Daniel L; Melander, Christian; Margolis, David M

2015-01-01

Antiretroviral therapy (ART) has improved lifespan and quality of life of patients infected with the HIV-1. However, ART has several potential limitations, including the development of drug resistance and suboptimal penetration to selected anatomic compartments. Improving the delivery of antiretroviral molecules could overcome several of the limitations of current ART. Two to ten nanometer diameter inorganic gold crystals serve as a base scaffold to combine molecules with an array of properties in its surface. We show entry into different cell types, antiviral activity of an HIV integrase inhibitor conjugated in a gold nanoparticle and penetration into the brain in vivo without toxicity. Herein, gold nanoparticles prove to be a promising tool to use in HIV therapy.

Effect of gold nanoparticle size on acoustic cavitation using chemical dosimetry method.

PubMed

Shanei, Ahmad; Shanei, Mohammad Mahdi

2017-01-01

When a liquid is irradiated with high intensities of ultrasound irradiation, acoustic cavitation occurs. Acoustic cavitation generates free radicals from the breakdown of water and other molecules. Cavitation can be fatal to cells and is utilized to destroy cancer tumors. The existence of particles in liquid provides nucleation sites for cavitation bubbles and leads to decrease the ultrasonic intensity threshold needed for cavitation onset. In the present investigation, the effect of gold nanoparticles with appropriate amount and size on the acoustic cavitation activity has been shown by determining hydroxyl radicals in terephthalic acid solutions containing 15, 20, 28 and 35nm gold nanoparticles sizes by using 1MHz low level ultrasound. The effect of sonication intensity in hydroxyl radical production was considered. The recorded fluorescence signal in terephthalic acid solutions containing gold nanoparticles was considerably higher than the terephthalic acid solutions without gold nanoparticles at different intensities of ultrasound irradiation. Also, the results showed that the recorded fluorescence signal intensity in terephthalic acid solution containing finer size of gold nanoparticles was lower than the terephthalic acid solutions containing larger size of gold nanoparticles. Acoustic cavitation in the presence of gold nanoparticles can be used as a way for improving therapeutic effects on the tumors. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Gold nanoparticles as efficient antimicrobial agents for Escherichia coli and Salmonella typhi

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background It is imperative to eliminate bacteria present in water in order to avoid problems in healthy. Escherichia coli and Salmonella typhi bacteria are two common pollutants and they are developing resistance to some of the most used bactericide. Therefore new biocide materials are being tested. Thus, gold nanoparticles are proposed to inhibit the growth of these two microorganisms. Results Gold nanoparticles were supported onto clinoptilolite, mordenite and faujasite zeolites. Content of gold in materials varied between 2.3 and 2.8 wt%. The size, dispersion and roughness of gold nanoparticles were highly dependent of the zeolite support. The faujasite support was the support where the 5 nm nanoparticles were highly dispersed. The efficiency of gold-zeolites as bactericides of Escherichia coli and Salmonella typhi was determined by the zeolite support. Conclusions Gold nanoparticles dispersed on zeolites eliminate Escherichia coli and Salmonella typhi at short times. The biocidal properties of gold nanoparticles are influenced by the type of support which, indeed, drives key parameters as the size and roughness of nanoparticles. The more actives materials were pointed out Au-faujasite. These materials contained particles sized 5 nm at surface and eliminate 90–95% of Escherichia coli and Salmonella typhi colonies. PMID:23331621

Facile synthesis of biocompatible gold nanoparticles with organosilicone-coated surface properties

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xia, Lijin; Yi, Sijia; Lenaghan, Scott C.; Zhang, Mingjun

2012-07-01

In this study, a simple method for one-step synthesis of gold nanoparticles has been developed using an organosilicone surfactant, Silwet L-77, as both a reducing and capping agent. Synthesis of gold nanoparticles using this method is rapid and can be conducted conveniently at ambient temperature. Further refinement of the method, through the addition of sodium hydroxide and/or silver nitrate, allowed fine control over the size of spherical nanoparticles produced. Coated on the surface with organosilicone, the as-prepared gold nanoparticles were biocompatible and stable over the pH range from 5 to 12, and have been proven effective at transportation into MC3T3 osteoblast cells. The proposed method is simple, fast, and can produce size-controlled gold nanoparticles with unique surface properties for biomedical applications.

Preparation of gold nanoparticles by microwave heating and application of spectroscopy to study conjugate of gold nanoparticles with antibody E. coli O157:H7

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thanh Ngo, Vo Ke; Phuong Uyen Nguyen, Hoang; Phat Huynh, Trong; Nguyen Pham Tran, Nguyen; Lam, Quang Vinh; Dat Huynh, Thanh

2015-09-01

Gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) of 15-20 nm size range have attracted attention for producing smart sensing devices as diagnostic tools in biomedical sciences. Citrate capped AuNPs are negatively charged, which can be exploited for electrostatic interactions with some positively charged biomolecules like antibodies. In this paper we describe a method for the low cost synthesis of gold nanoparticles using sodium citrate (Na3Ct) reduction in chloroauric acid (HAuCl4.3H2O) by microwave heating (diameter about 13-15 nm). Gold nanoparticles were functionalized with surface activation by 3-mercaptopropionic acid for attaching antibody. These nanoparticles were then reacted with anti-E. coli O157:H7, using N-hydroxy succinimide (NHS) and carbondimide hydrochloride (EDC) coupling chemistry. The product was characterized with UV-visible spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and zeta potential. In addition, the binding of antibody-gold nanoparticles conjugates to E. coli O157:H7 was demonstrated using transmission electron microscopy (TEM).

Optimization and stabilization of gold nanoparticles by using herbal plant extract with microwave heating

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yasmin, Akbar; Ramesh, Kumaraswamy; Rajeshkumar, Shanmugam

2014-04-01

In this study, we have synthesized the gold nanoparticles by using Hibiscus rosa-sinensis, a medicinal plant. The gold nanoparticles were synthesized rapidly by the involvement of microwave heating. By changing of plant extract concentration, gold solution concentration, microwave heating time and power of microwave heating the optimized condition was identified. The surface Plasmon resonance found at 520 nm confirmed the gold nanoparticles synthesis. The spherical sized nanoparticles in the size range of 16-30 nm were confirmed by Transmission Electron Microscope (TEM). The stability of the nanoparticles is very well proved in the invitro stability tests. The biochemical like alkaloids and flavonoids play a vital role in the nanoparticles synthesis was identified using the Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR). Combining the phytochemical and microwave heating, the rapid synthesis of gold nanoparticles is the novel process for the medically applicable gold nanoparticles production.

Micelle depletion-induced vs. micelle-mediated aggregation in nanoparticles

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ray, D., E-mail: debes.phys@gmail.com; Aswal, V. K.

2015-06-24

The phase behavior anionic silica nanoparticle (Ludox LS30) with non-ionic surfactants decaethylene glycol monododecylether (C12E10) and cationic dodecyltrimethyl ammonium bromide (DTAB) in aqueous electrolyte solution has been studied by small-angle neutron scattering (SANS). The measurements have been carried out for fixed concentrations of nanoparticle (1 wt%), surfactants (1 wt%) and electrolyte (0.1 M NaCl). Each of these nanoparticle–surfactant systems has been examined for different contrast conditions where individual components (nanoparticle or surfactant) are made visible. It is observed that the nanoparticle-micelle system in both the cases lead to the aggregation of nanoparticles. The aggregation is found to be micelle depletion-inducedmore » for C12E10 whereas micelle-mediated aggregation for DTAB. Interestingly, it is also found that phase behavior of mixed surfactant (C12E10 + DTAB) system is similar to that of C12E10 (unlike DTAB) micelles with nanoparticles.« less

Development of a fast and simple test system for the semiquantitative protein detection in cerebrospinal liquids based on gold nanoparticles.

PubMed

Göbel, Gero; Lange, Robert; Hollidt, Jörg-Michael; Lisdat, Fred

2016-01-01

The fast and simple detection of increased protein concentrations in cerebrospinal liquids is preferable in the emergency medicine and it can help to avoid unnecessary laboratory work by an early classification of neurological diseases. Here a test system is developed which is based on the electrostatic interaction between negatively charged gold nanoparticles and proteins at pH values around 5. The test system can be adjusted in such a way that protein/nanoparticles aggregates are formed leading to a red-shift in the absorption spectrum of the nanoparticles suspension. At concentrations above 500 mg/l the color of the suspension changes from red via violet toward blue in a rather small concentration range from 500 to 1000 mg/l. Furthermore the influence of various parameters such as gold nanoparticle concentration, pH value and varying ion concentration in the sample on the test system is examined. Finally cerebrospinal liquids of a larger number of patients have been analyzed. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Highly sensitive detection of caspase-3 activities via a nonconjugated gold nanoparticle-quantum dot pair mediated by an inner-filter effect.

PubMed

Li, Jingwen; Li, Xinming; Shi, Xiujuan; He, Xuewen; Wei, Wei; Ma, Nan; Chen, Hong

2013-10-09

We describe here a simple fluorometric assay for the highly sensitive detection of caspase-3 activities on the basis of the inner-filter effect of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) on CdTe quantum dots (QDs). The method takes advantage of the high molar absorptivity of the plasmon band of gold nanoparticles as well as the large absorption band shift from 520 to 680 nm upon nanoparticle aggregation. When labeled with a peptide possessing the caspase-3 cleavage sequence (DEVD), the monodispersed Au-Ps (peptide-modified AuNPs) exhibited a tendency to aggregate when exposed to caspase-3, which induced the absorption band transition from 520 to 680 nm and turned on the fluorescence of the CdTe QDs for caspase-3 sensing. Under optimum conditions, a high sensitivity towards caspase-3 was achieved with a detection limit as low as 18 pM, which was much lower than the corresponding assays based on absorbance or other approaches. Overall, we demonstrated a facile and sensitive approach for caspase-3 detection, and we expected that this method could be potentially generalized to design more fluorescent assays for sensing other bioactive entities.

Mercury adsorption to gold nanoparticle and thin film surfaces

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Morris, Todd Ashley

Mercury adsorption to gold nanoparticle and thin film surfaces was monitored by spectroscopic techniques. Adsorption of elemental mercury to colloidal gold nanoparticles causes a color change from wine-red to orange that was quantified by UV-Vis absorption spectroscopy. The wavelength of the surface plasmon mode of 5, 12, and 31 nm gold particles blue-shifts 17, 14, and 7.5 nm, respectively, after a saturation exposure of mercury vapor. Colorimetric detection of inorganic mercury was demonstrated by employing 2.5 nm gold nanoparticles. The addition of low microgram quantities of Hg 2+ to these nanoparticles induces a color change from yellow to peach or blue. It is postulated that Hg2+ is reduced to elemental mercury by SCN- before and/or during adsorption to the nanoparticle surface. It has been demonstrated that surface plasmon resonance spectroscopy (SPRS) is sensitive to mercury adsorption to gold and silver surfaces. By monitoring the maximum change in reflectivity as a function of amount of mercury adsorbed to the surface, 50 nm Ag films were shown to be 2--3 times more sensitive than 50 nm Au films and bimetallic 15 nm Au/35 nm Ag films. In addition, a surface coverage of ˜40 ng Hg/cm2 on the gold surface results in a 0.03° decrease in the SPR angle of minimum reflectivity. SPRS was employed to follow Hg exposure to self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) on Au. The data indicate that the hydrophilic or hydrophobic character of the SAM has a significant effect on the efficiency of Hg penetration. Water adsorbed to carboxylic acid end group of the hydrophilic SAMs is believed to slow the penetration of Hg compared to methyl terminated SAMs. Finally, two protocols were followed to remove mercury from gold films: immersion in concentrated nitric acid and thermal annealing up to 200°C. The latter protocol is preferred because it removes all of the adsorbed mercury from the gold surface and does not affect the morphology of the gold surface.

Alterations in nanoparticle protein corona by biological surfactants: impact of bile salts on β-lactoglobulin-coated gold nanoparticles.

PubMed

Winuprasith, Thunnalin; Chantarak, Sirinya; Suphantharika, Manop; He, Lili; McClements, David Julian

2014-07-15

The impact of biological surfactants (bile salts) on the protein (β-lactoglobulin) corona surrounding gold nanoparticles (200 nm) was studied using a variety of analytical techniques at pH 7: dynamic light scattering (DLS); particle electrophoresis (ζ-potential); UV-visible (UV) spectroscopy; transmission electron microscopy (TEM); and surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS). The bile salts adsorbed to the protein-coated nanoparticle surfaces and altered their interfacial composition, charge, and structure. SERS spectra of protein-coated nanoparticles after bile salt addition contained bands from both protein and bile salts, indicating that the protein was not fully displaced by the bile salts. UV, DLS and TEM techniques also indicated that the protein coating was not fully displaced from the nanoparticle surfaces. The impact of bile salts could be described by an orogenic mechanism: mixed interfaces were formed that consisted of islands of aggregated proteins surrounded by a sea of bile salts. This knowledge is useful for understanding the interactions of bile salts with protein-coated colloidal particles, which may be important for controlling the fate of colloidal delivery systems in the human gastrointestinal tract, or the gastrointestinal fate of ingested inorganic nanoparticles. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Graphene Oxide-Promoted Reshaping and Coarsening of Gold Nanorods and Nanoparticles

PubMed Central

Pan, Hanqing; Low, Serena; Weerasuriya, Nisala; Shon, Young-Seok

2015-01-01

This paper describes thermally induced reshaping and coarsening behaviors of gold nanorods and nanoparticles immobilized on the surface of graphene oxide. Cetyltrimethylammonium bromide-stabilized gold nanorods with an aspect ratio of ~3.5 (54:15 nm) and glutathione-capped gold nanoparticles with an average core size of ~3 nm were synthesized and self-assembled onto the surface of graphene oxide. The hybrid materials were then heated at different temperatures ranging from 50 to 300 °C. The effects of heat treatments were monitored using UV–vis spectroscopy and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). These results were directly compared with those of heat-treated free-standing gold nanorods and nanoparticles without graphene oxide to understand the heat-induced morphological changes of the nanohybrids. The obtained results showed that the gold nanorods would undergo a complete reshaping to spherical particles at the temperature of 50 °C when they are assembled on graphene oxide. In comparison, the complete reshaping of free-standing gold nanorods to spherical particles would ultimately require a heating of the samples at 200 °C. In addition, the spherical gold nanoparticles immobilized on graphene oxide would undergo a rapid coarsening at the temperature of 100–150 °C, which was lower than the temperature (150–200 °C) required for visible coarsening of free-standing gold nanoparticles. The results indicated that graphene oxide facilitates the reshaping and coarsening of gold nanorods and nanoparticles, respectively, during the heat treatments. The stripping and spillover of stabilizing ligands promoted by graphene oxide are proposed to be the main mechanism for the enhancements in the heat-induced transformations of nanohybrids. PMID:25611371

Gold nanoparticles to improve HIV drug delivery

PubMed Central

Garrido, Carolina; Simpson, Carrie A; Dahl, Noelle P; Bresee, Jamee; Whitehead, Daniel C; Lindsey, Erick A; Harris, Tyler L; Smith, Candice A; Carter, Carly J; Feldheim, Daniel L; Melander, Christian; Margolis, David M

2015-01-01

Background: Antiretroviral therapy (ART) has improved lifespan and quality of life of patients infected with the HIV-1. However, ART has several potential limitations, including the development of drug resistance and suboptimal penetration to selected anatomic compartments. Improving the delivery of antiretroviral molecules could overcome several of the limitations of current ART. Results & Conclusion: Two to ten nanometer diameter inorganic gold crystals serve as a base scaffold to combine molecules with an array of properties in its surface. We show entry into different cell types, antiviral activity of an HIV integrase inhibitor conjugated in a gold nanoparticle and penetration into the brain in vivo without toxicity. Herein, gold nanoparticles prove to be a promising tool to use in HIV therapy. PMID:26132521

Cell type-dependent uptake, localization, and cytotoxicity of 1.9 nm gold nanoparticles

PubMed Central

Coulter, Jonathan A; Jain, Suneil; Butterworth, Karl T; Taggart, Laura E; Dickson, Glenn R; McMahon, Stephen J; Hyland, Wendy B; Muir, Mark F; Trainor, Coleman; Hounsell, Alan R; O’Sullivan, Joe M; Schettino, Giuseppe; Currell, Fred J; Hirst, David G; Prise, Kevin M

2012-01-01

Background This follow-up study aims to determine the physical parameters which govern the differential radiosensitization capacity of two tumor cell lines and one immortalized normal cell line to 1.9 nm gold nanoparticles. In addition to comparing the uptake potential, localization, and cytotoxicity of 1.9 nm gold nanoparticles, the current study also draws on comparisons between nanoparticle size and total nanoparticle uptake based on previously published data. Methods We quantified gold nanoparticle uptake using atomic emission spectroscopy and imaged intracellular localization by transmission electron microscopy. Cell growth delay and clonogenic assays were used to determine cytotoxicity and radiosensitization potential, respectively. Mechanistic data were obtained by Western blot, flow cytometry, and assays for reactive oxygen species. Results Gold nanoparticle uptake was preferentially observed in tumor cells, resulting in an increased expression of cleaved caspase proteins and an accumulation of cells in sub G1 phase. Despite this, gold nanoparticle cytotoxicity remained low, with immortalized normal cells exhibiting an LD50 concentration approximately 14 times higher than tumor cells. The surviving fraction for gold nanoparticle-treated cells at 3 Gy compared with that of untreated control cells indicated a strong dependence on cell type in respect to radiosensitization potential. Conclusion Gold nanoparticles were most avidly endocytosed and localized within cytoplasmic vesicles during the first 6 hours of exposure. The lack of significant cytotoxicity in the absence of radiation, and the generation of gold nanoparticle-induced reactive oxygen species provide a potential mechanism for previously reported radiosensitization at megavoltage energies. PMID:22701316

A new green chemistry method based on plant extracts to synthesize gold nanoparticles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Montes Castillo, Milka Odemariz

Extraordinary chemical and physical properties exhibited by nanomaterials, as compared to their bulk counterparts, have made the area of nanotechnology a growing realm in the past three decades. It is the nanoscale size (from 1 to 100 nm) and the morphologies of nanomaterials that provide several properties and applications not possible for the same material in the bulk. Magnetic and optical properties, as well as surface reactivity are highly dependent on the size and morphology of the nanomaterial. Diverse nanomaterials are being widely used in molecular diagnostics as well as in medicine, electronic and optical devices. Among the most studied nanomaterials, gold nanoparticles are of special interest due to their multifunctional capabilities. For instance, spherical gold nanoparticles measuring 15-20 nm in diameter have been studied due to their insulin binding properties. Also, thiol functionalized gold nanoparticles between 5 and 30 nm are used in the detection of DNA. Thus, harnessing the shape and size of gold nanoparticles plays an important role in science and technology. The synthesis of gold nanoparticles via the reduction of gold salts, using citrate or other reducing agents, has been widely studied. In recent years, algae, fungi, bacteria, and living plants have been used to reduce trivalent gold (Au3+) to its zero oxidation state (Au 0) forming gold nanoparticles of different sizes and shapes. In addition, plant biomasses have also been studied for their gold-reducing power and nanoparticle formation. Although there is information about the synthesis of the gold nanoparticles by biologically based materials; to our knowledge, the study of the use of alfalfa extracts has not been reported. This innovation represents a significant improvement; that is an environmentally friendly method that does not use toxic chemicals. Also, the problem of extracting the formed gold nanoparticles from biomaterials is addressed in this research but still remains to be

Collagen-Gold Nanoparticle Conjugates for Versatile Biosensing

PubMed Central

Unser, Sarah; Holcomb, Samuel; Cary, ReJeana; Sagle, Laura

2017-01-01

Integration of noble metal nanoparticles with proteins offers promising potential to create a wide variety of biosensors that possess both improved selectivity and versatility. The multitude of functionalities that proteins offer coupled with the unique optical properties of noble metal nanoparticles can allow for the realization of simple, colorimetric sensors for a significantly larger range of targets. Herein, we integrate the structural protein collagen with 10 nm gold nanoparticles to develop a protein-nanoparticle conjugate which possess the functionality of the protein with the desired colorimetric properties of the nanoparticles. Applying the many interactions that collagen undergoes in the extracellular matrix, we are able to selectively detect both glucose and heparin with the same collagen-nanoparticle conjugate. Glucose is directly detected through the cross-linking of the collagen fibrils, which brings the attached nanoparticles into closer proximity, leading to a red-shift in the LSPR frequency. Conversely, heparin is detected through a competition assay in which heparin-gold nanoparticles are added to solution and compete with heparin in the solution for the binding sites on the collagen fibrils. The collagen-nanoparticle conjugates are shown to detect both glucose and heparin in the physiological range. Lastly, glucose is selectively detected in 50% mouse serum with the collagen-nanoparticle devices possessing a linear range of 3–25 mM, which is also within the physiologically relevant range. PMID:28212282

Detection of urinary creatinine using gold nanoparticles after solid phase extraction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sittiwong, Jarinya; Unob, Fuangfa

2015-03-01

Label-free gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) were utilized in the detection of creatinine in human urine after a sample preparation by extraction of creatinine on sulfonic acid functionalized silica gel. With the proposed sample preparation method, the interfering effects of the urine matrix on creatinine detection by AuNPs were eliminated. Parameters affecting creatinine extraction were investigated. The aggregation of AuNPs induced by creatinine resulted in a change in the surface plasmon resonance signal with a concomitant color change that could be observed by the naked eye and quantified spectrometrically. The effect of AuNP concentration and reaction time on AuNP aggregation was investigated. The method described herein provides a determination of creatinine in a range of 15-40 mg L-1 with a detection limit of 13.7 mg L-1 and it was successfully used in the detection of creatinine in human urine samples.

