Sample records for nanoparticles cu nps

  1. Assessment of copper nanoparticles (Cu-NPs) and copper (II) oxide (CuO) induced hemato- and hepatotoxicity in Cyprinus carpio

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Noureen, Aasma; Jabeen, Farhat; Tabish, Tanveer A.; Yaqub, Sajid; Ali, Muhammad; Shakoor Chaudhry, Abdul

    2018-04-01

    Recently, Cu-based nanoparticles have drawn considerable attention for their various fascinating roles in multiple biological systems. It is recognized that their frequent use can create compatibility challenges for the recipient systems. Nevertheless, it is unclear how various biological interactions affect the compatibility of Cu oxide II (CuO) and Cu oxide nanoparticles (Cu-NPs) for different organisms. Consequently, it has been difficult to perform structured risk assessments for their use in biological systems. Therefore, this study compared the effects of different doses of waterborne Cu-NPs and CuO on the blood and liver of selected groups of Cyprinus (C) carpio. These fish while housed in suitable water tanks were exposed to one of the following treatments for 14 d: control (no added Cu) or 0.5 or 1 or 1.5 mg Cu as Cu-NPs or CuO l-1 of water. We found significant changes in all assessed blood parameters of fish in response to increasing doses from 0 to 1.5 mg of Cu-NPs or CuO. Similarly, increased levels of lipid peroxide and reduced glutathione (GSH) were also observed in the livers of C. carpio in Cu-NPs or CuO treated groups. Enhanced levels of lipid peroxidation and GSH were also recorded in the Cu-NP treated groups compared with the CuO treated groups in a dose dependent manner. The lowest catalase activity was observed in the liver of C. carpio treated with the higer dose of Cu-NPs. Cu-NP or CuO exposure induced significant histological alterations in the liver of C. carpio including focal necrosis, cloudy swelling of hepatocytes, degenerative hepatocytes, vacuolization, pyknotic nuclei, damaged central vein, nuclear hypertrophy, dilated sinusoid, vacuolated degeneration, congestion, and complete degeneration in a dose dependent manner. Substantial alterations in blood and liver specimens were observed in the Cu-NP treated fish when compared with the CuO treated fish. It appeared that the Cu-NPs were more toxic than the CuO as shown by the hemato- and

  2. Investigations of spherical Cu NPs in sodium lauryl sulphate with Tb{sup 3+} ions dispersed in PVA films

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

    Kumar, Brijesh; Kaur, Gagandeep, E-mail: gagandeep_bhu@yahoo.com; Rai, S.B., E-mail: sbrai49@yahoo.co.in

    2016-03-15

    Highlights: • Cu NPs were prepared in SDS using 1064 nm laser radiation at fluence 37, 64 and 88 J/cm{sup 2}. • Spherical Cu NPs with average diameter varying between 10 and 50 nm atdifferent fluence. • PL of Tb3+ ions in PVA polymer film is maximum with Cu NPS at fluence 37 J/cm{sup 2}. • PVA films of Cu NPs displayed a highly temperature-dependent electrical conductivity. • These copper NPs embedded PVA films can be used as novel, low-cost sensor materials. - Abstract: Cu nanoparticles (NPs) have been prepared in SDS solution using 1064 nm laser radiation at differentmore » fluence 37 J/cm{sup 2}, 64 J/cm{sup 2} and 88 J/cm{sup 2} and structurally characterized. The TEM measurements reveal the presence of nanoparticles of spherical shape with different size. The size of the nanoparticles and their concentration increases with the increase of fluence.The effect of these Cu nanoparticles on the emissive properties of Tb{sup 3+} ion in polymer films has been studied. It is found that emission intensity of Tb{sup 3+} first increases and then deceases both with concentration of Cu NPs as well as with sizes. The PL intensity of Tb{sup 3+} ions is minimum for Cu NPs prepared with highest fluence. It has been explained in term of local field effect. This was also verified by life time measurements. These thin PVA films of copper nanoparticles displayed a highly temperature-dependent electrical conductivity with sensitivity at least comparable to commercial materials which suggest the use of these copper NPs embedded PVA films as novel, low-cost sensor materials.« less

  3. Preparation of CuO nanoparticles by laser ablation in liquid

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

    Abdulateef, Sinan A., E-mail: sinan1974@yahoo.com; MatJafri, M. Z.; Omar, A. F., E-mail: thinker-academy@yahoo.com

    2016-07-06

    Colloidal Cu nanoparticles (NPs) were synthesized by pulsed Nd:YAG laser ablation in acetone. Cu NPs were converted into CuO. The size and optical properties of these NPs were characterized using an UV/Vis spectrophotometer, transmission electron microscopy, and X-ray diffraction. Cu NPs were spherical, and their mean diameter in acetone was 8 nm–10 nm. Optical extinction immediately after the ablation showed surface Plasmon resonance peaks at 602 nm. The color of Cu NPs in acetone was green and stable even after a long time.

  4. Assessment of the Toxicity of CuO Nanoparticles by Using Saccharomyces cerevisiae Mutants with Multiple Genes Deleted

    PubMed Central

    Bao, Shaopan; Lu, Qicong; Dai, Heping; Zhang, Chao

    2015-01-01

    To develop applicable and susceptible models to evaluate the toxicity of nanoparticles, the antimicrobial effects of CuO nanoparticles (CuO-NPs) on various Saccharomyces cerevisiae (S. cerevisiae) strains (wild type, single-gene-deleted mutants, and multiple-gene-deleted mutants) were determined and compared. Further experiments were also conducted to analyze the mechanisms associated with toxicity using copper salt, bulk CuO (bCuO), carbon-shelled copper nanoparticles (C/Cu-NPs), and carbon nanoparticles (C-NPs) for comparisons. The results indicated that the growth inhibition rates of CuO-NPs for the wild-type and the single-gene-deleted strains were comparable, while for the multiple-gene deletion mutant, significantly higher toxicity was observed (P < 0.05). When the toxicity of the CuO-NPs to yeast cells was compared with the toxicities of copper salt and bCuO, we concluded that the toxicity of CuO-NPs should be attributed to soluble copper rather than to the nanoparticles. The striking difference in adverse effects of C-NPs and C/Cu-NPs with equivalent surface areas also proved this. A toxicity assay revealed that the multiple-gene-deleted mutant was significantly more sensitive to CuO-NPs than the wild type. Specifically, compared with the wild-type strain, copper was readily taken up by mutant strains when cell permeability genes were knocked out, and the mutants with deletions of genes regulated under oxidative stress (OS) were likely producing more reactive oxygen species (ROS). Hence, as mechanism-based gene inactivation could increase the susceptibility of yeast, the multiple-gene-deleted mutants should be improved model organisms to investigate the toxicity of nanoparticles. PMID:26386067

  5. Optical absorption and thermal stability study of Cu doped NiO nanoparticles

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Varunkumar, K.; Ethiraj, Anita Sagadevan; Kechiantz, Ara

    2018-05-01

    This work reports variation of Cu doping concentration in NiO nanoparticles (NiO:Cu NPs) synthesized via chemical co-precipitation from solution by using NiCl2.6H2O as precursor, CuSO4.5H2O as dopant and NaOH as surfactant. We studied optical and thermal stability of prepared NiO:Cu NPs by UV-Vis absorbance, Diffuse Reflectance Spectroscopy (DRS), Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy (AAS), and Thermo Gravimetric/Differential Scanning Calorimetry (TGA/DSC) analyses. Optical absorption data of NiO:Cu NPs indicated strong absorption peaks shifted towards blue with respect to the peak of undoped NiO NPs due to quantum confinement effect. The bandgap estimated via Tauc plot first increased from 3.32eV (undoped NiO NPs) to 3.37 eV (8 at % of Cu in NiO NPs) and further increase of Cu doping to 10 at% reduced the bandgap to 3.35 eV. Such behavior of the bandgap clearly indicates that the size of NiO NPs first reduces with Cu doping up to 8 at % and then increases with further Cu doping to 10 at %. This behavior of reduction in particle size with increased doping can be attributed to the dislocation density and microstrain developed in NiO:Cu NPs. Thermal stability analysis demonstrated that in addition undoped NiO NPs, all NiO:Cu nanoparticle samples exhibited good thermal stability.