Gold nanoparticle imaging and radiotherapy of brain tumors in mice

PubMed Central

Hainfeld, James F; Smilowitz, Henry M; O'Connor, Michael J; Dilmanian, Farrokh Avraham; Slatkin, Daniel N

2013-01-01

Aim To test intravenously injected gold nanoparticles for x-ray imaging and radiotherapy enhancement of large, imminently lethal, intracerebral malignant gliomas. Materials & methods Gold nanoparticles approximately 11 nm in size were injected intravenously and brains imaged using microcomputed tomography. A total of 15 h after an intravenous dose of 4 g Au/kg was administered, brains were irradiated with 30 Gy 100 kVp x-rays. Results Gold uptake gave a 19:1 tumor-to-normal brain ratio with 1.5% w/w gold in tumor, calculated to increase local radiation dose by approximately 300%. Mice receiving gold and radiation (30 Gy) demonstrated 50% long term (>1 year) tumor-free survival, whereas all mice receiving radiation only died. Conclusion Intravenously injected gold nanoparticles cross the blood–tumor barrier, but are largely blocked by the normal blood–brain barrier, enabling high-resolution computed tomography tumor imaging. Gold radiation enhancement significantly improved long-term survival compared with radiotherapy alone. This approach holds promise to improve therapy of human brain tumors and other cancers. PMID:23265347

Gold nanoparticles as a contrast agent for in vivo tumor imaging with photoacoustic tomography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Q.; Iwakuma, N.; Sharma, P.; Moudgil, B. M.; Wu, C.; McNeill, J.; Jiang, H.; Grobmyer, S. R.

2009-09-01

Photoacoustic tomography (PAT) is a rapidly emerging non-invasive imaging technology that integrates the merits of high optical contrast with high ultrasound resolution. The ability to quantitatively and non-invasively image nanoparticles has important implications for the development of nanoparticles as in vivo cancer diagnostic and therapeutic agents. In this study, the ability of systemically administered poly(ethylene glycol)-coated (PEGylated) gold nanoparticles as a contrast agent for in vivo tumor imaging with PAT has been evaluated. We demonstrate that gold nanoparticles (20 and 50 nm) have high photoacoustic contrast as compared to mouse tissue ex vivo. Gold nanoparticles can be visualized in mice in vivo following subcutaneous administration using PAT. Following intravenous administration of PEGylated gold nanoparticles to tumor-bearing mice, accumulation of gold nanoparticles in tumors can be effectively imaged with PAT. With gold nanoparticles as a contrast agent, PAT has important potential applications in the image guided therapy of superficial tumors such as breast cancer, melanoma and Merkel cell carcinoma.

Biosynthesis of gold nanoparticles by actinomycete Streptomyces viridogens strain HM10.

PubMed

Balagurunathan, R; Radhakrishnan, M; Rajendran, R Babu; Velmurugan, D

2011-10-01

Biosynthesis of gold nanoparticles by Streptomycetes from Himalayan Mountain was undertaken for the first time. Out of 10 actinomycete strains tested, four strains (D10, HM10, ANS2 and MSU) showed evidence for the intracellular biosynthesis of gold nanoparticles, among which the strain HM10 showed high potency. Presence of spherical and rod shaped gold nanoparticles in mycelium of the strain HM10 was determined by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and X-ray diffraction analysis. The average particle size ranged from 18-20 nm. UV spectral analysis indicated that the reduction of chloroauric acid (HAuCl4) occurred within 24 h of reaction period. Further, the strain HM10 showed enhanced growth at 1 and 10 mM concentration of HAuCl4. The gold nanoparticles synthesized by the strain HM10 showed good antibacterial activity against S. aureus and E. coli in well-diffusion method. The potential actinomycete HM10 strain was phenotypically characterized and identified as Streptomyces viridogens (HM10). Thus, actinomycete strain HM10 reported in this study is a newly added source for the biosynthesis of gold nanoparticles.

Gold and Iron-Gold Nanoparticles for Intracellular Tracking and in Vivo Medical Applicatons

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fu, Wei

2005-03-01

We have fabricated Au and Fe-Au nanoparticles for potential use in ex vivo experiments such as intracellular tracking, as well as a variety of in vivo medical applications. In order to improve their targeting potential, circulation time and flexibility, gold NPs were surface modified using a hetero-bifunctional poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG, MW 1,500) spacers. A coumarin-PEG-gold NP complex was formed and cell viability studies and optical fluorescence experiments were carried out demonstrating the use of these surface-modified gold NPs for drug delivery, gene therapy and cell trafficking experiments. Fe-Au nanoparticles were also fabricated and show significant contrast enhancement in MRI studies through a substantial reduction of the T2 relaxation time.

Ultrathin free-standing close-packed gold nanoparticle films: Conductivity and Raman scattering enhancement

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yu, Qing; Huang, Hongwen; Peng, Xinsheng; Ye, Zhizhen

2011-09-01

A simple filtration technique was developed to prepare large scale free-standing close-packed gold nanoparticle ultrathin films using metal hydroxide nanostrands as both barrier layer and sacrificial layer. As thin as 70 nm, centimeter scale robust free-standing gold nanoparticle thin film was obtained. The thickness of the films could be easily tuned by the filtration volumes. The electronic conductivities of these films varied with the size of the gold nanoparticles, post-treatment temperature, and thickness, respectively. The conductivity of the film prepared from 20 nm gold nanoparticles is higher than that of the film prepared from 40 nm gold nanoparticle by filtering the same filtration volume of their solution, respectively. Their conductivities are comparable to that of the 220 nm thick ITO film. Furthermore, these films demonstrated an average surface Raman scattering enhancement up to 6.59 × 105 for Rhodamine 6 G molecules on the film prepared from 40 nm gold nanoparticles. Due to a lot of nano interspaces generated from the close-packed structures, two abnormal enhancements and relative stronger intensities of the asymmetrical vibrations at 1534 and 1594 cm-1 of R6G were observed, respectively. These robust free-standing gold nanoparticle films could be easily transferred onto various solid substrates and hold the potential application for electrodes and surface enhanced Raman detectors. This method is applicable for preparation of other nanoparticle free-standing thin films.A simple filtration technique was developed to prepare large scale free-standing close-packed gold nanoparticle ultrathin films using metal hydroxide nanostrands as both barrier layer and sacrificial layer. As thin as 70 nm, centimeter scale robust free-standing gold nanoparticle thin film was obtained. The thickness of the films could be easily tuned by the filtration volumes. The electronic conductivities of these films varied with the size of the gold nanoparticles, post

Naked eye detection of infertility based on sperm protamine-induced aggregation of heparin gold nanoparticles.

PubMed

Vidya, Raj; Saji, Alex

2018-05-01

The development of an easy to use, one-pot, environmentally friendly, non-invasive and label-free colorimetric probe for the determination of semen protamines, the biochemical marker of male fertility, using heparin gold nanoparticles (HAuNPs) is presented. The affinity of HAuNPs for protamines was due to the electrostatic interactions between polycationic protamine and polyanionic heparin. The binding of HAuNPs to protamine was characterized by variation in the plasmon absorption spectra followed by a visibly observable colour change of the solution from red to blue. We observed a red shift in the plasmon peak and the method exhibited linearity in the range of 10-70 ng/mL with a detection limit of 5 ng/mL, which is much lower than that reported for colorimetric sensors of protamine. The colour change and the variation in the absorbance of HAuNPs were highly specific for protamines in the presence of different interfering compounds and the method was successfully applied for determining protamine in real samples of semen and serum. Rather than a quantitative estimation, it seems that the method provides a quick screening between a large array of positive and negative samples and, moreover, it maintains the privacy of the user. The method appears to be simple and would be very useful in third-world countries where high-tech diagnostic aids are inaccessible to the majority of the population. Graphical Abstract Heparin gold nanoparticles aided visual detection of infertility.

Colorimetric Assay for Determination of Lead (II) Based on Its Incorporation into Gold Nanoparticles during Their Synthesis

PubMed Central

Ding, Nan; Cao, Qian; Zhao, Hong; Yang, Yimin; Zeng, Lixi; He, Yujian; Xiang, Kaixiang; Wang, Guangwei

2010-01-01

In this report, we present a new method for visual detection of Pb2+. Gold nanoparticles (Au-NPs) were synthesized in one step at room temperature, using gallic acid (GA) as reducer and stabilizer. Pb2+ is added during the gold nanoparticle formation. Analysis of Pb2+ is conducted by a dual strategy, namely, colorimetry and spectrometry. During Au-NPs synthesis, addition of Pb2+ would lead to formation of Pb-GA complex, which can induce the aggregation of newly-formed small unstable gold nanoclusters. Consequently, colorimetric detection of trace Pb2+ can be realized. As the Pb2+ concentration increases, the color turns from red-wine to purple, and finally blue. This method offers a sensitive linear correlation between the shift of the absorption band (Δλ) and logarithm of Pb2+ concentration ranging from 5.0 × 10−8 to 1.0 × 10−6 M with a linear fit coefficient of 0.998, and a high selectivity for Pb2+ detection with a low detection limit down to 2.5 × 10−8 M. PMID:22163517

Theranostic potential of gold nanoparticle-protein agglomerates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sanpui, Pallab; Paul, Anumita; Chattopadhyay, Arun

2015-11-01

Owing to the ever-increasing applications, glittered with astonishing success of gold nanoparticles (Au NPs) in biomedical research as diagnostic and therapeutic agents, the study of Au NP-protein interaction seems critical for maximizing their theranostic efficiency, and thus demands comprehensive understanding. The mutual interaction of Au NPs and proteins at physiological conditions may result in the aggregation of protein, which can ultimately lead to the formation of Au NP-protein agglomerates. In the present article, we try to appreciate the plausible steps involved in the Au NP-induced aggregation of proteins and also the importance of the proteins' three-dimensional structures in the process. The Au NP-protein agglomerates can potentially be exploited for efficient loading and subsequent release of various therapeutically important molecules, including anticancer drugs, with the unique opportunity of incorporating hydrophilic as well as hydrophobic drugs in the same nanocarrier system. Moreover, the Au NP-protein agglomerates can act as `self-diagnostic' systems, allowing investigation of the conformational state of the associated protein(s) as well as the protein-protein or protein-Au NP interaction within the agglomerates. Furthermore, the potential of these Au NP-protein agglomerates as a novel platform for multifunctional theranostic application along with exciting future-possibilities is highlighted here.

Aggregate size and structure determination of nanomaterials in physiological media: importance of dynamic evolution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Afrooz, A. R. M. Nabiul; Hussain, Saber M.; Saleh, Navid B.

2014-12-01

Most in vitro nanotoxicological assays are performed after 24 h exposure. However, in determining size and shape effect of nanoparticles in toxicity assays, initial characterization data are generally used to describe experimental outcome. The dynamic size and structure of aggregates are typically ignored in these studies. This brief communication reports dynamic evolution of aggregation characteristics of gold nanoparticles. The study finds that gradual increase in aggregate size of gold nanospheres (AuNS) occurs up to 6 h duration; beyond this time period, the aggregation process deviates from gradual to a more abrupt behavior as large networks are formed. Results of the study also show that aggregated clusters possess unique structural conformation depending on nominal diameter of the nanoparticles. The differences in fractal dimensions of the AuNS samples likely occurred due to geometric differences, causing larger packing propensities for smaller sized particles. Both such observations can have profound influence on dosimetry for in vitro nanotoxicity analyses.

Biosynthesis and characterization of gold nanoparticles using extracts of tamarindus indica L leaves

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Correa, S. N.; Naranjo, A. M.; Herrera, A. P.

2016-02-01

This study reports the biosynthesis of gold nanoparticles using an extract of Tamarindus indica L. leaves. Phenols, ketones and carboxyls were present in the leaves of T. indica. These organic compounds that allowed the synthesis of nanoparticles were identified by gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (GC/MS) and High Pressure Liquid Chromatographic (HPLC). Synthesis of gold nanoparticles was performed with the extract of T. indica leaves and an Au+3 aqueous solutions (HAuCl4) at room temperature with one hour of reaction time. Characterization of gold nanoparticles was performed by UV visible spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and EDX. The results indicated the formation of gold nanoparticles with a wavelength of 576nm and an average size of 52±5nm. The EDX technique confirmed the presence of gold nanoparticles with 12.88% in solution.

Aspheric Solute Ions Modulate Gold Nanoparticle Interactions in an Aqueous Solution: An Optimal Way to Reversibly Concentrate Functionalized Nanoparticles

PubMed Central

Villarreal, Oscar D; Chen, Liao Y; Whetten, Robert L; Demeler, Borries

2015-01-01

Nanometer-sized gold particles (AuNPs) are of peculiar interest because their behaviors in an aqueous solution are sensitive to changes in environmental factors including the size and shape of the solute ions. In order to determine these important characteristics, we performed all-atom molecular dynamics simulations on the icosahedral Au144 nanoparticles each coated with a homogeneous set of 60 thiolates (4-mercapto-benzoate, pMBA) in eight aqueous solutions having ions of varying sizes and shapes (Na+, K+, tetramethylamonium cation TMA+, trisamonium cation TRS+, Cl−, and OH−). For each solution, we computed the reversible work (potential of mean of force) to bring two nanoparticles together as a function of their separation distance. We found that the behavior of pMBA protected Au144 nanoparticles can be readily modulated by tuning their aqueous environmental factors (pH and solute ion combinations). We examined the atomistic details on how the sizes and shapes of solute ions quantitatively factor in the definitive characteristics of nanoparticle-environment and nanoparticle-nanoparticle interactions. We predict that tuning the concentrations of non-spherical composite ions such as TRS+ in an aqueous solution of AuNPs be an effective means to modulate the aggregation propensity desired in biomedical and other applications of small charged nanoparticles. PMID:26581232

Aspheric Solute Ions Modulate Gold Nanoparticle Interactions in an Aqueous Solution: An Optimal Way To Reversibly Concentrate Functionalized Nanoparticles.

PubMed

Villarreal, Oscar D; Chen, Liao Y; Whetten, Robert L; Demeler, Borries

2015-12-17

Nanometer-sized gold particles (AuNPs) are of peculiar interest because their behaviors in an aqueous solution are sensitive to changes in environmental factors including the size and shape of the solute ions. In order to determine these important characteristics, we performed all-atom molecular dynamics simulations on the icosahedral Au144 nanoparticles each coated with a homogeneous set of 60 thiolates (4-mercaptobenzoate, pMBA) in eight aqueous solutions having ions of varying sizes and shapes (Na(+), K(+), tetramethylamonium cation TMA(+), tris-ammonium cation TRS(+), Cl(-), and OH(-)). For each solution, we computed the reversible work (potential of mean of force) to bring two nanoparticles together as a function of their separation distance. We found that the behavior of pMBA protected Au144 nanoparticles can be readily modulated by tuning their aqueous environmental factors (pH and solute ion combinations). We examined the atomistic details on how the sizes and shapes of solute ions quantitatively factor in the definitive characteristics of nanoparticle-environment and nanoparticle-nanoparticle interactions. We predict that tuning the concentrations of nonspherical composite ions such as TRS(+) in an aqueous solution of AuNPs be an effective means to modulate the aggregation propensity desired in biomedical and other applications of small charged nanoparticles.

Systemic toxicity induced by aggregated layered double hydroxide nanoparticles

PubMed Central

Yan, Mina; Yang, Chanzhen; Huang, Binyao; Huang, Zeqian; Huang, Liangfeng; Zhang, Xuefei; Zhao, Chunshun

2017-01-01

Layered double hydroxide (LDH) nanoparticles are emerging as one of the promising nanomaterials for biomedical applications, but their systemic toxicity in vivo has received little attention. In the present study, the effects of inorganic nanoparticle aggregation on their systemic toxicity were examined. Remarkably, aggregation was observed after the mixing of naked LDH nanoparticles with saline or erythrocytes. Significant accumulation of the naked LDH nanoparticles in the lungs of mice was detected 1 h after intravenous administration, and the survival rate of mice was 0% after 6 repeated injections. Furthermore, flocculent precipitates in the alveoli and congestion in the lung interstitium were observed in the dead mice. However, lipid membrane-coated LDH nanoparticles would not form aggregates and could be injected intravenously >6 times without causing death. These findings suggested that repeated injections of LDH were lethal even at low dose (30 mg/kg), and lipid membrane coating can be considered as an approach for reducing this risk. PMID:29042768

Optical detection of gold nanoparticles in a prostate-shaped porcine phantom.

PubMed

Grabtchak, Serge; Tonkopi, Elena; Whelan, William M

2013-07-01

Gold nanoparticles can be used as molecular contrast agents binding specifically to cancer sites and thus delineating tumor regions. Imaging gold nanoparticles deeply embedded in tissues with optical techniques possesses significant challenges due to multiple scattering of optical photons that blur the obtained images. Both diagnostic and therapeutic applications can benefit from a minimally invasive technique that can identify, localize, and quantify the payloads of gold nanoparticles deeply embedded in biological tissues. An optical radiance technique is applied to map localized inclusions of gold nanorods in 650- to 900-nm spectral range in a porcine phantom that mimics prostate geometry. Optical radiance defines a variation in the angular density of photons impinging on a selected point in the tissue from various directions. The inclusions are formed by immersing a capillary filled with gold nanorods in the phantom at increasing distances from the detecting fiber. The technique allows the isolation of the spectroscopic signatures of the inclusions from the background and identification of inclusion locations in the angular domain. Detection of ∼4×1010 gold nanoparticles or 0.04  mg Au/mL (detector-inclusion separation 10 mm, source-detector separation 15 mm) in the porcine tissue is demonstrated. The encouraging results indicate a promising potential of radiance spectroscopy in early prostate cancer diagnostics with gold nanoparticles.

The design and application of fluorophore–gold nanoparticle activatable probes

PubMed Central

Swierczewska, Magdalena; Lee, Seulki; Chen, Xiaoyuan

2013-01-01

Fluorescence-based assays and detection techniques are among the most highly sensitive and popular biological tests for researchers. To match the needs of research and the clinic, detection limits and specificities need to improve, however. One mechanism is to decrease non-specific background signals, which is most efficiently done by increasing fluorescence quenching abilities. Reports in the literature of theoretical and experimental work have shown that metallic gold surfaces and nanoparticles are ultra-efficient fluorescence quenchers. Based on these findings, subsequent reports have described gold nanoparticle fluorescence-based activatable probes that were designed to increase fluorescence intensity based on a range of stimuli. In this way, these probes can detect and signify assorted biomarkers and changes in environmental conditions. In this review, we explore the various factors and theoretical models that affect gold nanoparticle fluorescence quenching, explore current uses of activatable probes, and propose an engineering approach for future development of fluorescence based gold nanoparticle activatable probes. PMID:21380462

Gold Nanoparticles: An Efficient Antimicrobial Agent against Enteric Bacterial Human Pathogen

PubMed Central

Shamaila, Shahzadi; Zafar, Noshin; Riaz, Saira; Sharif, Rehana; Nazir, Jawad; Naseem, Shahzad

2016-01-01

Enteric bacterial human pathogens, i.e., Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus subtilis and Klebsiella pneumoniae, are the major cause of diarrheal infections in children and adults. Their structure badly affects the human immune system. It is important to explore new antibacterial agents instead of antibiotics for treatment. This project is an attempt to explain how gold nanoparticles affect these bacteria. We investigated the important role of the mean particle size, and the inhibition of a bacterium is dose-dependent. Ultra Violet (UV)-visible spectroscopy revealed the size of chemically synthesized gold nanoparticle as 6–40 nm. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) analysis confirmed the size and X-ray diffractometry (XRD) analysis determined the polycrystalline nature of gold nanoparticles. The present findings explained how gold nanoparticles lyse Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria. PMID:28335198

Monitoring the Stimulated Uncapping Process of Gold-Capped Mesoporous Silica Nanoparticles.

PubMed

Augspurger, Ashley E; Sun, Xiaoxing; Trewyn, Brian G; Fang, Ning; Stender, Anthony S

2018-03-06

To establish a new method for tracking the interaction of nanoparticles with chemical cleaving agents, we exploited the optical effects caused by attaching 5-10 nm gold nanoparticles with molecular linkers to large mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSN). At low levels of gold loading onto MSN, the optical spectra resemble colloidal suspensions of gold. As the gold is removed, by cleaving agents, the MSN revert to the optical spectra typical of bare silica. Time-lapse images of gold-capped MSN stationed in microchannels reveal that the rate of gold release is dependent on the concentration of the cleaving agent. The uncapping process was also monitored successfully for MSN endocytosed by A549 cancer cells, which produce the cleaving agent glutathione. These experiments demonstrate that the optical properties of MSN can be used to directly monitor cleaving kinetics, even in complex cellular settings.

Cytocompatibility and antibacterial activity of titania nanotubes incorporated with gold nanoparticles.

PubMed

Yang, Tingting; Qian, Shi; Qiao, Yuqing; Liu, Xuanyong

2016-09-01

TiO2 nanotubes prepared by electrochemical anodization have received considerable attention in the biomedical field. In this work, different amounts of gold nanoparticles were immobilized onto TiO2 nanotubes using 3-aminopropyltrimethoxysilane as coupling agent. Field emission scanning electron microscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy were used to investigate the surface morphology and composition. Photoluminescence spectra and surface zeta potential were also measured. The obtained results indicate that the surface modified gold nanoparticles can significantly enhance the electron storage capability and reduce the surface zeta potential compared to pristine TiO2 nanotubes. Moreover, the surface modified gold nanoparticles can stimulate initial adhesion and spreading of rat bone mesenchymal stem cells as well as proliferation, while the osteogenous performance of TiO2 nanotubes will not be reduced. The gold-modified surface presents moderate antibacterial effect on both Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli. It should be noted that the surface modified fewer gold nanoparticles has better antibacterial effect compared to the surface of substantial modification of gold nanoparticles. Our study illustrates a composite surface with favorable cytocompatibility and antibacterial effect and provides a promising candidate for orthopedic and dental implant. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Modulating Gold Nanoparticle in vivo Delivery for Photothermal Therapy Applications Using a T Cell Delivery System

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kennedy, Laura Carpin

This thesis reports new gold nanoparticle-based methods to treat chemotherapy-resistant and metastatic tumors that frequently evade conventional cancer therapies. Gold nanoparticles represent an innovative generation of diagnostic and treatment agents due to the ease with which they can be tuned to scatter or absorb a chosen wavelength of light. One area of intensive investigation in recent years is gold nanoparticle photothermal therapy (PTT), in which gold nanoparticles are used to heat and destroy cancer. This work demonstrates the utility of gold nanoparticle PTT against two categories of cancer that are currently a clinical challenge: trastuzumab-resistant breast cancer and metastatic cancer. In addition, this thesis presents a new method of gold nanoparticle delivery using T cells that increases gold nanoparticle tumor accumulation efficiency, a current challenge in the field of PTT. I ablated trastuzumab-resistant breast cancer in vitro for the first time using anti-HER2 labeled silica-gold nanoshells, demonstrating the potential utility of PTT against chemotherapy-resistant cancers. I next established for the first time the use of T cells as gold nanoparticle vehicles in vivo. When incubated with gold nanoparticles in culture, T cells can internalize up to 15000 nanoparticles per cell with no detrimental effects to T cell viability or function (e.g. migration and cytokine secretion). These AuNP-T cells can be systemically administered to tumor-bearing mice and deliver gold nanoparticles four times more efficiently than by injecting free nanoparticles. In addition, the biodistribution of AuNP-T cells correlates with the normal biodistribution of T cell carrier, suggesting the gold nanoparticle biodistribution can be modulated through the choice of nanoparticle vehicle. Finally, I apply gold nanoparticle PTT as an adjuvant treatment for T cell adoptive transfer immunotherapy (Hyperthermia-Enhanced Immunotherapy or HIT) of distant tumors in a melanoma mouse

Sex differences in the toxicity of polyethylene glycol-coated gold nanoparticles in mice

PubMed Central

Chen, Jie; Wang, Hao; Long, Wei; Shen, Xiu; Wu, Di; Song, Sha-Sha; Sun, Yuan-Ming; Liu, Pei-Xun; Fan, Saijun; Fan, Feiyue; Zhang, Xiao-Dong

2013-01-01

Gold nanoparticles have received wide interest in disease diagnosis and therapy, but one of the important issues is their toxicological effects in vivo. Sex differences in the toxicity of gold nanoparticles are not clear. In this work, body weight, organ weight, hematology, and biochemistry were used to evaluate sex differences in immune response and liver and kidney damage. Pathology was used to observe the general toxicity of reproductive organs. The immune response was influenced significantly in female mice, with obvious changes in spleen and thymus index. Hematology results showed that male mice treated with 22.5 nm gold nanoparticles received more significant infection and inflammation than female mice. Meanwhile, the biochemistry results showed that 4.4 and 22.5 nm gold nanoparticles caused more significant liver damage in male mice than female mice, while 22.5, 29.3, and 36.1 nm gold nanoparticles caused more significant kidney damage in female mice than male mice. No significant toxicological response was found in the reproductive system for female or male mice. It was found that gold nanoparticles caused more serious liver toxicity and infection in male mice than female mice. These findings indicated that sex differences may be one of the important elements for in vivo toxicity of gold nanoparticles. PMID:23861586

Facile green synthesis of variable metallic gold nanoparticle using Padina gymnospora, a brown marine macroalga

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Singh, M.; Kalaivani, R.; Manikandan, S.; Sangeetha, N.; Kumaraguru, A. K.

2013-04-01

The process of development of reliable and eco-friendly metallic nanoparticles is an important step in the field of nanotechnology. To achieve this, use of natural sources like biological systems becomes essential. In the present work, extracellular biosynthesis of gold nanoparticles using Padina gymnospora has been attempted and achieved rapid formation of gold nanoparticles in a short duration. The UV-vis spectrum of the aqueous medium containing gold ion showed peak at 527 nm corresponding to the plasmon absorbance of gold nanoparticles. Scanning electron microscopy showed the formation of well-dispersed gold nanoparticles. FTIR spectra of brown alga confirmed that hydroxyl groups present in the algal polysaccharides were involved in the gold bioreduction. AFM analysis showed the results of particle sizes (53-67 nm) and average height of the particle roughness (60.0 nm). X-ray diffraction (XRD) spectrum of the gold nanoparticles exhibited Bragg reflections corresponding to gold nanoparticles. This environment-friendly method of biological gold nanoparticle synthesis can be applied potentially in various products that directly come in contact with the human body, such as cosmetics, and foods and consumer goods, besides medical applications.

Self-assembly of bacitracin-gold nanoparticles and their toxicity analysis.

PubMed

Li, Xiaoling; Wang, Zi; Li, Yanji; Bian, Kexin; Yin, Tian; Gao, Dawei

2018-01-01

As the widely use of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) in drug delivery, the precise control on the size and morphology of the AuNPs is urgently required. In this scenario, traditional synthesis methods cannot meet current requirement because of their inherent defects. We have depicted here a novel method for fabricating monodispersed large size gold nanoparticles, based on the self-assembly of bacitracin. The AuNPs could be facilely, low-cost, and green synthesized with repeatability and controllability in this method. The Bac gold nanoparticles (Bac-AuNPs), composed by bacitracin core and gold shell, exhibited a spherical morphology in TEM and a face-centered cubic crystal structure in X-Ray diffraction and selected area electron diffraction. The mean diameter of the Bac-AuNPs was 89nm. The nanoparticles were mono-dispersed and the zeta potential of the nanoparticles was 4.1±0.64mV. Notably, in cell viability assay, the Bac-AuNPs showed less toxicity to HepG2 cells and HEK293 cells compared to small size AuNPs. Collectively, the size, rheological characteristic and the biocompatibility supported the use of the gold nanoparticles as intracellular delivery vehicles for drug delivery, especially for tumor therapy. And this study could provide a maneuverable, controllable and green strategy for the synthesis of AuNPs, which would be applied in disease diagnosis and therapy with biosafety. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Using Gold Nanoparticles To Disrupt the Tumor Microenvironment: An Emerging Therapeutic Strategy.

PubMed

Melamed, Jilian R; Riley, Rachel S; Valcourt, Danielle M; Day, Emily S

2016-12-27

Gold nanoparticles have received much attention recently as carriers for anticancer drugs and therapeutic oligonucleotides, but little research has investigated their potential to act as stand-alone therapeutics. Previous studies interrogating their short- and long-term systemic toxicity have found that although gold nanoparticles accumulate within and clear slowly from the liver and spleen, they do not appear to exert toxic effects in these organs. Interestingly, gold nanoparticles innately exhibit the ability to modulate the tumor microenvironment specifically by interfering with crosstalk between tumor cells and stromal cells. In this issue of ACS Nano, Mukherjee and colleagues demonstrate that bare gold nanoparticles can disturb crosstalk between pancreatic stellate cells and pancreatic cancer cells by modulating the cellular secretome to reduce the growth of desmoplastic tissue and inhibit tumor growth. In this Perspective, we highlight opportunities for anticancer targeting within the tumor microenvironment and discuss gold nanoparticles as potential mediators of microenvironment-targeted therapy.

Fungus-mediated biological synthesis of gold nanoparticles: potential in detection of liver cancer

PubMed Central

Chauhan, Arun; Zubair, Swaleha; Tufail, Saba; Sherwani, Asif; Sajid, Mohammad; Raman, Suri C; Azam, Amir; Owais, Mohammad

2011-01-01

Background Nanomaterials are considered to be the pre-eminent component of the rapidly advancing field of nanotechnology. However, developments in the biologically inspired synthesis of nanoparticles are still in their infancy and consequently attracting the attention of material scientists throughout the world. Keeping in mind the fact that microorganism-assisted synthesis of nanoparticles is a safe and economically viable prospect, in the current study we report Candida albicans-mediated biological synthesis of gold nanoparticles. Methods and results Transmission electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy, and various spectrophotometric analyses were performed to characterize the gold nanoparticles. The morphology of the synthesized gold particles depended on the abundance of C. albicans cytosolic extract. Transmission electron microscopy, nanophox particle analysis, and atomic force microscopy revealed the size of spherical gold nanoparticles to be in the range of 20–40 nm and nonspherical gold particles were found to be 60–80 nm. We also evaluated the potential of biogenic gold nanoparticles to probe liver cancer cells by conjugating them with liver cancer cell surface-specific antibodies. The antibody-conjugated gold particles were found to bind specifically to the surface antigens of the cancer cells. Conclusion The antibody-conjugated gold particles synthesized in this study could successfully differentiate normal cell populations from cancerous cells. PMID:22072868

Microbial mediated preparation, characterization and optimization of gold nanoparticles

PubMed Central

Barabadi, Hamed; Honary, Soheila; Ebrahimi, Pouneh; Mohammadi, Milad Ali; Alizadeh, Ahad; Naghibi, Farzaneh

2014-01-01

The need for eco-friendly and cost effective methods for nanoparticles synthesis is developing interest in biological approaches which are free from the use of toxic chemicals as byproducts. This study aimed to biosynthesize and optimize the size of gold nanoparticles which produced by biotechnological method using Penicillium crustosum isolated from soil. Initially, Penicillium crustosum was grown in fluid czapek dox broth on shaker at 28 °C and 200 rpm for ten days and then the supernatant was separated from the mycelia to convert AuCl4 solution into gold nanoparticles. The synthesized nanoparticles in the optimum conditions were formed with fairly well-defined dimensions and good monodispersity. The characterizations were done by using different methods (UV-Visible Spectroscopy, Fluorescence, FT-IR, AFM (Atomic Force Microscopy) and DLS (Dynamic Light Scattering). The bioconversion was optimized by Box-Behnken experimental design. The results show that the effective factors in this process were concentration of AuCl4, pH of medium and temperature of shaker incubator. The R2 value was calculated to be 0.9999 indicating the accuracy and ability of the polynomial model. It can be concluded that the use of multivariate analysis facilitated to find out the optimum conditions for the biosynthesis of gold nanoparticles induced by Penicillium crustosum in a time and cost effective process. The current approach suggested that rapid synthesis of gold nanoparticles would be suitable for developing a biological process for mass scale production of formulations. PMID:25763059

Microbial mediated preparation, characterization and optimization of gold nanoparticles.

PubMed

Barabadi, Hamed; Honary, Soheila; Ebrahimi, Pouneh; Mohammadi, Milad Ali; Alizadeh, Ahad; Naghibi, Farzaneh

2014-01-01

The need for eco-friendly and cost effective methods for nanoparticles synthesis is developing interest in biological approaches which are free from the use of toxic chemicals as byproducts. This study aimed to biosynthesize and optimize the size of gold nanoparticles which produced by biotechnological method using Penicillium crustosum isolated from soil. Initially, Penicillium crustosum was grown in fluid czapek dox broth on shaker at 28 °C and 200 rpm for ten days and then the supernatant was separated from the mycelia to convert AuCl₄ solution into gold nanoparticles. The synthesized nanoparticles in the optimum conditions were formed with fairly well-defined dimensions and good monodispersity. The characterizations were done by using different methods (UV-Visible Spectroscopy, Fluorescence, FT-IR, AFM (Atomic Force Microscopy) and DLS (Dynamic Light Scattering). The bioconversion was optimized by Box-Behnken experimental design. The results show that the effective factors in this process were concentration of AuCl₄, pH of medium and temperature of shaker incubator. The R(2) value was calculated to be 0.9999 indicating the accuracy and ability of the polynomial model. It can be concluded that the use of multivariate analysis facilitated to find out the optimum conditions for the biosynthesis of gold nanoparticles induced by Penicillium crustosum in a time and cost effective process. The current approach suggested that rapid synthesis of gold nanoparticles would be suitable for developing a biological process for mass scale production of formulations.

SERS detection of Biomolecules at Physiological pH via aggregation of Gold Nanorods mediated by Optical Forces and Plasmonic Heating

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fazio, Barbara; D'Andrea, Cristiano; Foti, Antonino; Messina, Elena; Irrera, Alessia; Donato, Maria Grazia; Villari, Valentina; Micali, Norberto; Maragò, Onofrio M.; Gucciardi, Pietro G.

2016-06-01

Strategies for in-liquid molecular detection via Surface Enhanced Raman Scattering (SERS) are currently based on chemically-driven aggregation or optical trapping of metal nanoparticles in presence of the target molecules. Such strategies allow the formation of SERS-active clusters that efficiently embed the molecule at the “hot spots” of the nanoparticles and enhance its Raman scattering by orders of magnitude. Here we report on a novel scheme that exploits the radiation pressure to locally push gold nanorods and induce their aggregation in buffered solutions of biomolecules, achieving biomolecular SERS detection at almost neutral pH. The sensor is applied to detect non-resonant amino acids and proteins, namely Phenylalanine (Phe), Bovine Serum Albumin (BSA) and Lysozyme (Lys), reaching detection limits in the μg/mL range. Being a chemical free and contactless technique, our methodology is easy to implement, fast to operate, needs small sample volumes and has potential for integration in microfluidic circuits for biomarkers detection.

SERS detection of Biomolecules at Physiological pH via aggregation of Gold Nanorods mediated by Optical Forces and Plasmonic Heating

PubMed Central

Fazio, Barbara; D’Andrea, Cristiano; Foti, Antonino; Messina, Elena; Irrera, Alessia; Donato, Maria Grazia; Villari, Valentina; Micali, Norberto; Maragò, Onofrio M.; Gucciardi, Pietro G.

2016-01-01

Strategies for in-liquid molecular detection via Surface Enhanced Raman Scattering (SERS) are currently based on chemically-driven aggregation or optical trapping of metal nanoparticles in presence of the target molecules. Such strategies allow the formation of SERS-active clusters that efficiently embed the molecule at the “hot spots” of the nanoparticles and enhance its Raman scattering by orders of magnitude. Here we report on a novel scheme that exploits the radiation pressure to locally push gold nanorods and induce their aggregation in buffered solutions of biomolecules, achieving biomolecular SERS detection at almost neutral pH. The sensor is applied to detect non-resonant amino acids and proteins, namely Phenylalanine (Phe), Bovine Serum Albumin (BSA) and Lysozyme (Lys), reaching detection limits in the μg/mL range. Being a chemical free and contactless technique, our methodology is easy to implement, fast to operate, needs small sample volumes and has potential for integration in microfluidic circuits for biomarkers detection. PMID:27246267

Core-size regulated aggregation/disaggregation of citrate-coated gold nanoparticles (5-50 nm) and dissolved organic matter: Extinction, emission, and scattering evidence

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Esfahani, Milad Rabbani; Pallem, Vasanta L.; Stretz, Holly A.; Wells, Martha J. M.

2018-01-01

Knowledge of the interactions between gold nanoparticles (GNPs) and dissolved organic matter (DOM) is significant in the development of detection devices for environmental sensing, studies of environmental fate and transport, and advances in antifouling water treatment membranes. The specific objective of this research was to spectroscopically investigate the fundamental interactions between citrate-stabilized gold nanoparticles (CT-GNPs) and DOM. Studies indicated that 30 and 50 nm diameter GNPs promoted disaggregation of the DOM. This result-disaggregation of an environmentally important polyelectrolyte-will be quite useful regarding antifouling properties in water treatment and water-based sensing applications. Furthermore, resonance Rayleigh scattering results showed significant enhancement in the UV range which can be useful to characterize DOM and can be exploited as an analytical tool to better sense and improve our comprehension of nanomaterial interactions with environmental systems. CT-GNPs having core size diameters of 5, 10, 30, and 50 nm were studied in the absence and presence of added DOM at 2 and 8 ppm at low ionic strength and near neutral pH (6.0-6.5) approximating surface water conditions. Interactions were monitored by cross-interpretation among ultraviolet (UV)-visible extinction spectroscopy, excitation-emission matrix (EEM) spectroscopy (emission and Rayleigh scattering), and dynamic light scattering (DLS). This comprehensive combination of spectroscopic analyses lends new insights into the antifouling behavior of GNPs. The CT-GNP-5 and -10 controls emitted light and aggregated. In contrast, the CT-GNP-30 and CT-GNP-50 controls scattered light intensely, but did not aggregate and did not emit light. The presence of any CT-GNP did not affect the extinction spectra of DOM, and the presence of DOM did not affect the extinction spectra of the CT-GNPs. The emission spectra (visible range) differed only slightly between calculated and actual

Synthesis of gold and silver nanoparticles using leaf extract of Perilla frutescens--a biogenic approach.

PubMed

Basavegowda, Nagaraj; Lee, Yong Rok

2014-06-01

The present investigation demonstrates a rapid biogenic approach for the synthesis of gold and silver nanoparticles using biologically active and medicinal important Perilla frutescens leaf extract as a reducing and stabilizing agent under ambient conditions. Gold and silver nanoparticles were first synthesized from Perilla frutescens leaf extract which was used as a vegetable and in traditional medicines for a long time in Korea, Japan, and China. The nanoparticles obtained were characterized by UV-vis spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. Surface plasmon resonance spectra of gold and silver nanoparticles were obtained at 540 and 430 nm and triangular and spherical shape respectively. TEM studies showed that the particle sizes of gold and silver nanoparticles ranges -50 nm and -40 nm respectively. X-ray diffraction studies confirm that the biosynthesized nanoparticles were crystalline gold and silver. Fourier transform infra-red spectroscopy revealed that biomolecules were involved in the synthesis and capping of the nanoparticles produced. XRD and EDX confirmed the formation of gold and silver nanoparticles. This is a simple, efficient and rapid method to synthesize gold and silver nanoparticles at room temperature without use of toxic chemicals. Obtained gold and silver nanoparticles can be used in various biomedical and biotechnological applications.

An aptamer-based colorimetric Pt(II) assay based on the use of gold nanoparticles and a cationic polymer.

PubMed

Sang, Fuming; Liu, Jia; Zhang, Xue; Pan, Jianxin

2018-04-25

A colorimetric method is described for the determination of Pt(II). It is based on the use of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) which are known to aggregate in the presence of a cationic polymer such as poly(diallyldimethylammonium chloride) (PDDA). If, however, a mismatched aptamer (AA) electrostatically binds to PDDA, aggregation is prevented. Upon the addition of Pt(II), it will bind to the aptamer and induce the formation of a hairpin structure. Hence, interaction between aptamer and PDDA is suppressed and PDDA will induce the aggregation of the AuNPs. This is accompanied by a color change from red to blue. The effect can be observed with bare eyes and quantified by colorimetry via measurement of the ratio of absorbances at 610 nm and 520 nm. Response is linear in the 0.24-2 μM Pt(II) concentration range, and the detection limit is 58 nM. The assay is completed within 15 min and selective for Pt(II) even in the presence of other metal ions. It was successfully applied to the rapid determination of Pt(II) in spiked soil samples. Graphical abstract Schematic representation of the method for detection of Pt(II) based on the use of a cationic polymer and gold nanoparticles. In the presence of Pt(II), aptamer interacts with the Pt(II) and prevents the interaction between aptamer and cationic polymer. Hence, cationic polymer induce the aggregation of the AuNPs and lead to the color change from red to blue.

One-pot green synthesis of luminescent gold nanoparticles using imidazole derivative of chitosan.

PubMed

Nazirov, Alexander; Pestov, Alexander; Privar, Yuliya; Ustinov, Alexander; Modin, Evgeny; Bratskaya, Svetlana

2016-10-20

Water soluble luminescent gold nanoparticles with average size 2.3nm were for the first time synthesized by completely green method of Au(III) reduction using chitosan derivative-biocompatible nontoxic N-(4-imidazolyl)methylchitosan (IMC) as both reducing and stabilizing agent. Reduction of Au(III) to gold nanoparticles in IMC solution is a slow process, in which coordination power of biopolymer controls both reducing species concentration and gold crystal growth rate. Gold nanoparticles formed in IMC solution do not manifest surface plasmon resonance, but exhibit luminescence at 375nm under UV light excitation at 230nm. Due to biological activity of imidazolyl-containing polymers and their ability to bind proteins and drugs, the obtained ultra-small gold nanoparticles can find an application for biomolecules detection, bio-imaging, drug delivery, and catalysis. Very high catalytic activity (as compared to gold nanoparticles obtained by other green methods) was found for Au/IMC nanoparticles in the model reaction of p-nitrophenol reduction providing complete conversion of p-nitrophenol to p-aminophenol within 180-190s under mild conditions. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Protein coated gold nanoparticles as template for the directed synthesis of highly fluorescent gold nanoclusters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Lingyan; Han, Fei

2018-04-01

Bovine serum albumin (BSA) modified gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) was selected as template for the synthesis of AuNPs@gold nanoclusters (AuNCs) core/shell nanoparticles, in which BSA not only acted as dual functions agent for both anchoring and reducing Au3+ ions, but also was employed as a bridge between the AuNPs and AuNCs. Optical properties of AuNPs@AuNCs core/shell nanoparticles were studied using UV-visible and fluorescence spectroscopy. The prepared AuNPs@AuNCs core/shell nanoparticles exhibited sphere size uniformity with improved monodispersity, excellent fluorescence and fluorescent stability. Compared with AuNCs, AuNPs@AuNCs core/shell nanoparticles possessed large size and strong fluorescence intensity due to the effect of AuNPs as core. Moreover, the mechanism of the AuNPs induced fluorescence changes of the core/shell nanoparticles was first explored.

Toxicity of silver and gold nanoparticles on marine microalgae.

PubMed

Moreno-Garrido, Ignacio; Pérez, Sara; Blasco, Julián

2015-10-01

The increased use of nanomaterials in several novel industrial applications during the last decade has led to a rise in concerns about the potential toxic effects of released engineered nanoparticles (NPs) into the environment, as their potential toxicity to aquatic organisms is just beginning to be recognised. Toxicity of metallic nanoparticles to aquatic organisms, including microalgae, seems to be related to their physical and chemical properties, as well as their behaviour in the aquatic media where processes of dissolution, aggregation and agglomeration can occur. Although the production of these particles has increased considerably in recent years, data on their toxicity on microalgae, especially those belonging to marine or estuarine environments remain scarce and scattered. The literature shows a wide variation of results on toxicity, mainly due to the different methodology used in bioassays involving microalgae. These can range for up to EC50 data, in the case of AgNPs, representing five orders of magnitude. The importance of initial cellular density is also addressed in the text, as well as the need for keeping test conditions as close as possible to environmental conditions, in order to increase their environmental relevance. This review focuses on the fate and toxicity of silver, gold, and gold-silver alloy nanoparticles on microalgae, as key organisms in aquatic ecosystems. It is prompted by their increased production and use, and taking into account that oceans and estuaries are the final sink for those NPs. The design of bioassays and further research in the field of microalgae nanoecotoxicology is discussed, with a brief survey on newly developed technology of green (algae mediated) production of Ag, Au and Ag-Au bimetallic NPs, as well as some final considerations about future research on this field. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Investigating the Toxicity, Uptake, Nanoparticle Formation and Genetic Response of Plants to Gold

PubMed Central

Taylor, Andrew F.; Rylott, Elizabeth L.; Anderson, Christopher W. N.; Bruce, Neil C.