  6. Uptake, Distribution, and Transformation of CuO NPs in a Floating Plant Eichhornia crassipes and Related Stomatal Responses.

    PubMed

    Zhao, Jian; Ren, Wenting; Dai, Yanhui; Liu, Lijiao; Wang, Zhenyu; Yu, Xiaoyu; Zhang, Junzhe; Wang, Xiangke; Xing, Baoshan

    2017-07-05

    Engineered nanoparticles (NPs) are being released into aquatic environments with their increasing applications. In this work, we investigated the interaction of CuO NPs with a floating plant, water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes). CuO NPs (50 mg/L) showed significant growth inhibition on both roots and shoots of E. crassipes after 8-day exposure, much higher than that of the bulk CuO particles (50 mg/L) and their corresponding dissolved Cu 2+ ions (0.30 mg/L). Scanning electron and light microscopic observations showed that the root caps and meristematic zone of E. Crassipes were severely damaged after CuO NP exposure, with disordered cell arrangement and a destroyed elongation zone of root tips. It is confirmed that CuO NPs could be translocated to shoot from both roots and submerged leaves. As detected by X-ray absorption near-edge spectroscopy analysis (XANES), CuO NPs were observed in roots, submerged leaves, and emerged leaves. Cu 2 S and other Cu species were also detected in these tissues, providing solid evidence of the transformation of CuO NPs. In addition, stomatal closure was observed during CuO NPs-leaf contact, which was induced by the production of H 2 O 2 and increased Ca level in leaf guard cells. These findings are helpful for better understanding the fate of NPs in aquatic plants and related biological responses.

  7. Antibacterial activity of trimetal (CuZnFe) oxide nanoparticles.

    PubMed

    Alzahrani, Khalid E; Niazy, Abdurahman A; Alswieleh, Abdullah M; Wahab, Rizwan; El-Toni, Ahmed M; Alghamdi, Hamdan S

    2018-01-01

    The increasing resistance of pathogenic bacteria to antibiotics is a challenging worldwide health problem that has led to the search for new and more efficient antibacterial agents. Nanotechnology has proven to be an effective tool for the fight against bacteria. In this paper, we present the synthesis and traits of trimetal (CuZnFe) oxide nanoparticles (NPs) using X-ray diffraction, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, and energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy. We evaluated the antibacterial activity of these NPs against gram-negative Escherichia coli and gram-positive Enterococcus faecalis and then compared it to that of their pure single-metal oxide components CuO and ZnO. Our study showed that the antibacterial activity of the trimetal oxide NPs was greater against E . coli than against E . faecalis . Overall, the antimicrobial effect of trimetal NPs is between those of pure ZnO and CuO nanoparticles, which may mean that their cytotoxicity is also between that of pure ZnO and CuO NPs, making them potential antibiotics. However, the cytotoxicity of trimetal NPs to mammalian cells needs to be verified. The combination of three metal oxide NPs (ZnO, CuO, and Fe 2 O 3 ) in one multimetal (CuZnFe) oxide NPs will enhance the therapeutic strategy against a wide range of microbial infections. Bacteria are unlikely to develop resistance against this new NP because bacteria must go through a series of mutations to become resistant to the trimetal oxide NP. Therefore, this NP can combat existing and emerging bacterial infections.