2014-01-01

We have studied the physiological and genetic responses of Arabidopsis thaliana L. (Arabidopsis) to gold. The root lengths of Arabidopsis seedlings grown on nutrient agar plates containing 100 mg/L gold were reduced by 75%. Oxidized gold was subsequently found in roots and shoots of these plants, but gold nanoparticles (reduced gold) were only observed in the root tissues. We used a microarray-based study to monitor the expression of candidate genes involved in metal uptake and transport in Arabidopsis upon gold exposure. There was up-regulation of genes involved in plant stress response such as glutathione transferases, cytochromes P450, glucosyl transferases and peroxidases. In parallel, our data show the significant down-regulation of a discreet number of genes encoding proteins involved in the transport of copper, cadmium, iron and nickel ions, along with aquaporins, which bind to gold. We used Medicago sativa L. (alfalfa) to study nanoparticle uptake from hydroponic culture using ionic gold as a non-nanoparticle control and concluded that nanoparticles between 5 and 100 nm in diameter are not directly accumulated by plants. Gold nanoparticles were only observed in plants exposed to ionic gold in solution. Together, we believe our results imply that gold is taken up by the plant predominantly as an ionic form, and that plants respond to gold exposure by up-regulating genes for plant stress and down-regulating specific metal transporters to reduce gold uptake. PMID:24736522

Functionalized gold nanoparticles manifested as potent carriers for nucleolar targeting

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shahbazi, Reza; Ozcicek, Ilyas; Ozturk, Gurkan; Ulubayram, Kezban

2017-01-01

It is generally known that gold nanoparticles are localised in the cytoplasm and, if synthesised in small sizes or functionalized with specific proteins, they enter the cell nucleus. However, there is no report emphasising the importance of surface functionalization in their accumulation in the nucleolus. Here, for the first time in the literature, it is proposed that functionalization of gold nanoparticles with a thin layer of polyethyleneimine (PEI) spearheads them to the nucleolus of hard-to-transfect post-mitotic dorsal root ganglion neurones in a size-independent manner. As a potential for theranostic applications, it was found that functionalization with a thin layer of PEI affected the emission signal intensity of gold nanoparticles so that the cellular biodistribution of nanoparticles was visualised clearly under both confocal and two-photon microscopes.

Effect of gold nanoparticles on adipogenic differentiation of human mesenchymal stem cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kohl, Yvonne; Gorjup, Erwin; Katsen-Globa, Alisa; Büchel, Claudia; von Briesen, Hagen; Thielecke, Hagen

2011-12-01

Gold nanoparticles are very attractive for biomedical products. However, there is a serious lack of information concerning the biological activity of nanosized gold in human tissue cells. An influence of nanoparticles on stem cells might lead to unforeseen consequences to organ and tissue functions as long as all cells arising from the initial stem cell might be subsequently damaged. Therefore the effect of negatively charged gold nanoparticles (9 and 95 nm), which are certified as reference material for preclinical biomedical research, on the adipogenic differentiation of human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) is investigated here. Bone marrow hMSCs are chosen as differentiation model since bone marrow hMSCs are well characterized and their differentiation into the adipogenic lineage shows clear and easily detectable differentiation. In this study effects of gold nanoparticles on adipogenic differentiation are analyzed regarding fat storage and mitochondrial activity after different exposure times (4-21 days). Using time lapse microscopy the differentiation progress under chronically gold nanoparticle treatment is continuously investigated. In this preliminary study, chronically treatment of adipogenic differentiating hMSCs with gold nanoparticles resulted in a reduced number and size of lipid vacuoles and reduced mitochondrial activity depending on the applied concentration and the surface charge of the particles.

Faraday rotation enhancement of gold coated Fe2O3 nanoparticles: comparison of experiment and theory.

PubMed

Dani, Raj Kumar; Wang, Hongwang; Bossmann, Stefan H; Wysin, Gary; Chikan, Viktor

2011-12-14

Understanding plasmonic enhancement of nanoscale magnetic materials is important to evaluate their potential for application. In this study, the Faraday rotation (FR) enhancement of gold coated Fe(2)O(3) nanoparticles (NP) is investigated experimentally and theoretically. The experiment shows that the Faraday rotation of a Fe(2)O(3) NP solution changes from approximately 3 rad/Tm to 10 rad/Tm as 5 nm gold shell is coated on a 9.7 nm Fe(2)O(3) core at 632 nm. The results also show how the volume fraction normalized Faraday rotation varies with the gold shell thickness. From the comparison of experiment and calculated Faraday rotation based on the Maxwell-Garnett theory, it is concluded that the enhancement and shell dependence of Faraday rotation of Fe(2)O(3) NPs is a result of the shifting plasmon resonance of the composite NP. In addition, the clustering of the NPs induces a different phase lag on the Faraday signal, which suggests that the collective response of the magnetic NP aggregates needs to be considered even in solution. From the Faraday phase lag, the estimated time of the full alignment of the magnetic spins of bare (cluster size 160 nm) and gold coated NPs (cluster size 90 nm) are found to be 0.65 and 0.17 μs. The calculation includes a simple theoretical approach based on the Bruggeman theory to account for the aggregation and its effect on the Faraday rotation. The Bruggeman model provides a qualitatively better agreement with the experimentally observed Faraday rotation and points out the importance of making a connection between component properties and the average "effective" optical behavior of the Faraday medium containing magnetic nanoparticles. © 2011 American Institute of Physics

Effect of Nanoparticle Core Size on Polymer-Coated Gold Nanoparticle Location in Block Copolymers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Petrie, J. D.; Fredrickson, G. H.; Kramer, E. J.

2009-03-01

Gold nanoparticles modified by short chain polymer thiols [Au-PS] can be designed to strongly localize either in the PS domains of a polystyrene-b-poly(2-vinylpyridine) [PS-PVP] block copolymer or at the interface. The P2VP block has a stronger attractive interaction with bare gold than the PS block. Thus, when the areal chain density σ of end-attached PS chains falls below a critical areal chain density σc the Au-PS nanoparticles adsorb to the PS-b-P2VP interface. The effect of the polymer ligand molecular weight on the σc has been shown to scale as σc˜ ((R + Rg)/(R*Rg))̂2, where R is the curvature of the Au nanoparticle core radius. To test this scaling relation for σc further we are synthesizing gold nanoparticles with different core radii and will present preliminary results on σc as a function of R.

Monitoring the Stimulated Uncapping Process of Gold-Capped Mesoporous Silica Nanoparticles

DOE PAGES

Augspurger, Ashley E.; Sun, Xiaoxing; Trewyn, Brian G.; ...

2018-02-05

To establish a new method for tracking the interaction of nanoparticles with chemical cleaving agents, we exploited the optical effects caused by attaching 5-10 nm gold nanoparticles with molecular linkers to large mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSN). At low levels of gold loading onto MSN, the optical spectra resemble colloidal suspensions of gold. As the gold is removed, by cleaving agents, the MSN revert to the optical spectra typical of bare silica. Time-lapse images of gold-capped MSN stationed in microchannels reveal that the rate of gold release is dependent on the concentration of the cleaving agent. Finally, the uncapping process wasmore » also monitored successfully for MSN endocytosed by A549 cancer cells, which produce the cleaving agent glutathione. These experiments demonstrate that the optical properties of MSN can be used to directly monitor cleaving kinetics, even in complex cellular settings.« less

Monitoring the Stimulated Uncapping Process of Gold-Capped Mesoporous Silica Nanoparticles

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Augspurger, Ashley E.; Sun, Xiaoxing; Trewyn, Brian G.

To establish a new method for tracking the interaction of nanoparticles with chemical cleaving agents, we exploited the optical effects caused by attaching 5-10 nm gold nanoparticles with molecular linkers to large mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSN). At low levels of gold loading onto MSN, the optical spectra resemble colloidal suspensions of gold. As the gold is removed, by cleaving agents, the MSN revert to the optical spectra typical of bare silica. Time-lapse images of gold-capped MSN stationed in microchannels reveal that the rate of gold release is dependent on the concentration of the cleaving agent. Finally, the uncapping process wasmore » also monitored successfully for MSN endocytosed by A549 cancer cells, which produce the cleaving agent glutathione. These experiments demonstrate that the optical properties of MSN can be used to directly monitor cleaving kinetics, even in complex cellular settings.« less

Template assisted synthesis and optical properties of gold nanoparticles.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fodor, Petru; Lasalvia, Vincenzo

2009-03-01

A hybrid nanofabrication method (interference lithography + self assembly) was explored for the fabrication of arrays of gold nanoparticles. To ensure the uniformity of the nanoparticles, a template assisted synthesis was used in which the gold is electrodeposited in the pores of anodized aluminum membranes. The spacing between the pores and their ordering is controlled in the first fabrication step of the template in which laser lithography and metal deposition are used to produce aluminum films with controlled strain profiles. The diameter of the pores produced after anodizing the aluminum film in acidic solution determines the diameter of the gold particles, while their aspect ratio is controlled through the deposition time. Optical absorbance spectroscopy is used to evaluate the ability to tune the nanoparticles plasmon resonance spectra through control over their size and aspect ratio.

Gold Nanoparticles: Promising Agent to Improve the Diagnosis and Therapy of Cancer.

PubMed

Ning, Limin; Zhu, Benwei; Gao, Tao

2017-01-01

Gold nanoparticles have been exploited for nanobiotechnology applications for the last two decades. New insights of the nanomaterials as promising agent for cancer diagnosis and therapy have just started to emerge. Due to the size- and shape-dependent optical, electrical and thermal properties, gold nanoparticles are being developed as diagnostic reagents, drug carriers, contrast agents, photothermal agents and radiosensitisers. This review aims to summarize the latest advances of gold nanoparticles in cancer treatment. We undertook a systematical search for research literatures using a well-framed review question and presented the applications in different fields, including early cancer diagnosis, imaging, radiotherapy, chemotherapy, gene therapy and photothermal therapy, which were fully described, filtered, combined and analyzed in order to provide documented proofs on the applications of gold nanoparticles in current cancer treatments. One hundred and sixty papers were included in the review, the majority of which represent latest researches in the field of gold nanoparticle-based diagnosis and therapy for cancer. Conventional treatment strategies for cancer cannot identify normal and cancer cells. While due to the high surface area to volume ratio and rich surface functionalization chemistry, gold nanoparticle can greatly enhance the targeting with adverse side effects of traditional treatment on normal tissues being avoided. Gold nanoparticles have greatly improved the traditional treatment due to their unique properties. However, their size-dependent toxicity, distribution and clearance need further studies to make them a clinical reality. Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.org.

Undergraduate Laboratory Experiment Modules for Probing Gold Nanoparticle Interfacial Phenomena

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Karunanayake, Akila G.; Gunatilake, Sameera R.; Ameer, Fathima S.; Gadogbe, Manuel; Smith, Laura; Mlsna, Deb; Zhang, Dongmao

2015-01-01

Three gold-nanoparticle (AuNP) undergraduate experiment modules that are focused on nanoparticles interfacial phenomena have been developed. Modules 1 and 2 explore the synthesis and characterization of AuNPs of different sizes but with the same total gold mass. These experiments enable students to determine how particle size affects the AuNP…

Ultrathin free-standing close-packed gold nanoparticle films: conductivity and Raman scattering enhancement.

PubMed

Yu, Qing; Huang, Hongwen; Peng, Xinsheng; Ye, Zhizhen

2011-09-01

A simple filtration technique was developed to prepare large scale free-standing close-packed gold nanoparticle ultrathin films using metal hydroxide nanostrands as both barrier layer and sacrificial layer. As thin as 70 nm, centimeter scale robust free-standing gold nanoparticle thin film was obtained. The thickness of the films could be easily tuned by the filtration volumes. The electronic conductivities of these films varied with the size of the gold nanoparticles, post-treatment temperature, and thickness, respectively. The conductivity of the film prepared from 20 nm gold nanoparticles is higher than that of the film prepared from 40 nm gold nanoparticle by filtering the same filtration volume of their solution, respectively. Their conductivities are comparable to that of the 220 nm thick ITO film. Furthermore, these films demonstrated an average surface Raman scattering enhancement up to 6.59 × 10(5) for Rhodamine 6 G molecules on the film prepared from 40 nm gold nanoparticles. Due to a lot of nano interspaces generated from the close-packed structures, two abnormal enhancements and relative stronger intensities of the asymmetrical vibrations at 1534 and 1594 cm(-1) of R6G were observed, respectively. These robust free-standing gold nanoparticle films could be easily transferred onto various solid substrates and hold the potential application for electrodes and surface enhanced Raman detectors. This method is applicable for preparation of other nanoparticle free-standing thin films.

Green synthesis of gold nanoparticles using Stevia rebaudiana leaf extracts: Characterization and their stability.

PubMed

Sadeghi, Babak; Mohammadzadeh, M; Babakhani, B

2015-07-01

Various methods invented and developed for the synthesis of gold nanoparticles that increases daily consumed. According to this method, including potential environmental pollution problems and the complexity of the synthesis, in this study, the feasibility of using the leaves extract of Stevia rebaudiana (SR) for the reduction of gold ions to nanoparticles form have been studied. Stevia leaves were used to prepare the aqueous extract for this study. Gold nanoparticles were characterized with different techniques such as UV-vis spectroscopy, FT-IR spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Transmission electron microscopy experiments showed that these nanoparticles are spherical and uniformly distributed and its size is from 5 to 20 nm. FT-IR spectroscopy revealed that gold nanoparticles were functionalized with biomolecules that have primary amine group (NH2), carbonyl group, OH groups and other stabilizing functional groups. X-ray diffraction pattern showed high purity and face centered cubic structure of gold nanoparticles with size of 17 nm. The scanning electron microscopy (SEM) implies the right of forming gold nanoparticles. The results, confirm that gold nanoparticles have synthesized by the leaves extract of S. rebaudiana (SR). Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Facile method for the synthesis of gold nanoparticles using an ion coater

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, Seung Han; Jung, Hyun Kyu; Kim, Tae Cheol; Kim, Chang Hee; Shin, Chang Hwan; Yoon, Tae-Sik; Hong, A.-Ra; Jang, Ho Seong; Kim, Dong Hun

2018-03-01

Herein we report a metal nanoparticle synthesis method based on a physical vapor deposition process instead of the conventional wet process of chemical reactions in liquids. A narrow size distribution of synthesized gold nanoparticles was obtained using an ion coater on glycerin at low vapor pressure. The nanoparticle size could be modulated by controlling the sputtering conditions especially the discharge current. Due to the formation of gold nanoparticles, a surface plasmon resonance peak appeared at ∼530 nm in the absorption spectrum. The surface plasmon resonance peak exhibited red-shift with increasing size of the gold nanoparticles. Our results provide a simple, environmental friendly method for the synthesis of metal nanoparticles by combine low-cost deposition apparatus and a liquid medium, which is free from toxic reagents.

Allosteric effects of gold nanoparticles on human serum albumin.

PubMed

Shao, Qing; Hall, Carol K

2017-01-07

The ability of nanoparticles to alter protein structure and dynamics plays an important role in their medical and biological applications. We investigate allosteric effects of gold nanoparticles on human serum albumin protein using molecular simulations. The extent to which bound nanoparticles influence the structure and dynamics of residues distant from the binding site is analyzed. The root mean square deviation, root mean square fluctuation and variation in the secondary structure of individual residues on a human serum albumin protein are calculated for four protein-gold nanoparticle binding complexes. The complexes are identified in a brute-force search process using an implicit-solvent coarse-grained model for proteins and nanoparticles. They are then converted to atomic resolution and their structural and dynamic properties are investigated using explicit-solvent atomistic molecular dynamics simulations. The results show that even though the albumin protein remains in a folded structure, the presence of a gold nanoparticle can cause more than 50% of the residues to decrease their flexibility significantly, and approximately 10% of the residues to change their secondary structure. These affected residues are distributed on the whole protein, even on regions that are distant from the nanoparticle. We analyze the changes in structure and flexibility of amino acid residues on a variety of binding sites on albumin and confirm that nanoparticles could allosterically affect the ability of albumin to bind fatty acids, thyroxin and metals. Our simulations suggest that allosteric effects must be considered when designing and deploying nanoparticles in medical and biological applications that depend on protein-nanoparticle interactions.

Polyelectrolyte-modified cowpea mosaic virus for the synthesis of gold nanoparticles.

PubMed

Aljabali, Alaa A A; Evans, David J

2014-01-01

Polyelectrolyte surface-modified cowpea mosaic virus (CPMV) can be used for the templated synthesis of narrowly dispersed gold nanoparticles. Cationic polyelectrolyte, poly(allylamine) hydrochloride, is electrostatically bound to the external surface of the virus capsid. The polyelectrolyte-coated CPMV promotes adsorption of aqueous gold hydroxide anionic species, prepared from gold(III) chloride and potassium carbonate, that are easily reduced to form CPMV-templated gold nanoparticles. The process is simple and environmentally benign using only water as solvent at ambient temperature.

Characterization and antimicrobial application of biosynthesized gold and silver nanoparticles by using Microbacterium resistens.

PubMed

Wang, Chao; Singh, Priyanka; Kim, Yeon Ju; Mathiyalagan, Ramya; Myagmarjav, Davaajargal; Wang, Dandan; Jin, Chi-Gyu; Yang, Deok Chun

2016-11-01

Various microorganisms were found to be cable of synthesizing gold and silver nanoparticles when gold and silver salts were supplied in the reaction system. The main objective of this study was to evaluate the extracellular synthesis of gold and silver nanoparticles by the type strain Microbacterium resistens(T) [KACC14505]. The biosynthesized gold and silver nanoparticles were characterized by ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy (UV-Vis), field emission transmission electron micrograph (FE-TEM), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), elemental mapping, and dynamic light scattering (DLS). Moreover, the nanoparticles were evaluated for antimicrobial potential against various pathogenic microorganisms such as Vibrio parahaemolyticus [ATCC 33844], Salmonella enterica [ATCC 13076], Staphylococcus aureus [ATCC 6538], Bacillus anthracis [NCTC 10340], Bacillus cereus [ATCC 14579], Escherichia coli [ATCC 10798], and Candida albicans [KACC 30062]. The silver nanoparticles were found as a potent antimicrobial agent whereas gold nanoparticles not showed any ability. Therefore, the current study describes the simple, green, and extracellular synthesis of gold and silver nanoparticles by the type strain Microbacterium resistens(T) [KACC14505].

Light induced cytosolic drug delivery from liposomes with gold nanoparticles.

PubMed

Lajunen, Tatu; Viitala, Lauri; Kontturi, Leena-Stiina; Laaksonen, Timo; Liang, Huamin; Vuorimaa-Laukkanen, Elina; Viitala, Tapani; Le Guével, Xavier; Yliperttula, Marjo; Murtomäki, Lasse; Urtti, Arto

2015-04-10

Externally triggered drug release at defined targets allows site- and time-controlled drug treatment regimens. We have developed liposomal drug carriers with encapsulated gold nanoparticles for triggered drug release. Light energy is converted to heat in the gold nanoparticles and released to the lipid bilayers. Localized temperature increase renders liposomal bilayers to be leaky and triggers drug release. The aim of this study was to develop a drug releasing system capable of releasing its cargo to cell cytosol upon triggering with visible and near infrared light signals. The liposomes were formulated using either heat-sensitive or heat- and pH-sensitive lipid compositions with star or rod shaped gold nanoparticles. Encapsulated fluorescent probe, calcein, was released from the liposomes after exposure to the light. In addition, the pH-sensitive formulations showed a faster drug release in acidic conditions than in neutral conditions. The liposomes were internalized into human retinal pigment epithelial cells (ARPE-19) and human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) and did not show any cellular toxicity. The light induced cytosolic delivery of calcein from the gold nanoparticle containing liposomes was shown, whereas no cytosolic release was seen without light induction or without gold nanoparticles in the liposomes. The light activated liposome formulations showed a controlled content release to the cellular cytosol at a specific location and time. Triggering with visual and near infrared light allows good tissue penetration and safety, and the pH-sensitive liposomes may enable selective drug release in the intracellular acidic compartments (endosomes, lysosomes). Thus, light activated liposomes with gold nanoparticles are an attractive option for time- and site-specific drug delivery into the target cells. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The effect of green synthesized gold nanoparticles on rice germination and roots

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tsi Ndeh, Nji; Maensiri, Santi; Maensiri, Duangkamol

2017-09-01

In this paper, gold nanoparticles were synthesized by means of a green approach with Tiliacora triandra leaf extracts under different conditions. No additional reducing or capping agents were employed. The gold nanoparticles were characterized using UV-visible spectrophotometry, transmission electron microscope, x-ray diffraction and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. Gold nanoparticles synthesized at temperature of 80 °C were further used to treat rice (Oryza sativa) grains at different concentrations (0, 10, 100, 500, 1000, 2000 mg l-1) for one week. While germination percentages were high (95-98.38%), a slight decrease in root and shoot lengths relative to the control was observed. Phytotoxicity results indicated that the plant synthesized gold nanoparticles were of minimal toxicity to rice seedlings. Increases in cell death, hydrogen peroxide formation and lipid peroxidation in roots and shoots were noted. However, these increases were not statistically significant. The overall results confirmed that Tiliacora triandra synthesized gold nanoparticles are biocompatible and can be potentially used as nanocarriers in agriculture. Contribution at 5th Thailand International Nanotechnology Conference (Nano Thailand-2016), 27-29 November 2016, Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand.

Not all that glitters is gold-Electron microscopy study on uptake of gold nanoparticles in Daphnia magna and related artifacts.

PubMed

Jensen, Louise Helene Søgaard; Skjolding, Lars Michael; Thit, Amalie; Sørensen, Sara Nørgaard; Købler, Carsten; Mølhave, Kristian; Baun, Anders

2017-06-01

Increasing use of engineered nanoparticles has led to extensive research into their potential hazards to the environment and human health. Cellular uptake from the gut is sparsely investigated, and microscopy techniques applied for uptake studies can result in misinterpretations. Various microscopy techniques were used to investigate internalization of 10-nm gold nanoparticles in Daphnia magna gut lumen and gut epithelial cells following 24-h exposure and outline potential artifacts (i.e., high-contrast precipitates from sample preparation related to these techniques). Light sheet microscopy confirmed accumulation of gold nanoparticles in the gut lumen. Scanning transmission electron microscopy and elemental analysis revealed gold nanoparticles attached to the microvilli of gut cells. Interestingly, the peritrophic membrane appeared to act as a semipermeable barrier between the lumen and the gut epithelium, permitting only single particles through. Structures resembling nanoparticles were also observed inside gut cells. Elemental analysis could not verify these to be gold, and they were likely artifacts from the preparation, such as osmium and iron. Importantly, gold nanoparticles were found inside holocrine cells with disrupted membranes. Thus, false-positive observations of nanoparticle internalization may result from either preparation artifacts or mistaking disrupted cells for intact cells. These findings emphasize the importance of cell integrity and combining elemental analysis with the localization of internalized nanoparticles using transmission electron microscopy. Environ Toxicol Chem 2017;36:1503-1509. © 2016 SETAC. © 2016 SETAC.

Characterization of citrate capped gold nanoparticle-quercetin complex: Experimental and quantum chemical approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pal, Rajat; Panigrahi, Swati; Bhattacharyya, Dhananjay; Chakraborti, Abhay Sankar

2013-08-01

Quercetin and several other bioflavonoids possess antioxidant property. These biomolecules can reduce the diabetic complications, but metabolize very easily in the body. Nanoparticle-mediated delivery of a flavonoid may further increase its efficacy. Gold nanoparticle is used by different groups as vehicle for drug delivery, as it is least toxic to human body. Prior to search for the enhanced efficacy, the gold nanoparticle-flavonoid complex should be prepared and well characterized. In this article, we report the interaction of gold nanoparticle with quercetin. The interaction is confirmed by different biophysical techniques, such as Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM), Circular Dichroism (CD), Fourier-Transform InfraRed (FT-IR) spectroscopy and Thermal Gravimetric Analysis (TGA) and cross checked by quantum chemical calculations. These studies indicate that gold clusters are covered by citrate groups, which are hydrogen bonded to the quercetin molecules in the complex. We have also provided evidences how capping is important in stabilizing the gold nanoparticle and further enhances its interaction with other molecules, such as drugs. Our finding also suggests that gold nanoparticle-quercetin complex can pass through the membranes of human red blood cells.

Simulation studies on structural and thermal properties of alkane thiol capped gold nanoparticles.

PubMed

Devi, J Meena

2017-06-01

The structural and thermal properties of the passivated gold nanoparticles were explored employing molecular dynamics simulation for the different surface coverage densities of the self-assembled monolayer (SAM) of alkane thiol. The structural properties of the monolayer protected gold nanoparticles such us overall shape, organization and conformation of the capping alkane thiol chains were found to be influenced by the capping density. The structural order of the thiol capped gold nanoparticles enhances with the increase in the surface coverage density. The specific heat capacity of the alkane thiol capped gold nanoparticles was found to increase linearly with the thiol coverage density. This may be attributed to the enhancement in the lattice vibrational energy. The present simulation results suggest, that the structural and thermal properties of the alkane thiol capped gold nanoparticles may be modified by the suitable selection of the SAM coverage density. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Adsorption kinetics of alkanethiol-capped gold nanoparticles at the hexane-water interface

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ferdous, Sultana; Ioannidis, Marios A.; Henneke, Dale

2011-12-01

The pendant drop technique was used to characterize the adsorption behavior of n-dodecane-1-thiol and n-hexane-1-thiol-capped gold nanoparticles at the hexane-water interface. The adsorption process was studied by analyzing the dynamic interfacial tension versus nanoparticle concentration, both at early times and at later stages (i.e., immediately after the interface between the fluids is made and once equilibrium has been established). A series of gold colloids were made using nanoparticles ranging in size from 1.60 to 2.85 nm dissolved in hexane for the interfacial tension analysis. Following free diffusion of nanoparticles from the bulk hexane phase, adsorption leads to ordering and rearrangement of the nanoparticles at the interface and formation of a dense monolayer. With increasing interfacial coverage, the diffusion-controlled adsorption for the nanoparticles at the interface was found to change to an interaction-controlled assembly and the presence of an adsorption barrier was experimentally verified. At the same bulk concentration, different sizes of n-dodecane-1-thiol nanoparticles showed different absorption behavior at the interface, in agreement with the findings of Kutuzov et al. (Phys Chem Chem Phys 9:6351-6358, 2007). The experiments additionally demonstrated the important role played by the capping agent. At the same concentration, gold nanoparticles stabilized by n-hexane-1-thiol exhibited greater surface activity than gold nanoparticles of the same size stabilized by n-dodecane-1-thiol. These findings contribute to the design of useful supra-colloidal structures by the self-assembly of alkane-thiol-capped gold nanoparticles at liquid-liquid interfaces.

Folate-conjugated gold nanoparticle as a new nanoplatform for targeted cancer therapy.

PubMed

Samadian, Hadi; Hosseini-Nami, Samira; Kamrava, Seyed Kamran; Ghaznavi, Habib; Shakeri-Zadeh, Ali

2016-11-01

Conventional cancer treatment methods suffer from many limitations such as non-specificity and low efficacy in discrimination between healthy and cancer cells. Recent developments in nanotechnology have introduced novel and smart therapeutic nanomaterials that basically take advantage of various targeting approaches. Targeted nanomaterials selectively bind to the cancer cells and affect them with minor effects on healthy cells. Folic acid (folate) is an essential molecule in DNA synthesis pathway which is highly needed for cancer cell duplication. Some certain cancer cells overexpress folate receptors higher than normal cells, and this fact is the basis of folate targeting strategy. There are many publications reporting various folate conjugated nanomaterials among which folate-conjugated gold nanoparticles hold great promises in targeted cancer therapy. Gold nanoparticles have been identified as promising candidates for new cancer therapy modalities because of biocompatibility, easy synthesis and functionalization, chemo-physical stability, and optical tunable characteristics. In the last decade, there has been a significant explosion in gold nanoparticles research, with a rapid increase in publications related to the area of biomedicine. Although there are many reports published on "gold nanoparticles" and "folate targeting," there are a few reports on "folate-conjugated gold nanoparticles" in biomedical literature. This paper intends to review and illustrate the recent advances in biomedicine which have been designed on the basis of folate-conjugated gold nanoparticles.

High sensitivity DNA detection using gold nanoparticle functionalised polyaniline nanofibres.

PubMed

Spain, Elaine; Kojima, Robert; Kaner, Richard B; Wallace, Gordan G; O'Grady, Justin; Lacey, Katrina; Barry, Thomas; Keyes, Tia E; Forster, Robert J

2011-01-15

Polyaniline (PANI) nanofibres (PANI-NF) have been modified with chemically grown gold nanoparticles to give a nanocomposite material (PANI-NF-AuNP) and deposited on gold electrodes. Single stranded capture DNA was then bound to the gold nanoparticles and the underlying gold electrode and allowed to hybridise with a complementary target strand that is uniquely associated with the pathogen, Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus), that causes mastitis. Significantly, cyclic voltammetry demonstrates that deposition of the gold nanoparticles increases the area available for DNA immobilisation by a factor of approximately 4. EPR reveals that the addition of the Au nanoparticles efficiently decreases the interactions between adjacent PANI chains and/or motional broadening. Finally, a second horseradish peroxidase (HRP) labelled DNA strand hybridises with the target allowing the concentration of the target DNA to be detected by monitoring the reduction of a hydroquinone mediator in solution. The sensors have a wide dynamic range, excellent ability to discriminate DNA mismatches and a high sensitivity. Semi-log plots of the pathogen DNA concentration vs. faradaic current were linear from 150×10(-12) to 1×10(-6) mol L(-1) and pM concentrations could be detected without the need for molecular, e.g., PCR or NASBA, amplification. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Optical characteristics of the nanoparticle coupled to a quantum molecular aggregate

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ropakova, I. Yu.; Zvyagin, A. A.

2017-11-01

Optical characteristics of a single nanoparticle, coupled to the one-dimensional quantum molecular aggregate is studied. Depending on the values of the coupling of the particle and its own frequency, with respect to the own frequency of the aggregated molecules, and the strength of the aggregation, the dynamical relative permittivity of the nanoparticle manifests the contribution from the exciton band, or/and the ones from the local level(s) caused by the particle. The refractive index and the extinction coefficient of the nanoparticle is also calculated.

Deposition of gold nanoparticles from colloid on TiO2 surface

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rehacek, Vlastimil; Hotovy, Ivan

2017-11-01

In this paper, experimental results are presented on the deposition of colloidal gold nanoparticles on the surfaces of TiO2 prepared on silicon/silicon dioxide. Important procedures, such as titanium dioxide surface hydrophilization as well as functionalization by an organosilane coupling agent (3-aminopropyl) trimethoxysilane and (3-mercaptopropyl) trimethoxysilane were investigated in order to obtain a metal oxide surface with the most convenient properties for immobilization of gold nanoparticles having a dense and uniform distribution. TiO2 nanotips prepared by reactive ion etching of oxide surface covered with self-mask gold nanoparticles are demonstrated.

Peptide-functionalized iron oxide magnetic nanoparticle for gold mining

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shen, Wei-Zheng; Cetinel, Sibel; Sharma, Kumakshi; Borujeny, Elham Rafie; Montemagno, Carlo

2017-02-01

Here, we present our work on preparing a novel nanomaterial composed of inorganic binding peptides and magnetic nanoparticles for inorganic mining. Two previously selected and well-characterized gold-binding peptides from cell surface display, AuBP1 and AuBP2, were exploited. This nanomaterial (AuBP-MNP) was designed to fulfill the following two significant functions: the surface conjugated gold-binding peptide will recognize and selectively bind to gold, while the magnetic nano-sized core will respond and migrate according to the applied external magnetic field. This will allow the smart nanomaterial to mine an individual material (gold) from a pool of mixture, without excessive solvent extraction, filtration, and concentration steps. The working efficiency of AuBP-MNP was determined by showing a dramatic reduction of gold nanoparticle colloid concentration, monitored by spectroscopy. The binding kinetics of AuBP-MNP onto the gold surface was determined using surface plasmon resonance (SPR) spectroscopy, which exhibits around 100 times higher binding kinetics than peptides alone. The binding capacity of AuBP-MNP was demonstrated by a bench-top mining test with gold microparticles.

J-aggregation in porphyrin nanoparticles induced by diphenylalanine

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Fengqing; Liu, Dongzhi; Wang, Tianyang; Hu, Jianxin; Meng, Fancui; Sun, Haiya; Shang, Zhi; Li, Pingan; Feng, Wenhui; Li, Wei; Zhou, Xueqin

2017-08-01

In this report, L-diphenylalanine-decorated tetraphenylporphyrin (TPPtFFC) was synthesized and self-assembled into regular nano-architechtures. The morphology of the assemblies varied with the concentration of TPPtFFC. The absorption spectra of the nanoparticles show the Soret band merges with the Q bands and redistributes with great red-shift, indicative of the formation of J-aggregates of the porphyrin molecules. The fluorescence emission of the nanoparticles is merged and red-shifted to near-infrared region. Studies of absorption and fluorescence spectra reveal an indispensible role of diphenylalanine group in the formation of J-aggregates. The Raman spectra disclose that diprotonation of the porphyrin core contributes to delocalized coherent excited states in the nanoparticles. The positive cotton effect in circular dichroism spectra corresponding to the Soret band of TPPtFFC in solution confirms the formation of J-aggregates with right-handed chirality of the dipole moment. This report will shed light on the rational design of porphyrin-peptide conjugates to mimic naturally light-harvesting complexes.

Effect of surfactant concentration to aggregations of nanogold particles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Duangthanu, Methawee; Pattanaporkratana, Apichart

2017-09-01

This research presents a study of aggregation of colloidal gold nanoparticles using 400 nm diameter gold nanoparticles mixed with a surfactant (Plantacare 2000) at various concentrations. When observed under a microscope, we found that the nanoparticles aggregated to form nearly spherical clusters at the beginning of the formation, and then sedimented to the bottom of the container. These clusters moved with Brownian’s motion and collided with each other in the horizontal plane, forming branch-like clusters in 2D. The appearance and size of the clusters were different depending on the concentration of surfactant. The clusters’ size and appearance were rarely changed after mixing with surfactant for 90 minutes, and we found that the cluster’s shapes were nearly spherical at low surfactant concentration (c = 0.25%). At surfactant concentration between 0.50% - 5.00%, the aggregates formed branch-like clusters with skinnier branches and smaller sizes at higher surfactant concentration. Moreover, we also found that, at surfactant concentrations between 2.50% - 5.00%, nanoparticles and aggregates stuck to the bottom of the glass container quickly and rarely moved after 10 minutes. At c = 0.25%, the 2D fractal dimension of the aggregates was measured to be D = 1.88 ± 0.04, since the aggregates were nearly spherical. The fractal dimension decreased to the minimum of D = 1.50 ± 0.12 at c = 1.50%, similar to D ∼ 1.45 found in diffusion-limited cluster aggregation (DLCA). At surfactant concentration above 1.50%, the fractal dimension increased until it reached the value of D ∼ 1.66 at c = 5.00%.

Thermoswitchable Janus Gold Nanoparticles with Stimuli-Responsive Hydrophilic Polymer Brushes.

PubMed

Niu, Xiaoqin; Ran, Fen; Chen, Limei; Lu, Gabriella Jia-En; Hu, Peiguang; Deming, Christopher P; Peng, Yi; Rojas-Andrade, Mauricio D; Chen, Shaowei

2016-05-03

Well-defined thermoswitchable Janus gold nanoparticles with stimuli-responsive hydrophilic polymer brushes were fabricated by combining ligand exchange reactions and the Langmuir technique. Stimuli-responsive polydi(ethylene glycol) methyl ether methacrylate was prepared by addition-fragmentation chain-transfer polymerization. The polymer brushes were then anchored onto the nanoparticle surface by interfacial ligand exchange reactions with hexanethiolate-protected gold nanoparticles, leading to the formation of a hydrophilic (polymer) hemisphere and a hydrophobic (hexanethiolate) one. The resulting Janus nanoparticles showed temperature-switchable wettability, hydrophobicity at high temperatures, and hydrophilicity at low temperatures, due to thermally induced conformational transition of the polymer ligands. The results further highlight the importance of interfacial engineering in the deliberate functionalization of nanoparticle materials.

Three-dimensional self-organization of crystalline gold nanoparticles in amorphous alumina

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Jin Chunming; Zhou Honghui; Wei Wei

Multilayered heterostructures containing gold nanoparticles embedded in amorphous alumina matrices were deposited on silicon (001) substrates using pulsed laser deposition. The three-dimensional ordering of gold nanoparticles within these multilayered heterostructures was investigated using cross-sectional transmission electron microscopy and image Fourier transformation. Self-organization of gold nanoparticles along the vertical direction was observed in films grown at 20 and at 320 deg. C. Self-organization occurred by means of two different growth modes; both vertically correlated growth (top-on-top) and anticorrelated growth (top-on-middle) mechanisms were observed. The results of these studies suggest that the driving force for vertical ordering in this material is relatedmore » to the long-range elastic interactions among the nanoparticles within the growing films.« less

Oligonucleoside assisted one pot synthesis and self-assembly of gold nanoparticles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nimrodh Ananth, A.; Ghosh, Goutam; Umapathy, S.; Jothi Rajan, M. A.

2013-12-01

Gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) were synthesized using two different mono-deoxynucleosides, namely, deoxycytidine (dC) and deoxyadenosine (dA) and the size of the nanoparticles in aqueous dispersions was measured to be approximately 10 and 23 nm, respectively. It was also observed that the AuNPs, synthesized using deoxycytidine (dC), self-assembled to a stable cauliflower-type structure of size approximately 230 nm over a long period of ageing, during which the solution colour was seen continuously changing from pale yellow to deep green. The self-assembly of dC-Au nanoparticles (dC-AuNPs) with time was investigated using UV-visible spectroscopy and dynamic light scattering (DLS) techniques. We have also observed that the self-assembly of dC-AuNPs was dependent on the solution pH; i.e. the aggregates could be dissociated and re-associated upon varying the solution pH which we assumed to be due to breaking and forming of hydrogen bonds between --OH and ==O groups of dC among the neighbouring dC-AuNPs. In contrast, AuNPs synthesized using deoxyadenosine (dA-AuNPs) were quite stable in aqueous medium.

Local density variation of gold nanoparticles in aquatic environments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hosseinzadeh, F.; Shirazian, F.; Shahsavari, R.; Khoei, A. R.

2016-10-01

Gold (Au) nanoparticles are widely used in diagnosing cancer, imaging, and identification of therapeutic methods due to their particular quantum characteristics. This research presents different types of aqueous models and potentials used in TIP3P, to study the effect of the particle size and density of Au clusters in aquatic environments; so it can be useful to facilitate future investigation of the interaction of proteins with Au nanoparticles. The EAM potential is used to model the structure of gold clusters. It is observed that in the systems with identical gold/water density and different cluster radii, gold particles are distributed in aqueous environment almost identically. Thus, Au particles have identical local densities, and the root mean square displacement (RMSD) increases with a constant slope. However in systems with constant cluster radii and different gold/water densities, Au particle dispersion increases with density; as a result, the local density decreases and the RMSD increases with a larger slope. In such systems, the larger densities result in more blunted second peaks in gold-gold radial distribution functions, owing to more intermixing of the clusters and less FCC crystalline features at longer range, a mechanism that is mediated by the competing effects of gold-water and gold-gold interactions.

Hardness and Elastic Modulus on Six-Fold Symmetry Gold Nanoparticles

PubMed Central

Ramos, Manuel; Ortiz-Jordan, Luis; Hurtado-Macias, Abel; Flores, Sergio; Elizalde-Galindo, José T.; Rocha, Carmen; Torres, Brenda; Zarei-Chaleshtori, Maryam; Chianelli, Russell R.

2013-01-01

The chemical synthesis of gold nanoparticles (NP) by using gold (III) chloride trihydrate (HAuCl∙3H2O) and sodium citrate as a reducing agent in aqueous conditions at 100 °C is presented here. Gold nanoparticles areformed by a galvanic replacement mechanism as described by Lee and Messiel. Morphology of gold-NP was analyzed by way of high-resolution transmission electron microscopy; results indicate a six-fold icosahedral symmetry with an average size distribution of 22 nm. In order to understand the mechanical behaviors, like hardness and elastic moduli, gold-NP were subjected to nanoindentation measurements—obtaining a hardness value of 1.72 GPa and elastic modulus of 100 GPa in a 3–5 nm of displacement at the nanoparticle’s surface. PMID:28809302

Aptamer-Targeted Gold Nanoparticles As Molecular-Specific Contrast Agents for Reflectance Imaging

PubMed Central

2008-01-01

Targeted metallic nanoparticles have shown potential as a platform for development of molecular-specific contrast agents. Aptamers have recently been demonstrated as ideal candidates for molecular targeting applications. In this study, we investigated the development of aptamer-based gold nanoparticles as contrast agents, using aptamers as targeting agents and gold nanoparticles as imaging agents. We devised a novel conjugation approach using an extended aptamer design where the extension is complementary to an oligonucleotide sequence attached to the surface of the gold nanoparticles. The chemical and optical properties of the aptamer−gold conjugates were characterized using size measurements and oligonucleotide quantitation assays. We demonstrate this conjugation approach to create a contrast agent designed for detection of prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA), obtaining reflectance images of PSMA(+) and PSMA(−) cell lines treated with the anti-PSMA aptamer−gold conjugates. This design strategy can easily be modified to incorporate multifunctional agents as part of a multimodal platform for reflectance imaging applications. PMID:18512972

Cholesteric liquid crystals doped with gold nanoparticles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bitar, Rajaa; Agez, Gonzague; Mitov, Michel

2012-10-01

The reflection color of a cholesteric liquid crystal depends on material parameters such as the molecular chirality or the concentration of chiral dopant, the helical pitch of the twisted structure and the optical indices. We show that the color may be selected simply by varying the annealing time of an open cholesteric oligomer film with hybrid anchoring. The 3D representation of the structure is provided by combining complementary imaging techniques. The color selectivity is due to controlled changes of the orientation of the helix axis with respect to the air-material interface. Potential applications are chiral microreflectors and microlenses. Then, we demonstrate the symbiotic association of gold nanoparticles within such cholesteric textures and their long-range self-organized arrangements. We show that the nanoparticles can be patterned on demand only by playing with the film thickness and the interfacial properties of the CLC film. We investigate how the selective reflection is affected by the in situ organization of gold nanoparticles and what is the plasmon response of nanoparticle chains. Potential applications are envisioned in the field of soft nanotechnology and optical materials.

Electrochemical extraction of gold from wastes as nanoparticles stabilized by phospholipids.

PubMed

Moriwaki, Hiroshi; Yamada, Kotaro; Usami, Hisanao

2017-02-01

A simple one-step method for the extraction of gold from wastes as nanoparticles stabilized by phospholipids is demonstrated. This is achieved by applying an AC voltage for 5s to the gold-containing wastes, which act as the electrodes in a buffer solution containing a dispersed phospholipid (1,2-dioleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine, DOPC). This is an environmentally friendly and rapid method for recovering gold from wastes. The extracted gold nanoparticles have significant potential as a catalyst or biomedical material. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Polymer supported gold nanoparticles: Synthesis and characterization of functionalized polystyrene-supported gold nanoparticles and their application in catalytic oxidation of alcohols in water

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kaboudin, Babak; Khanmohammadi, Hamid; Kazemi, Foad

2017-12-01

Sulfonated polystyrene microsphere were functionalized using ethylene diamine to introduce amine groups to the polymer chains. The amine functionalized polymers were used as a support for gold nanoparticles. A thorough structural characterization has been carried out by means of transmission electron microscopy (TEM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images, EDS, CHN and atomic absorption spectroscopy. The polymer supported gold nanoparticles was found to be an efficient catalyst for the oxidation of alcohols in water.

The golden age: gold nanoparticles for biomedicine†

PubMed Central

Dreaden, Erik C.; Alkilany, Alaaldin M.; Huang, Xiaohua; Murphy, Catherine J.; El-Sayed, Mostafa A.

2018-01-01

Gold nanoparticles have been used in biomedical applications since their first colloidal syntheses more than three centuries ago. However, over the past two decades, their beautiful colors and unique electronic properties have also attracted tremendous attention due to their historical applications in art and ancient medicine and current applications in enhanced optoelectronics and photovoltaics. In spite of their modest alchemical beginnings, gold nanoparticles exhibit physical properties that are truly different from both small molecules and bulk materials, as well as from other nanoscale particles. Their unique combination of properties is just beginning to be fully realized in range of medical diagnostic and therapeutic applications. This critical review will provide insights into the design, synthesis, functionalization, and applications of these artificial molecules in biomedicine and discuss their tailored interactions with biological systems to achieve improved patient health. Further, we provide a survey of the rapidly expanding body of literature on this topic and argue that gold nanotechnology-enabled biomedicine is not simply an act of ‘gilding the (nanomedicinal) lily’, but that a new ‘Golden Age’ of biomedical nanotechnology is truly upon us. Moving forward, the most challenging nanoscience ahead of us will be to find new chemical and physical methods of functionalizing gold nanoparticles with compounds that can promote efficient binding, clearance, and biocompatibility and to assess their safety to other biological systems and their long-term term effects on human health and reproduction (472 references). PMID:22109657

Extracellular biosynthesis of gold and silver nanoparticles using Krishna tulsi ( Ocimum sanctum) leaf

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Philip, Daizy; Unni, C.

2011-05-01

Aqueous extract of Ocimum sanctum leaf is used as reducing agent for the environmentally friendly synthesis of gold and silver nanoparticles. The nanoparticles were characterized using UV-vis, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and FTIR analysis. These methods allow the synthesis of hexagonal gold nanoparticles having size ∼30 nm showing two surface plasmon resonance (SPR) bands by changing the relative concentration of HAuCl 4 and the extract. Broadening of SPR is observed at larger quantities of the extract possibly due to biosorption of gold ions. Silver nanoparticles with size in the range 10-20 nm having symmetric SPR band centered around 409 nm are obtained for the colloid synthesized at room temperature at a pH of 8. Crystallinity of the nanoparticles is confirmed from the XRD pattern. Biomolecules responsible for capping are different in gold and silver nanoparticles as evidenced by the FTIR spectra.

Threshold parameters of the mechanisms of selective nanophotothermolysis with gold nanoparticles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pustovalov, Victor; Zharov, Vladimir

2008-02-01

Photothermal-based effects in and around gold nanoparticles under action of short (nano, pico- and femtosecond) laser pulses are analyzed with focus on photoacoustic effects due to the thermal expansion of nanoparticles and liquid around them, thermal protein denaturation, explosive liquid vaporization, melting and evaporation of nanoparticle, optical breakdown initiated by nanoparticles and accompanied to shock waves and explosion (fragmentation) of gold nanoparticles. Characteristic parameters for these processes such as the temperature and laser intensity thresholds are summarized to provide basis for comparison of different mechanisms of selective nanophotothermolysis of different targets (e.g., cancer cells, bacteria, viruses, fungi, and helminths).

In Situ Gold Nanoparticle Gradient Formation in a 3D Meso- and Macroporous Polymer Matrix.

PubMed

Penders, Jelle; Rajasekharan, Anand K; Hulander, Mats; Andersson, Martin

2017-08-01

Herein, the development and characterization of a 3D gradient structure of gold nanoparticles is described. The gradient of gold nanoparticles is made in situ in a macroporous nonionic block copolymer hydrogel matrix, through gold ion diffusion control. The polymer provides a matrix for diffusion of gold ions, acts as a template for controlling nanoparticle growth, and facilitates the in situ reduction of gold ions to gold nanoparticles. A clear gradient in gold nanoparticles is observed across the 3D space of the polymer matrix using scanning electron microscopy, fluorescence microscopy, atomic force microscopy, and thermogravimetric analysis. The particle gradient is further functionalized with both hydrophobic and hydrophilic groups via thiol-gold linkage to demonstrate the ability to form gradients with different chemical functionalities. Using additive manufacturing, the polymer can also be printed as a porous network with possible applications for 3D cell culturing in, e.g., biomaterials research. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Mono- and bi-functional arenethiols as surfactants for gold nanoparticles: synthesis and characterization

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Stable gold nanoparticles stabilized by different mono and bi-functional arenethiols, namely, benzylthiol and 1,4-benzenedimethanethiol, have been prepared by using a modified Brust's two-phase synthesis. The size, shape, and crystalline structure of the gold nanoparticles have been determined by high-resolution electron microscopy and full-pattern X-ray powder diffraction analyses. Nanocrystals diameters have been tuned in the range 2 ÷ 9 nm by a proper variation of Au/S molar ratio. The chemical composition of gold nanoparticles and their interaction with thiols have been investigated by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. In particular, the formation of networks has been observed with interconnected gold nanoparticles containing 1,4-benzenedimethanethiol as ligand. PMID:21711615

Direct Deposition of Gas Phase Generated Aerosol Gold Nanoparticles into Biological Fluids - Corona Formation and Particle Size Shifts

PubMed Central

Svensson, Christian R.; Messing, Maria E.; Lundqvist, Martin; Schollin, Alexander; Deppert, Knut; Pagels, Joakim H.; Rissler, Jenny; Cedervall, Tommy

2013-01-01

An ongoing discussion whether traditional toxicological methods are sufficient to evaluate the risks associated with nanoparticle inhalation has led to the emergence of Air-Liquid interface toxicology. As a step in this process, this study explores the evolution of particle characteristics as they move from the airborne state into physiological solution. Airborne gold nanoparticles (AuNP) are generated using an evaporation-condensation technique. Spherical and agglomerate AuNPs are deposited into physiological solutions of increasing biological complexity. The AuNP size is characterized in air as mobility diameter and in liquid as hydrodynamic diameter. AuNP:Protein aggregation in physiological solutions is determined using dynamic light scattering, particle tracking analysis, and UV absorption spectroscopy. AuNPs deposited into homocysteine buffer form large gold-aggregates. Spherical AuNPs deposited in solutions of albumin were trapped at the Air-Liquid interface but was readily suspended in the solutions with a size close to that of the airborne particles, indicating that AuNP:Protein complex formation is promoted. Deposition into serum and lung fluid resulted in larger complexes, reflecting the formation of a more complex protein corona. UV absorption spectroscopy indicated no further aggregation of the AuNPs after deposition in solution. The corona of the deposited AuNPs shows differences compared to AuNPs generated in suspension. Deposition of AuNPs from the aerosol phase into biological fluids offers a method to study the protein corona formed, upon inhalation and deposition in the lungs in a more realistic way compared to particle liquid suspensions. This is important since the protein corona together with key particle properties (e.g. size, shape and surface reactivity) to a large extent may determine the nanoparticle effects and possible translocation to other organs. PMID:24086363

Sorting and measurement of single gold nanoparticles in an optofluidic chip

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shi, Y. Z.; Xiong, S.; Zhang, Y.; Chin, L. K.; Wu, J. H.; Chen, T. N.; Liu, A. Q.

2017-08-01

Gold nanoparticles have sparked strong interest owing to their unique optical and chemical properties. Their sizedependent refractive index and plasmon resonance are widely used for optical sorting, biomedicine and chemical sensing. However, there are only few examples of optical separation of different gold nanoparticles. Only separating 100-200 nm gold nanoparticles using wavelength selected resonance of the extinction spectrum has been demonstrated. This paper reports an optofluidic chip for sorting single gold nanoparticles using loosely overdamped optical potential wells, which are created by building optical and fluidic barriers. It is the first demonstration of sorting single nanoparticles with diameters ranging from 60 to 100 nm in a quasi-Bessel beam with an optical trapping stiffness from 10-10 to 10-9 N/m. The nanoparticles oscillate in the loosely overdamped potential wells with a displacement amplitude of 3-7 μm in the microchannel. The sizes and refractive indices of the nanoparticles can be determined from their trapping positions using Drude and Mie theory, with a resolution of 0.35 nm/μm for the diameter, 0.0034/μm and 0.0017/μm for the real and imaginary parts of the refractive index, respectively. Here we experimentally demonstrate the sorting of bacteria and protozoa on the optofluidic chip. The chip has high potential for the sorting and characterization of nanoparticles in biomedical applications such as tumour targeting, drug delivery and intracellular imaging.

Ligands Exchange Process on Gold Nanoparticles in Acetone Solution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hu, C. L.; Mu, Y. Y.; Bian, Z. C.; Luo, Z. H.; Luo, K.; Huang, A. Z.

2018-05-01

The ligands exchange process on gold nanoparticles (GNPs) was proceeded by using hydrophobic group (PPh3) and hydrophilic group (THPO) in acetone solution. The FTIR and XPS results demonstrated that part of THPO was replaced by PPh3 which was dissolved in polar solution (acetone); the results were in accordance with the electrochemical analysis where the differential capacity decreased with increasing exchange time. After 12 h, the exchange process terminated and the final ratio of PPh3 and THPO was about 1.4: 1. This ratio remained unchanged although the PPh3 and THPO modified GNPs re-dispersed in the PPh3 acetone solution demonstrating the stable adsorption of both ligands after exchanging for 12 h. The TEM images showed that the gold nanoparticles were self-assembled from scattered to arranged morphology due to the existence of hydrophilic and hydrophobic ligands and led to Janus gold nanoparticles.

Vibrational properties of gold nanoparticles obtained by green synthesis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alvarez, Ramón A. B.; Cortez-Valadez, M.; Bueno, L. Oscar Neira; Britto Hurtado, R.; Rocha-Rocha, O.; Delgado-Beleño, Y.; Martinez-Nuñez, C. E.; Serrano-Corrales, Luis Ivan; Arizpe-Chávez, H.; Flores-Acosta, M.

2016-10-01

This study reports the synthesis and characterization of gold nanoparticles through an ecological method to obtain nanostructures from the extract of the plant Opuntia ficus-indica. Colloidal nanoparticles show sizes that vary between 10-20 nm, and present various geometric morphologies. The samples were characterized through optical absorption, Raman Spectroscopy and Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM). Additionally, low energy metallic clusters of Aun (n=2-20 atoms) were modeled by computational quantum chemistry. The theoretical results were obtained with Density Functional Theory (DFT). The predicted results of Au clusters show a tendency and are correlated with the experimental results concerning the optical absorption bands and Raman spectroscopy in gold nanoparticles.

A colorimetric probe based on desensitized ionene-stabilized gold nanoparticles for single-step test for sulfate ions.

PubMed

Arkhipova, Viktoriya V; Apyari, Vladimir V; Dmitrienko, Stanislava G

2015-03-15

Desensitized ionene-stabilized gold nanoparticles have been prepared and applied as a colorimetric probe for the single-step test for sulfate ions at the relatively high concentration level. The approach is based on aggregation of the nanoparticles leading to the change in absorption spectra and color of the solution. These nanoparticles are characterized by the decreased sensitivity due to both electrostatic and steric stabilization, which allows for simple, and rapid direct single-step determination of sulfate at the relatively high concentration level in real water samples without sample pretreatment or dilution. Influence of different factors (the time of interaction, pH, the concentrations of sulfate ions and the nanoparticles) on the aggregation and analytical performance of the procedure was investigated. The method allows for the determination of sulfate ions in the mass range of 0.2-0.4 mg with RSD of 5% from the sample volume of less than 2 mL. It has a sharp dependence of the colorimetric response on the concentration of sulfate, which makes it prospective for indicating deviations of the sulfate concentration regarding some declared value chosen within the above range. The time of the analysis is 2 min. The method was applied to the analysis of mineral water samples. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Green Chemistry Approach for the Synthesis of Gold Nanoparticles Using the Fungus Alternaria sp.

PubMed

Dhanasekar, Naresh Niranjan; Rahul, Ganga Ravindran; Narayanan, Kannan Badri; Raman, Gurusamy; Sakthivel, Natarajan

2015-07-01

The synthesis of gold nanoparticles has gained tremendous attention owing to their immense applications in the field of biomedical sciences. Although several chemical procedures are used for the synthesis of nanoparticles, the release of toxic and hazardous by-products restricts their use in biomedical applications. In the present investigation, gold nanoparticles were synthesized biologically using the culture filtrate of the filamentous fungus Alternaria sp. The culture filtrate of the fungus was exposed to three different concentrations of chloroaurate ions. In all cases, the gold ions were reduced to Au(0), leading to the formation of stable gold nanoparticles of variable sizes and shapes. UV-Vis spectroscopy analysis confirmed the formation of nanoparticles by reduction of Au(3+) to Au(0). TEM analysis revealed the presence of spherical, rod, square, pentagonal, and hexagonal morphologies for 1 mM chloroaurate solution. However, quasi-spherical and spherical nanoparticles/heart-like morphologies with size range of about 7-13 and 15-18 nm were observed for lower molar concentrations of 0.3 and 0.5 mM gold chloride solution, respectively. The XRD spectrum revealed the face-centered cubic crystals of synthesized gold nanoparticles. FT-IR spectroscopy analysis confirmed the presence of aromatic primary amines, and the additional SPR bands at 290 and 230 nm further suggested that the presence of amino acids such as tryptophan/tyrosine or phenylalanine acts as the capping agent on the synthesized mycogenic gold nanoparticles.

Direct observation of gold nanoparticle assemblies with the porin MspA on mica.

PubMed

Basel, Matthew T; Dani, Raj Kumar; Kang, Myungshim; Pavlenok, Mikhail; Chikan, Viktor; Smith, Paul E; Niederweis, Michael; Bossmann, Stefan H

2009-02-24

The octameric porin MspA from Mycobacterium smegmatis is sufficiently stable to form a nonmembrane-supported stand-alone porin on mica surfaces. About 98% of all MspA octamers were found to stand upright on mica, with their periplasmic loop regions bound to the hydrophilic mica surface. Both, small (d = 3.7 nm) and large (d = 17 nm) gold nanoparticles bind to MspA, however, in different positions: small gold nanoparticles bind within the MspA pore, whereas the large gold nanoparticles bind to the upper region of MspA. These experiments demonstrate that gold nanoparticles can be positioned at different, well-defined distances from the underlying surface using the MspA pore as a template. These findings represent a significant step toward the use of electrically insulating stable proteins in combination with metal nanoparticles in nanodevices.

Direct Observation of Gold Nanoparticle Assemblies with the Porin MspA on Mica

PubMed Central

Basel, Matthew T.; Dani, Raj Kumar; Kang, Myungshim; Pavlenok, Mikhail; Chikan, Viktor; Smith, Paul E.; Niederweis, Michael

2009-01-01

The octameric porin MspA from Mycobacterium smegmatis is sufficiently stable to form a non-membrane-supported stand-alone porin on Mica surfaces. About 98% of all MspA octamers were found to stand upright on Mica, with their periplasmic loop regions bound to the hydrophilic Mica surface. Both, small (d = 3.7 nm) and large (d = 17 nm) gold nanoparticles bind to MspA, however in different positions: small gold nanoparticles bind within the MspA pore, whereas the large gold nanoparticles bind to the upper region of MspA. These experiments demonstrate that gold nanoparticles can be positioned at different, well-defined distances from the underlying surface using the MspA pore as a template. These findings represent a significant step towards the use of electrically insulating stable proteins in combination with metal nanoparticles in nanodevices. PMID:19236086

Laser heating of gold nanoparticles: photothermal cancer cell therapy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nedyalkov, N. N.; Atanasov, P. A.; Toshkova, R. A.; Gardeva, E. G.; Yossifova, L. S.; Alexandrov, M. T.; Karashanova, D.

2012-06-01

In this work an application of gold nanoparticles in in-vitro photothermal cancer cell therapy is demonstrated. Gold nanoparticles with different diameters - 40, 100 and 200 nm are mixed with HeLa cancer cells. After incubation, the nanoparticles are found to be deposited on the cell's membrane or enter into the cells. Pulsed laser radiation at wavelength of 532 nm delivered by Nd:YAG system is used to irradiate the samples. The experiments are performed at fluences in the range from 50 mJ/cm2 up to the established safety standard for medical lasers of 100 mJ/cm2. The cell viability as a function of the particle dimensions and laser fluence is estimated. The nanoparticles heating and cooling dynamics is traced by a numerical model based on heat diffusion equation combined with Mie theory for calculation of the optical properties of nanoparticles. The particle response to the nanosecond laser heating is investigated experimentally as gold colloids are irradiated at different fluences. The threshold fluences for particle's melting and boiling are defined. We show that at the presented fluence range the particles are decomposed into smaller fragments and even short irradiation time leads to decrease of cell viability.

Optical absorption of carbon-gold core-shell nanoparticles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Zhaolong; Quan, Xiaojun; Zhang, Zhuomin; Cheng, Ping

2018-01-01

In order to enhance the solar thermal energy conversion efficiency, we propose to use carbon-gold core-shell nanoparticles dispersed in liquid water. This work demonstrates theoretically that an absorbing carbon (C) core enclosed in a plasmonic gold (Au) nanoshell can enhance the absorption peak while broadening the absorption band; giving rise to a much higher solar absorption than most previously studied core-shell combinations. The exact Mie solution is used to evaluate the absorption efficiency factor of spherical nanoparticles in the wavelength region from 300 nm to 1100 nm as well as the electric field and power dissipation profiles inside the nanoparticles at specified wavelengths (mostly at the localized surface plasmon resonance wavelength). The field enhancement by the localized plasmons at the gold surfaces boosts the absorption of the carbon particle, resulting in a redshift of the absorption peak with increased peak height and bandwidth. In addition to spherical nanoparticles, we use the finite-difference time-domain method to calculate the absorption of cubic core-shell nanoparticles. Even stronger enhancement can be achieved with cubic C-Au core-shell structures due to the localized plasmonic resonances at the sharp edges of the Au shell. The solar absorption efficiency factor can exceed 1.5 in the spherical case and reach 2.3 in the cubic case with a shell thickness of 10 nm. Such broadband absorption enhancement is in great demand for solar thermal applications including steam generation.

Reusable magnetic nanobiocatalyst for synthesis of silver and gold nanoparticles.

PubMed

Mazumder, Jahirul Ahmed; Ahmad, Razi; Sardar, Meryam

2016-12-01

In the present work, we describe a simple procedure for the biosynthesis of nanosilver and gold by the reduction of silver nitrate and auric chloride respectively using a nanobiocatalyst. The nanobiocatalyst was prepared by covalent coupling of alpha amylase on (3-aminopropyl)triethoxysilane (APTES) modified iron oxide magnetic nanoparticles. The nanobiocatalyst retains 77% of its activity as compared to free alpha amylase. The nanobiocatalyst can be used up to three consecutive cycles for the synthesis of nano silver and gold. The biosynthesized nanoparticles after each cycle were characterized by UV-vis spectrophotometer, Dynamic Light Spectroscopy (DLS), Transmission Electron Microscope (TEM), X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). Silver and gold nanoparticles of same morphology and dimensions were formed in each cycle. The procedure for synthesis of nanoparticles using an immobilized enzyme is eco-friendly and can be used repeatedly. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Plasmonic properties of gold nanoparticles covered by silicon suboxide thin film

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Baranov, Evgeniy; Zamchiy, Alexandr; Safonov, Aleksey; Starinskiy, Sergey; Khmel, Sergey

2017-10-01

The optical properties of nanocomposite material consisting of gold nanoparticles without/with silicon suboxide thin film were obtained. The gold film was deposited by thermal vacuum evaporation and then it was annealed in a vacuum chamber to form gold nanoparticles. The silicon suboxide thin films were deposited by the gas-jet electron beam plasma chemical vapor deposition method. The intensity of the localized surface plasmon resonance increased and the plasmon maximum peak shifted from 520 nm to 537 nm.

Gold Nanoparticles for Neural Prosthetics Devices

PubMed Central

Zhang, Huanan; Shih, Jimmy; Zhu, Jian; Kotov, Nicholas A.

2012-01-01

Treatments of neurological diseases and the realization of brain-computer interfaces require ultrasmall electrodes which are “invisible” to resident immune cells. Functional electrodes smaller than 50μm are impossible to produce with traditional materials due to high interfacial impedance at the characteristic frequency of neural activity and insufficient charge storage capacity. The problem can be resolved by using gold nanoparticle nanocomposites. Careful comparison indicates that layer-by-layer assembled films from Au NPs provide more than threefold improvement in interfacial impedance and one order of magnitude increase in charge storage capacity. Prototypes of microelectrodes could be made using traditional photolithography. Integration of unique nanocomposite materials with microfabrication techniques opens the door for practical realization of the ultrasmall implantable electrodes. Further improvement of electrical properties is expected when using special shapes of gold nanoparticles. PMID:22734673

Highly Sensitive Naked-Eye Assay for Enterovirus 71 Detection Based on Catalytic Nanoparticle Aggregation and Immunomagnetic Amplification.

PubMed

Xiong, Ling-Hong; He, Xuewen; Xia, Junjie; Ma, Hanwu; Yang, Fan; Zhang, Qian; Huang, Dana; Chen, Long; Wu, Chunli; Zhang, Xiaomin; Zhao, Zheng; Wan, Chengsong; Zhang, Renli; Cheng, Jinquan

2017-05-03

Development of sensitive, convenient, and cost-effective virus detection product is of great significance to meet the growing demand of clinical diagnosis at the early stage of virus infection. Herein, a naked-eye readout of immunoassay by means of virion bridged catalase-mediated in situ reduction of gold ions and growth of nanoparticles, has been successfully proposed for rapid visual detection of Enterovirus 71 (EV71). Through tailoring the morphologies of the produced gold nanoparticles (GNPs) varying between dispersion and aggregation, a distinguishing color changing was ready for observation. This colorimetric detection assay, by further orchestrating the efficient magnetic enrichment and the high catalytic activity of enzyme, is managed to realize highly sensitive detection of EV71 virions with the limit of detection (LOD) down to 0.65 ng/mL. Our proposed method showed a much lower LOD value than the commercial ELISA for EV71 virion detection. Comparing to the current clinical gold standard polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method, our strategy provided the same diagnostic outcomes after testing real clinical samples. Besides, this strategy has no need of complicated sample pretreatment or expensive instruments. Our presented naked-eye immunoassay method holds a promising prospect for the early detection of virus-infectious disease especially in resource-constrained settings.

Targeted Drug Delivery Based on Gold Nanoparticle Derivatives.

PubMed

Gholipourmalekabadi, Mazaher; Mobaraki, Mohammadmahdi; Ghaffari, Maryam; Zarebkohan, Amir; Omrani, Vahid Fallah; Urbanska, Aleksandra M; Seifalian, Alexander

2017-01-01

Drug delivery systems are effective and attractive methods which allow therapeutic substances to be introduced into the body more effectively and safe by having tunable delivery rate and release target site. Gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) have a myriad of favorable physical, chemical, optical, thermal and biological properties that make them highly suitable candidates as non-toxic carriers for drug and gene delivery. The surface modifications of AuNPs profoundly improve their circulation, minimize aggregation rates, enhance attachment to therapeutic molecules and target agents due to their nano range size which further increases their ability to cross cell membranes and reduce overall cytotoxicity. This comprehensive article reviews the applications of the AuNPs in drug delivery systems along with their corresponding surface modifications. The highlighting results obtained from the preclinical trial are promising and next five years have huge possibility move to the clinical setting. Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.org.

Characterization of Nanoparticle Aggregation in Biologically Relevant Fluids

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McEnnis, Kathleen; Lahann, Joerg

Nanoparticles (NPs) are often studied as drug delivery vehicles, but little is known about their behavior in blood once injected into animal models. If the NPs aggregate in blood, they will be shunted to the liver or spleen instead of reaching the intended target. The use of animals for these experiments is costly and raises ethical questions. Typically dynamic light scattering (DLS) is used to analyze aggregation behavior, but DLS cannot be used because the components of blood also scatter light. As an alternative, a method of analyzing NPs in biologically relevant fluids such as blood plasma has been developed using nanoparticle tracking analysis (NTA) with fluorescent filters. In this work, NTA was used to analyze the aggregation behavior of fluorescent polystyrene NPs with different surface modifications in blood plasma. It was expected that different surface chemistries on the particles will change the aggregation behavior. The effect of the surface modifications was investigated by quantifying the percentage of NPs in aggregates after addition to blood plasma. The use of this characterization method will allow for better understanding of particle behavior in the body, and potential problems, specifically aggregation, can be addressed before investing in in vivo studies.

Synthesis, Structure, Stability and Redispersion of Gold-based Nanoparticles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tiruvalam, Ram Chandra

Nanoscale gold has been shown to possess an intriguing combination of unexpected optical, photochemical and catalytic properties. The ability to control the size, shape, morphology, composition and dispersion of gold-based nanostructures is key to optimizing their performance for nanotechnology applications. The advanced electron microscopy studies described in this thesis analyze three important aspects of gold and gold-palladium alloy nanoparticles: namely, (i) the ability to synthesize gold nanoparticles of controlled size and shape in an aqueous medium; (ii) the colloidal preparation of designer gold-palladium alloys for selective oxidation catalysis; and (iii) the ability to disperse gold as finely and homogeneously as possible on a metal oxide or carbon support. The ability to exploit the nanoscale properties of gold for various engineering applications often depends on our ability to control size and shape of the nanoscale entity by careful manipulation of the synthesis parameters. We have explored an aqueous based synthesis route, using oleylamine as both a reductant and surfactant, for preparing gold nanostructures. By systematically varying synthesis parameters such as oleylamine concentration, reaction temperature, and aging time it is possible to identify processing regimens that generate Au nanostructures having either pseudo-spherical, faceted polyhedral, nanostar or wire shaped morphologies. Furthermore, by quenching the reaction partway through it is possible to create a class of metastable Au-containing structures such as nanocubes, nanoboxes and nanowires. Possible formation mechanisms for these gold based nano-objects are discussed. There is a growing interest in using supported bimetallic AuPd alloy nanoparticles for selective oxidation reactions. In this study, a systematic series of size controlled AuPd bimetallic particles have been prepared by colloidal synthesis methods. Particles having random alloy structures, as well as `designer

Can small hydrophobic gold nanoparticles inhibit β2-microglobulin fibrillation?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brancolini, Giorgia; Toroz, Dimitrios; Corni, Stefano

2014-06-01

Inorganic nanoparticles stabilized by a shell of organic ligands can enhance or suppress the natural propensity of proteins to form fibrils. Functionalization facilitates targeted delivery of the nanoparticles to various cell types, bioimaging, drug delivery and other therapeutic and diagnostic applications. In this study, we provide a computational model of the effect of a prototypical thiol-protected gold nanoparticle, Au25L18- (L = S(CH2)2Ph) on the β2-microglobulin natural fibrillation propensity. To reveal the molecular basis of the protein-nanoparticle association process, we performed various simulations at multiple levels (Classical Molecular Dynamics and Brownian Dynamics) that cover multiple length- and timescales. The results provide a model of the ensemble of structures constituting the protein-gold nanoparticle complexes, and insights into the driving forces for the binding of β2-microglobulin to hydrophobic small size gold nanoparticles. We have found that the small nanoparticles can bind the protein to form persistent complexes. This binding of nanoparticles is able to block the active sites of domains from binding to another protein, thus leading to potential inhibition of the fibrillation activity. A comparison with the binding patches identified for the interaction of the protein with a known inhibitor of fibrillation, supports our conclusion.Inorganic nanoparticles stabilized by a shell of organic ligands can enhance or suppress the natural propensity of proteins to form fibrils. Functionalization facilitates targeted delivery of the nanoparticles to various cell types, bioimaging, drug delivery and other therapeutic and diagnostic applications. In this study, we provide a computational model of the effect of a prototypical thiol-protected gold nanoparticle, Au25L18- (L = S(CH2)2Ph) on the β2-microglobulin natural fibrillation propensity. To reveal the molecular basis of the protein-nanoparticle association process, we performed various

Effect of surface roughness on substrate-tuned gold nanoparticle gap plasmon resonances.

PubMed

Lumdee, Chatdanai; Yun, Binfeng; Kik, Pieter G

2015-03-07

The effect of nanoscale surface roughness on the gap plasmon resonance of gold nanoparticles on thermally evaporated gold films is investigated experimentally and numerically. Single-particle scattering spectra obtained from 80 nm diameter gold particles on a gold film show significant particle-to-particle variation of the peak scattering wavelength of ±28 nm. The experimental results are compared with numerical simulations of gold nanoparticles positioned on representative rough gold surfaces, modeled based on atomic force microscopy measurements. The predicted spectral variation and average resonance wavelength show good agreement with the measured data. The study shows that nanometer scale surface roughness can significantly affect the performance of gap plasmon-based devices.

Merely Measuring the UV-Visible Spectrum of Gold Nanoparticles Can Change Their Charge State.

PubMed

Navarrete, Jose; Siefe, Chris; Alcantar, Samuel; Belt, Michael; Stucky, Galen D; Moskovits, Martin

2018-02-14

Metallic nanostructures exhibit a strong plasmon resonance at a wavelength whose value is sensitive to the charge density in the nanostructure, its size, shape, interparticle coupling, and the dielectric properties of its surrounding medium. Here we use UV-visible transmission and reflectance spectroscopy to track the shifts of the plasmon resonance in an array of gold nanoparticles buried under metal-oxide layers of varying thickness produced using atomic layer deposition (ALD) and then coated with bulk layers of one of three metals: aluminum, silver, or gold. A significant shift in the plasmon resonance was observed and a precise value of ω p , the plasmon frequency of the gold comprising the nanoparticles, was determined by modeling the composite of gold nanoparticles and metal-oxide layer as an optically homogeneous film of core-shell particles bounded by two substrates: one of quartz and the other being one of the aforementioned metals, then using a Maxwell-Garnett effective medium expression to extract ω p for the gold nanoparticles before and after coating with the bulk metals. Under illumination, the change in the charge density of the gold nanoparticles per particle determined from the change in the values of ω p is found to be some 50-fold greater than what traditional electrostatic contact electrification models compute based on the work function difference of the two conductive materials. Moreover, when using bulk gold as the capping layer, which should have resulted in a negligible charge exchange between the gold nanoparticles and the bulk gold, a significant charge transfer from the bulk gold layer to the nanoparticles was observed as with the other metals. We explain these observations in terms of the "plasmoelectric effect", recently described by Atwater and co-workers, in which the gold nanoparticles modify their charge density to allow their resonant wavelength to match that of the incident light, thereby achieving, a lower value of the

Fabrication of Photothermal Stable Gold Nanosphere/Mesoporous Silica Hybrid Nanoparticle Responsive to Near-Infrared Light.

PubMed

Cheng, Bei; Xu, Peisheng

2017-01-01

Various gold nanoparticles have been explored in biomedical systems and proven to be promising in photothermal therapy and drug delivery. Among them, nanoshells were regarded as traditionally strong near infrared absorbers that have been widely used to generate photothermal effect for cancer therapy. However, the nanoshell is not photo-thermal stable and thus is not suitable for repeated irradiation. Here, we describe a novel discrete gold nanostructure by mimicking the continuous gold nanoshell-gold/mesoporous silica hybrid nanoparticle (GoMe). It possesses the best characteristics of both conventional gold nanoparticles and mesoporous silica nanoparticles, such as excellent photothermal converting ability as well as high drug loading capacity and triggerable drug release.

Genetically modified luminescent bacteria Ralostonia solanacerum, Pseudomonas syringae, Pseudomonas savastanoi, and wild type bacterium Vibrio fischeri in biosynthesis of gold nanoparticles from gold chloride trihydrate.

PubMed

Attaran, Neda; Eshghi, Hossein; Rahimizadeh, Mohammad; Mashreghi, Mansour; Bakavoli, Mehdi

2014-08-04

The effect of different genetically engineered bacteria, Pseudomonas syringae, Pseudomonas savastanoi, and Ralostonia solanacerum and also a natural marine bacterial species, Vibrio fischeri NRRL B-11177, is studied in producing gold nanoparticles. This is the first report about the biosynthesis of gold nanoparticles by natural and genetically engineered luminescent bacteria. These microorganisms reduced gold ions and produced fairly monodisperse nanoparticles. TEM analysis indicated that spherical nano gold particles in the different diameters and shapes were obtained at pH values of 6.64. In this biosynthesis protocol, the gold nanoparticles with desired shape and size can be prepared.

Formation of positively charged gold nanoparticle monolayers on silica sensors.

PubMed

Oćwieja, Magdalena; Maciejewska-Prończuk, Julia; Adamczyk, Zbigniew; Roman, Maciej

2017-09-01

Formation of positively charged gold nanoparticle monolayers on the Si/SiO 2 was studied under in situ conditions using quartz microbalance (QCM). The gold nanoparticles were synthesized in a chemical reduction method using sodium borohydride as reducing agent. Cysteamine hydrochloride was applied to generate a positive surface charge of nanoparticles. The micrographs obtained from transmission electron microscopy (TEM) revealed that the average size of nanoparticles was equal to 12±3nm. The stability of nanoparticle suspensions under controlled pH and ionic strength was determined by dynamic light scattering (DLS). The electrophoretic mobility measurements showed that the zeta potential of nanoparticles was positive, decreasing with ionic strength and pH from 56mV at pH 4.2 and I=10 -4 M to 22mV at pH 8.3 and I=3×10 -3 M. The surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) confirmed chemisorption of cysteamine on nanoparticles and the contribution of amine moieties in the generation of nanoparticle charge. The influence of suspension concentration, ionic strength and flow rate on the kinetics of nanoparticle deposition on the sensors was quantitatively determined. It was confirmed that the deposition for the low coverage regime is governed by the bulk mass transfer that results in a linear increase of the coverage with time. The significant increase in the maximum coverage of gold monolayers with ionic strength was interpreted as due to the decreasing range of the electrostatic interactions among deposited particles. Moreover, the hydratation of formed monolayers, their structure and the stability were determined by the comparison of the QCM results with those obtained by AFM and SEM. The experimental data were adequately interpreted in terms of the extended random sequential adsorption (eRSA) model that considers the bulk and surface transfer steps in a rigorous way. The obtained results are useful for a facile fabrication of gold nanoparticle-based biosensors

Green synthesis of size controllable gold nanoparticles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mohan Kumar, Kesarla; Mandal, Badal Kumar; Kiran Kumar, Hoskote A.; Maddinedi, Sireesh Babu

2013-12-01

A facile rapid green eco-friendly method to synthesize gold nanoparticles (Au NPs) of tunable size using aqueous Terminalia arjuna fruit extracts has been demonstrated herein. Formation of Au NPs was confirmed by Surface Plasmon Resonance (SPR) study at 528 nm using UV-visible spectrophotometer. The time of reduction, size and morphological variations of Au NPs were studied with varying quantities of T. arjuna fruit aqueous extracts. Synthesized Au NPs were characterized using UV-visible spectroscopy, Fourier transformed infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and Energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDAX). Polyphenols responsible for reduction of Au3+ to Au0 were identified using High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) as ascorbic acid, gallic acid and pyrogallol. The oxidized forms of polyphenols formed coordination with surface of Au NPs which protected their further growth and aggregation. We also propose a plausible mechanism how to tune size and shape of Au NPs by varying the quantity of extracts. Thus obtained Au NPs were stable for more than four months.

Gold nanoparticles for cancer detection and treatment: The role of adhesion

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Oni, Y.; Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey 08544; Hao, K.

2014-02-28

This paper presents the results of an experimental study of the effects of adhesion between gold nanoparticles and surfaces that are relevant to the potential applications in cancer detection and treatment. Adhesion is measured using a dip coating/atomic force microscopy (DC/AFM) technique. The adhesion forces are obtained for dip-coated gold nanoparticles that interact with peptide or antibody-based molecular recognition units (MRUs) that attach specifically to breast cancer cells. They include MRUs that attach specifically to receptors on breast cancer cells. Adhesion forces between anti-cancer drugs such as paclitaxel, and the constituents of MRU-conjugated Au nanoparticle clusters, are measured using forcemore » microscopy techniques. The implications of the results are then discussed for the design of robust gold nanoparticle clusters and for potential applications in localized drug delivery and hyperthermia.« less

Quantitative analysis of PEG-functionalized colloidal gold nanoparticles using charged aerosol detection.

PubMed

Smith, Mackensie C; Crist, Rachael M; Clogston, Jeffrey D; McNeil, Scott E

2015-05-01

Surface characteristics of a nanoparticle, such as functionalization with polyethylene glycol (PEG), are critical to understand and achieve optimal biocompatibility. Routine physicochemical characterization such as UV-vis spectroscopy (for gold nanoparticles), dynamic light scattering, and zeta potential are commonly used to assess the presence of PEG. However, these techniques are merely qualitative and are not sensitive enough to distinguish differences in PEG quantity, density, or presentation. As an alternative, two methods are described here which allow for quantitative measurement of PEG on PEGylated gold nanoparticles. The first, a displacement method, utilizes dithiothreitol to displace PEG from the gold surface. The dithiothreitol-coated gold nanoparticles are separated from the mixture via centrifugation, and the excess dithiothreitol and dissociated PEG are separated through reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC). The second, a dissolution method, utilizes potassium cyanide to dissolve the gold nanoparticles and liberate PEG. Excess CN(-), Au(CN)2 (-), and free PEG are separated using RP-HPLC. In both techniques, the free PEG can be quantified against a standard curve using charged aerosol detection. The displacement and dissolution methods are validated here using 2-, 5-, 10-, and 20-kDa PEGylated 30-nm colloidal gold nanoparticles. Further value in these techniques is demonstrated not only by quantitating the total PEG fraction but also by being able to be adapted to quantitate the free unbound PEG and the bound PEG fractions. This is an important distinction, as differences in the bound and unbound PEG fractions can affect biocompatibility, which would not be detected in techniques that only quantitate the total PEG fraction.

High resolution SEM imaging of gold nanoparticles in cells and tissues.

PubMed

Goldstein, A; Soroka, Y; Frušić-Zlotkin, M; Popov, I; Kohen, R

2014-12-01

The growing demand of gold nanoparticles in medical applications increases the need for simple and efficient characterization methods of the interaction between the nanoparticles and biological systems. Due to its nanometre resolution, modern scanning electron microscopy (SEM) offers straightforward visualization of metallic nanoparticles down to a few nanometre size, almost without any special preparation step. However, visualization of biological materials in SEM requires complicated preparation procedure, which is typically finished by metal coating needed to decrease charging artefacts and quick radiation damage of biomaterials in the course of SEM imaging. The finest conductive metal coating available is usually composed of a few nanometre size clusters, which are almost identical to the metal nanoparticles employed in medical applications. Therefore, SEM monitoring of metal nanoparticles within cells and tissues is incompatible with the conventional preparation methods. In this work, we show that charging artefacts related to non-conductive biological specimen can be successfully eliminated by placing the uncoated biological sample on a conductive substrate. By growing the cells on glass pre-coated with a chromium layer, we were able to observe the uptake of 10 nm gold nanoparticles inside uncoated and unstained macrophages and keratinocytes cells. Imaging in back scattered electrons allowed observation of gold nanoparticles located inside the cells, while imaging in secondary electron gave information on gold nanoparticles located on the surface of the cells. By mounting a skin cross-section on an improved conductive holder, consisting of a silicon substrate coated with copper, we were able to observe penetration of gold nanoparticles of only 5 nm size through the skin barrier in an uncoated skin tissue. The described method offers a convenient modification in preparation procedure for biological samples to be analyzed in SEM. The method provides high

Experimental and DFT studies of gold nanoparticles supported on MgO(111) nano-sheets and their catalytic activity.

PubMed

Li, Zhi; Ciobanu, Cristian V; Hu, Juncheng; Palomares-Báez, Juan-Pedro; Rodríguez-López, José-Luis; Richards, Ryan

2011-02-21

A wet chemical preparation of MgO with the (111) facet as the primary surface has recently been reported and with alternating layers of oxygen anions and magnesium cations, this material shows unique chemical and physical properties. The potential to utilize the MgO(111) surface for the immobilization of metal particles is intriguing because the surface itself offers a very different environment for the metal particle with an all oxygen interface, as opposed to the typical (100) facet that possesses alternating oxygen anion and magnesium cation sites on the surface. Gold nanoparticles have demonstrated a broad range of interesting catalytic properties, but are often susceptible to aggregation at high temperatures and are very sensitive to substrate effects. Here, we investigate gold-supported on MgO(111) nanosheets as a catalyst system for the aerobic oxidation of benzyl alcohol. Gold nanoparticles deposited on MgO(111) show an increased level of activity in the solvent-free benzyl alcohol aerobic oxidation as compared to gold nanoparticles deposited on a typical MgO aerogel. TEM studies reveal that the gold nanoparticles have a hemispherical shape while sitting on the main surface of MgO(111) nanosheets, with a large Au-MgO interface. Given that the gold nanoparticles deposited on the two types of MgO have similar size, and that the two types of unmodified MgO show almost the same activities in the blank reaction, we infer that the high activity of Au/MgO(111) is due to the properties of the (111) support and/or those of the gold-support interface. To understand the binding of Au on low-index MgO surfaces and the charge distribution at the surface of the support, we have performed density functional theory (DFT) calculations on all low-index MgO substrates (with and without gold), using a model Au(10) cluster. Due to similar lattice constants of Au(111) and MgO(111) planes, the Au cluster retains its structural integrity and binds strongly on MgO(111) with either

Living fungal hyphae-templated porous gold microwires using nanoparticles as building blocks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rehman, Asma; Majeed, Muhammad Irfan; Ihsan, Ayesha; Hussain, Syed Zajif; Saif-ur-Rehman; Ghauri, Muhammad Afzal; Khalid, Zafar M.; Hussain, Irshad

2011-12-01

A simple and environmentally benign green method is reported to decorate growing fungal hyphae with high loading of gold nanoparticles, which were initially produced using aqueous tea extract as a sole reducing/stabilizing agent. Inoculation of fungal spores in aqueous suspension of nanoparticles led to the growth of intensely red-coloured fungal hyphae due to the accumulation of gold nanoparticles. Heat treatment of these hybrid materials led to the formation of porous gold microwires. This report is thus an interesting example of using green and sustainable approach to produce nanostructured materials which have potential applications in catalysis, sensing and electronics.

Synthesis and antimicrobial activity of gold nanoparticle conjugates with cefotaxime

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Titanova, Elena O.; Burygin, Gennady L.

2016-04-01

Gold nanoparticles (GNPs) have attracted significant interest as a novel platform for various applications to nanobiotechnology and biomedicine. The conjugates of GNPs with antibiotics and antibodies were also used for selective photothermal killing of protozoa and bacteria. Also the conjugates of some antibiotics with GNPs decreased the number of bacterial growing cells. In this work was made the procedure optimization for conjugation of cefotaxime (a third-generation cephalosporin antibiotic) with GNPs (15 nm) and we examined the antimicrobial properties of this conjugate to bacteria culture of E. coli K-12. Addition of cefotaxime solution to colloidal gold does not change their color and extinction spectrum. For physiologically active concentration of cefotaxime (3 μg/mL), it was shown that the optimum pH for the conjugation was more than 9.5. A partial aggregation of the GNPs in saline medium was observed at pH 6.5-7.5. The optimum concentration of K2CO3 for conjugation cefotaxime with GNPs-15 was 5 mM. The optimum concentration of cefotaxime was at 0.36 μg/mL. We found the inhibition of the growth of E. coli K12 upon application cefotaxime-GNP conjugates.

Strong coupling-like phenomenon in single metallic nanoparticle embedded in molecular J-aggregates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Feng, Xin; Wang, Chen; Ma, Hongjing; Chen, Yuanyuan; Duan, Gaoyan; Zhang, Pengfei; Song, Gang

2018-02-01

Strong coupling-like phenomenon between plasmonic cavities and emitters provides a new way to realize the quantum-like effect controlling at microscale/nanoscale. We investigate the strong coupling-like phenomenon in the structure of single metallic nanoparticle embedded in molecular J-aggregates by the classical simulation method and show that the size of the metallic nanoparticle and the oscillator strength of molecular J-aggregates impact the strong coupling-like phenomenon. The strong coupling-like phenomenon is induced by the interactions between two dipoles formed by the metallic nanoparticle and molecular J-aggregates or the interactions between the dipole generated from molecular J-aggregates and the quadrupole generated from the metallic nanoparticle. The strong coupling-like phenomenon appears evidently with the increase in oscillator strength of molecular J-aggregates. The detuning energy linearly decreases with the increase in radius of the metallic nanoparticle. Our structure has potential applications in quantum networks, quantum key distributions and so on.

Cytotoxicity evaluation of gold nanoparticles on microalga Dunaliella salina in microplate test system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chumakov, Daniil; Prilepskii, Artur; Dykman, Lev; Khlebtsov, Boris; Khlebtsov, Nikolai; Bogatyrev, Vladimir

2018-04-01

Gold nanoparticles are intensively studied in biomedicine. Assessment of their biocompatibility is highly important. Currently there is lack of evidence, concerning nanotoxicity of ultrasmall gold nanoparticles < 5 nm. Existing data are rather contradictory. The aim of that study was to evaluate the toxicity of 2 nm colloidal gold, using microalga Dunaliella salina. Cellular barriers of that microalga are very similar to animal cells so it might be considered as a valuable model for nanotoxicity testing. Chlorophyll content as a test-function was used. Spectrophotometric method for chlorophyll determination in vivo in suspensions of D.salina cultures was applied. Calculated EC50 48h value of ionic gold was 25.8 +/- 0.3 mg Au/L. EC50 value of phosphine-stabilized gold nanoclusters was 32.2 +/-1.1 mg Au/L. It was not possible to calculate EC50 for 15 nm citrate gold nanoparticles, as they were non-toxic at all concentrations tested. These results are confirmed by fluorescent -microscopic monitoring of the same probes. It was shown that 10-fold growth of phosphine-stabilized gold nanoparticles (from 2.3 +/- 0.9 nm to 21.1 +/- 7.5 nm) led to 7-fold decrease of their toxicity.

[Preparation of polyelectrolyte microcapsules contained gold nanoparticles].

PubMed

Sun, Ya-jie; Zhu, Jia-bi; Zheng, Chun-li

2010-03-01

In this work, polyelectrolyte microcapsules containing gold nanoparticles were prepared via layer by layer assembly. Gold nanoparticles and poly (allyamine hydrochloride) (PAH) were coated on the CaCO3 microparticles. And then EDTA was used to remove the CaCO3 core. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was used to characterize the surface of microcapsules. SEM images indicate that the microcapsules and the polyelectrolyte multilayer were deposited on the surface of CaCO3 microparticles. FITC-bovine serum albumin (FITC-BSA, 2 mg) was incorporated in the CaCO3 microparticles by co-precipitation. Fluorescence microscopy was used to observe the fluorescence intensity of microcapsules. The encapsulation efficiency was (34.31 +/- 2.44) %. The drug loading was (43.75 +/- 3.12) mg g(-1).

Impedance Analysis of Colloidal Gold Nanoparticles in Chromatography Paper for Quantitation of an Immunochromatographic Assay.

PubMed

Hori, Fumitaka; Harada, Yuji; Kuretake, Tatsumi; Uno, Shigeyasu

2016-01-01

A detection method of gold nanoparticles in chromatography paper has been developed for a simple, cost-effective and reliable quantitation of immunochromatographic strip test. The time courses of the solution resistance in chromatography paper with the gold nanoparticles solution are electrochemically measured by chrono-impedimetry. The dependence of the solution resistance on the concentration of gold nanoparticles has been successfully observed. The main factor to increase the solution resistance may be obstruction of the ion transport due to the presence of gold nanoparticles. The existence of gold nanoparticles with 1.92 × 10(9) particles/mL in an indistinctly-colored chromatography paper is also identified by a solution resistance measurement. This indicates that the solution resistance assay has the potential to lower the detection limit of the conventional qualitative assay.

Optical Aggregation of Gold Nanoparticles for SERS Detection of Proteins and Toxins in Liquid Environment: Towards Ultrasensitive and Selective Detection

PubMed Central

Foti, Antonino; Donato, Maria Grazia; Fazio, Barbara; Maragò, Onofrio M.; Lamy de la Chapelle, Marc

2018-01-01

Optical forces are used to aggregate plasmonic nanoparticles and create SERS–active hot spots in liquid. When biomolecules are added to the nanoparticles, high sensitivity SERS detection can be accomplished. Here, we pursue studies on Bovine Serum Albumin (BSA) detection, investigating the BSA–nanorod aggregations in a range from 100 µM to 50 nM by combining light scattering, plasmon resonance and SERS, and correlating the SERS signal with the concentration. Experimental data are fitted with a simple model describing the optical aggregation process. We show that BSA–nanorod complexes can be optically printed on non-functionalized glass surfaces, designing custom patterns stable with time. Furthermore, we demonstrate that this methodology can be used to detect catalase and hemoglobin, two Raman resonant biomolecules, at concentrations of 10 nM and 1 pM, respectively, i.e., well beyond the limit of detection of BSA. Finally, we show that nanorods functionalized with specific aptamers can be used to capture and detect Ochratoxin A, a fungal toxin found in food commodities and wine. This experiment represents the first step towards the addition of molecular specificity to this novel biosensor strategy. PMID:29562606

Phase transitions and kinetic properties of gold nanoparticles confined between two-layer graphene nanosheets

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Gang; Wu, Nanhua; Chen, Jionghua; Wang, Jinjian; Shao, Jingling; Zhu, Xiaolei; Lu, Xiaohua; Guo, Lucun

2016-11-01

The thermodynamic and kinetic behaviors of gold nanoparticles confined between two-layer graphene nanosheets (two-layer-GNSs) are examined and investigated during heating and cooling processes via molecular dynamics (MD) simulation technique. An EAM potential is applied to represent the gold-gold interactions while a Lennard-Jones (L-J) potential is used to describe the gold-GNS interactions. The MD melting temperature of 1345 K for bulk gold is close to the experimental value (1337 K), confirming that the EAM potential used to describe gold-gold interactions is reliable. On the other hand, the melting temperatures of gold clusters supported on graphite bilayer are corrected to the corresponding experimental values by adjusting the εAu-C value. Therefore, the subsequent results from current work are reliable. The gold nanoparticles confined within two-layer GNSs exhibit face center cubic structures, which is similar to those of free gold clusters and bulk gold. The melting points, heats of fusion, and heat capacities of the confined gold nanoparticles are predicted based on the plots of total energies against temperature. The density distribution perpendicular to GNS suggests that the freezing of confined gold nanoparticles starts from outermost layers. The confined gold clusters exhibit layering phenomenon even in liquid state. The transition of order-disorder in each layer is an essential characteristic in structure for the freezing phase transition of the confined gold clusters. Additionally, some vital kinetic data are obtained in terms of classical nucleation theory.

Modulation of cardiomyocyte activity using pulsed laser irradiated gold nanoparticles

PubMed Central

Gentemann, Lara; Kalies, Stefan; Coffee, Michelle; Meyer, Heiko; Ripken, Tammo; Heisterkamp, Alexander; Zweigerdt, Robert; Heinemann, Dag

2016-01-01

Can photothermal gold nanoparticle mediated laser manipulation be applied to induce cardiac contraction? Based on our previous work, we present a novel concept of cell stimulation. A 532 nm picosecond laser was employed to heat gold nanoparticles on cardiomyocytes. This leads to calcium oscillations in the HL-1 cardiomyocyte cell line. As calcium is connected to the contractility, we aimed to alter the contraction rate of native and stem cell derived cardiomyocytes. A contraction rate increase was particularly observed in calcium containing buffer with neonatal rat cardiomyocytes. Consequently, the study provides conceptual ideas for a light based, nanoparticle mediated stimulation system. PMID:28101410

Site-Specific Attachment of gold Nanoparticles to DNA Templates

DTIC Science & Technology

2001-01-01

1 -ethyl- 3 -( 3 - dimethylaminopropyl ) carbodiimide hydrochloride (Pierce) and -2.0rmg N...functionalized gold nanoparticles. The gold particles were covalently bound to the amino groups on the DNA using standard 1 -ethyl- 3 - ( 3 - dimethylaminopropyl ...nm). The reaction between the amino group on the DNA and the carboxyl group on the gold particle was facilitated by 1 -ethyl- 3 -( 3 - dimethylaminopropyl

Binding Preferences of Amino Acids for Gold Nanoparticles: A Molecular Simulation Study.

PubMed

Shao, Qing; Hall, Carol K

2016-08-09

A better understanding of the binding preference of amino acids for gold nanoparticles of different diameters could aid in the design of peptides that bind specifically to nanoparticles of a given diameter. Here we identify the binding preference of 19 natural amino acids for three gold nanoparticles with diameters of 1.0, 2.0, and 4.0 nm, and investigate the mechanisms that govern these preferences. We calculate potentials of mean force between 36 entities (19 amino acids and 17 side chains) and the three gold nanoparticles in explicit water using well-tempered metadynamics simulations. Comparing these potentials of mean force determines the amino acids' nanoparticle binding preferences and if these preferences are controlled by the backbone, the side chain, or both. Twelve amino acids prefer to bind to the 4.0 nm gold nanoparticle, and seven prefer to bind to the 2.0 nm one. We also use atomistic molecular dynamics simulations to investigate how water molecules near the nanoparticle influence the binding of the amino acids. The solvation shells of the larger nanoparticles have higher water densities than those of the smaller nanoparticles while the orientation distributions of the water molecules in the shells of all three nanoparticles are similar. The nanoparticle preferences of the amino acids depend on whether their binding free energy is determined mainly by their ability to replace or to reorient water molecules in the nanoparticle solvation shell. The amino acids whose binding free energy depends mainly on the replacement of water molecules are likely to prefer to bind to the largest nanoparticle and tend to have relatively simple side chain structures. Those whose binding free energy depends mainly on their ability to reorient water molecules prefer a smaller nanoparticle and tend to have more complex side chain structures.

Cross-linking gold nanoparticles aggregation method based on localised surface plasmon resonance for quantitative detection of miR-155.

PubMed

Esmaeili-Bandboni, Aghil; Amini, Seyed Mohammad; Faridi-Majidi, Reza; Bagheri, Jamshid; Mohammadnejad, Javad; Sadroddiny, Esmaeil

2018-06-01

MiR-155 plays a critical role in the formation of cancers and other diseases. In this study, the authors aimed to design and fabricate a biosensor based on cross-linking gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) aggregation for the detection and quantification of miR-155. Also, they intended to compare this method with SYBR Green real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Primers for real-time PCR, and two thiolated capture probes for biosensor, complementary with miR-155, were designed. Citrate capped AuNPs (18.7 ± 3.6 nm) were synthesised and thiolated capture probes immobilised to AuNPs. The various concentrations of synthetic miR-155 were measured by this biosensor and real-time PCR method. Colorimetric changes were studied, and the calibration curves were plotted. Results showed the detection limit of 10 nM for the fabricated biosensor and real-time PCR. Also, eye detection using colour showed the weaker detection limit (1 µM), for this biosensor. MiR-133b as the non-complementary target could not cause a change in both colour and UV-visible spectrum. The increase in hydrodynamic diameter and negative zeta potential of AuNPs after the addition of probes verified the biosensor accurately fabricated. This fabricated biosensor could detect miR-155 simpler and faster than previous methods.

Photocatalytic Applications of Electrospun TiO2 Nanofibres Embedded with Bimodal Sized and Prismatic Gold Nanoparticles.

PubMed

Gopika, G; Asha, A M; Sivakumar, N; Balakrishnan, A; Nair, S V; Subramanian, K R V

2015-09-01

In this paper, we have synthesized electrospun TiO2 nanofibers embedded with bimodal sized and prismatic gold nanoparticles. The surface plasmons generated in the gold nanoparticles were used to enhance the performance of photocatalysis. The photocatalytic conversion efficiencies of these bimodal sized/prismatic gold nanoparticles when embedded in electrospun TiO2 fibres showed an enhancement of upto 60% over bare fiber systems and also show higher efficiencies than electrospun fibrous systems embedded with unimodal sized gold nanoparticles. Anisotropic bimodal gold nanoparticles show the highest degree of photocatalytic activity. This may be attributed to greater density/concentration of nanoparticles with higher effective surface area and formation of a junction between the smaller and larger nanoparticles. Such a bimodally distributed range of nanoparticles could also lead to greater trapping of charge carriers at the TiO2 conduction band edge and promoting catalytic reactions on account of these trapped charges. This enhanced photocatalytic activity is explained by invoking different operating mechanisms such as improved surface area, greater trapping, coarse plasmon resonance and band effects. Thus, a useful applicability of the gold nanoparticles is shown in the area of photocatalysis.

Cellular Uptake and Tissue Biodistribution of Functionalized Gold Nanoparticles and Nanoclusters.

PubMed

Escudero-Francos, María A; Cepas, Vanesa; González-Menédez, Pedro; Badía-Laíño, Rosana; Díaz-García, Marta E; Sainz, Rosa M; Mayo, Juan C; Hevia, David

2017-02-01

In this study, the in vitro uptake by fibroblasts and in vivo biodistribution of 15 nm 11-mercaptoundecanoicacid-protected gold nanoparticles (AuNPs-MUA) and 3 nm glutathione- and 3 nm bovine serum albumin-protected gold nanoclusters (AuNCs@GSH and AuNCs@BSA, respectively) were evaluated. In vitro cell viability was examined after gold nanoparticle treatment for 48 h, based on MTT assays and analyses of morphological structure, the cycle cell, cellular doubling time, and the gold concentration in cells. No potential toxicity was observed at any studied concentration (up to 10 ppm) for AuNCs@GSH and AuNCs@BSA, whereas lower cell viability was observed for AuNPs-MUA at 10 ppm than for other treatments. Neither morphological damage nor modifications to the cell cycle and doubling time were detected after contact with nanoparticles. Associations between cells and AuNPs and AuNCs were demonstrated by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). AuNCs@GSH exhibited fluorescence emission at 611 nm, whereas AuNCs@BSA showed a band at 640 nm. These properties were employed to confirm their associations with cells by fluorescence confocal microscopy; both clusters were observed in cells and maintained their original fluorescence. In vivo assays were performed using 9 male mice treated with 1.70 μg Au/g body weight gold nanoparticles for 24 h. ICP-MS measurements showed a different biodistribution for each type of nanoparticle; AuNPs-MUA mainly accumulated in the brain, AuNCs@GSH in the kidney, and AuNCs@BSA in the liver and spleen. Spleen indexes were not affected by nanoparticle treatment; however, AuNCs@BSA increased the thymus index significantly from 1.28 to 1.79, indicating an immune response. These nanoparticles have great potential as organ-specific drug carriers and for diagnosis, photothermal therapy, and imaging.

Real-time visualization of clustering and intracellular transport of gold nanoparticles by correlative imaging

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Mengmeng; Li, Qian; Liang, Le; Li, Jiang; Wang, Kun; Li, Jiajun; Lv, Min; Chen, Nan; Song, Haiyun; Lee, Joon; Shi, Jiye; Wang, Lihua; Lal, Ratnesh; Fan, Chunhai

2017-05-01

Mechanistic understanding of the endocytosis and intracellular trafficking of nanoparticles is essential for designing smart theranostic carriers. Physico-chemical properties, including size, clustering and surface chemistry of nanoparticles regulate their cellular uptake and transport. Significantly, even single nanoparticles could cluster intracellularly, yet their clustering state and subsequent trafficking are not well understood. Here, we used DNA-decorated gold (fPlas-gold) nanoparticles as a dually emissive fluorescent and plasmonic probe to examine their clustering states and intracellular transport. Evidence from correlative fluorescence and plasmonic imaging shows that endocytosis of fPlas-gold follows multiple pathways. In the early stages of endocytosis, fPlas-gold nanoparticles appear mostly as single particles and they cluster during the vesicular transport and maturation. The speed of encapsulated fPlas-gold transport was critically dependent on the size of clusters but not on the types of organelle such as endosomes and lysosomes. Our results provide key strategies for engineering theranostic nanocarriers for efficient health management.

In vivo optical detection of intranuclear cancer biomarkers using gold nanoparticles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kumar, Sonia; Sokolov, Konstantin; Richards-Kortum, Rebecca

2006-02-01

Specific genotypes of human papillomavirus (HPV) are well correlated with cervical oncogenesis. The major transforming and immortalizing protein in high risk HPVs, namely HPV16, is E7 protein. E7 protein functions by deregulating the cell cycle and promoting S-phase reentry in differentiated keratinocytes. Currently, clinical diagnosis of cervical cancer is based on phenotypic changes observed in a screening Papanicolaou smear. Although screening has been effective in reducing the occurrence of cervical cancer, the low specificity of the Pap smear results in resources wasted on the evaluation of low-grade lesions not likely to progress to cervical cancer. Molecular characterization of active HPV infections using molecular specific contrast agents are combined with in-vivo optical imaging is proposed to be a cost-effective, non-invasive technique for the detection of cervical pre-cancers. Contrast is achieved by exploiting the peak absorbance and scattering shift in aggregated gold nanoparticles over isolated ones and molecular specificity is achieved via recognition moieties with high affinities for E7. Conjugates of gold nanoparticles and HPV16 anti-E7 antibodies are delivered into the nucleus of living cells and imaged with reflectance confocal microscopy. These contrast agents have been used to successfully enhance contrast in HPV16+ cervical cancer cells over HPV- cells by a factor of 2.5. Further characterization and development of these contrast agents will provide a robust, low cost screening tool for the detection of cervical pre-cancers.

Rapid colorimetric sensing of tetracycline antibiotics with in situ growth of gold nanoparticles.

PubMed

Shen, Li; Chen, Jing; Li, Na; He, Pingli; Li, Zhen

2014-08-11

A colorimetric assay utilizing the formation of gold nanoparticles was developed to detect tetracycline antibiotics in fluidic samples. Tetracycline antibiotics showed the capability of directly reducing aurate salts into atomic gold which form gold nanoparticles spontaneously under proper conditions. The resulted gold nanoparticles showed characteristic plasmon absorbance at 526 nm, which can be visualized by naked eyes or with a spectrophotometer. UV-vis absorbance of the resulted gold nanoparticles is correlated directly with the concentrations of tetracycline antibiotics in the solution, allowing for quantitative colorimetric detection of tetracycline antibiotics. Reaction conditions, such as pH, temperature, reaction time, and ionic strength were optimized. Sensitivity of the colorimetric assay can be enhanced by the addition of gold nanoparticle seeds, a LOD as low as 20 ng mL(-1) can be achieved with the help of seed particles. The colorimetric assay showed minimum interference from ethanol, methanol, urea, glucose, and other antibiotics such as sulfonamides, amino glycosides etc. Validity of the method was also evaluated on urine samples spiked with tetracycline antibiotics. The method provides a broad spectrum detection method for rapid and sensitive detection of reductive substances such as tetracycline antibiotics in liquid and biological samples. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Effect of pH on the extra cellular synthesis of gold and silver nanoparticles by Saccharomyces cerevisae.

PubMed

Lim, Hyun-Ah; Mishra, Amrita; Yun, Soon-Il

2011-01-01

In the present study, the synthesis of gold and silver nanoparticles was investigated using the culture supernatant broth of the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisae. Gold nanoparticles were formed within 24 hours of gold ion coming in contact with the culture supernatant broth. In case of silver the reduction process took 48 hours. The synthesized nanoparticles were investigated by UV-Visible spectroscopy. Distinct surface plasmon peaks were observed at 540 nm and 415 nm for gold and silver nanoparticles respectively. Bio-TEM micrographs of the synthesized nanoparticles indicated that the particles were well dispersed and near spherical in shape. The size range of the gold and silver nanoparticles was around 20-100 nm and 5-20 nm respectively. XRD patterns showed the presence of three distinct peaks corresponding to gold and silver nanoparticles respectively. A pH range of 4 to 6 and 8 to 10 favored optimum synthesis of gold and silver nanoparticles respectively. The process of reduction being extra cellular could be used in future for downstream processing in an eco friendly manner.

Analytical detection and biological assay of antileukemic drug 5-fluorouracil using gold nanoparticles as probe.

PubMed

Selvaraj, Vaithilingam; Alagar, Muthukaruppan

2007-06-07

Gold nanoparticles are reported and evaluated as probes for the detection of anticancer drug 5-fluorouracil (5FU). The nature of binding between 5FU and gold nanoparticles via complexation is investigated using ultraviolet visible spectrophotometry, cyclic voltammetry, transmission electron microscopy, fluorescence and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. The bound antileukemic drug is fluorescent and the quenching property of gold nanoparticles could be exploited for biological investigations. The 5FU-colloidal gold complex (Au@5FU) is observed to have appreciable antibacterial and antifungal activity against Micrococcus luteus, Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Escherichia coli, Aspergillus fumigatus, and Aspergillus niger. The experimental studies suggest that gold nanoparticles have the potential to be used as effective carriers for anticancer drugs.

Femtosecond laser generated gold nanoparticles and their plasmonic properties