  8. Effects of CuO nanoparticles on Lemna minor.

    PubMed

    Song, Guanling; Hou, Wenhua; Gao, Yuan; Wang, Yan; Lin, Lin; Zhang, Zhiwei; Niu, Qiang; Ma, Rulin; Mu, Lati; Wang, Haixia

    2016-12-01

    Copper dioxide nanoparticles (NPs), which is a kind of important and widely used metal oxide NP, eventually reaches a water body through wastewater and urban runoff. Ecotoxicological studies of this kind of NPs effects on hydrophyte are very limited at present. Lemna minor was exposed to media with different concentrations of CuO NPs, bulk CuO, and two times concentration of Cu 2+ released from CuO NPs in culture media. The changes in plant growth, chlorophyll content, antioxidant defense enzyme activities [i.e., peroxidase (POD), catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD) activities], and malondialdehyde (MDA) content were measured in the present study. The particle size of CuO NPs and the zeta potential of CuO NPs and bulk CuO in the culture media were also analyzed to complementally evaluate their toxicity on duckweed. Results showed that CuO NPs inhibited the plant growth at lower concentration than bulk CuO. L. minor roots were easily broken in CuO NPs media under the experimental condition, and the inhibition occurred only partly because CuO NPs released Cu 2+ in the culture media. The POD, SOD, and CAT activities of L. minor increased when the plants were exposed to CuO NPs, bulk CuO NPs and two times the concentration of Cu 2+ released from CuO NPs in culture media, but the increase of these enzymes were the highest in CuO NPs media among the three kinds of materials. The MDA content was significantly increased compared with that of the control from 50 mg L -1 CuO NP concentration in culture media. CuO NPs has more toxicity on L. minor compared with that of bulk CuO, and the inhibition occurred only partly because released Cu 2+ in the culture media. The plant accumulated more reactive oxygen species in the CuO NP media than in the same concentration of bulk CuO. The plant cell encountered serious damage when the CuO NP concentration reached 50 mg L -1 in culture media. The toxicology of CuO NP on hydrophytes must be considered because that hydrophytes

  9. High-throughput tool to discriminate effects of NMs (Cu-NPs, Cu-nanowires, CuNO3, and Cu salt aged): transcriptomics in Enchytraeus crypticus.

    PubMed

    Gomes, Susana I L; Roca, Carlos P; Pegoraro, Natália; Trindade, Tito; Scott-Fordsmand, Janeck J; Amorim, Mónica J B

    2018-05-01

    The current testing of nanomaterials (NMs) via standard toxicity tests does not cover many of the NMs specificities. One of the recommendations lays on understanding the mechanisms of action, as these can help predicting long-term effects and safe-by-design production. In the present study, we used the high-throughput gene expression tool, developed for Enchytraeus crypticus (4 × 44k Agilent microarray), to study the effects of exposure to several copper (Cu) forms. The Cu treatments included two NMs (spherical and wires) and two copper-salt treatments (CuNO 3 spiked and Cu salt field historical contamination). To relate gene expression with higher effect level, testing was done with reproduction effect concentrations (EC 20 , EC 50 ), using 3 and 7 days as exposure periods. Results showed that time plays a major role in the transcriptomic response, most of it occurring after 3 days. Analysis of gene expression profiles showed that Cu-salt-aged and Cu-nanowires (Nwires) differed from CuNO 3 and Cu-nanoparticles (NPs). Functional analysis revealed specific mechanisms: Cu-NPs uniquely affected senescence and cuticle pattern formation, which can result from the contact of the NPs with the worms' tegument. Cu-Nwires affected reproduction via male gamete generation and hermaphrodite genitalia development. CuNO 3 affected neurotransmission and locomotory behavior, both of which can be related with avoidance response. Cu salt-aged uniquely affected phagocytosis and reproductive system development (via different mechanisms than Cu-Nwires). For the first time for Cu (nano)materials, the adverse outcome pathways (AOPs) drafted here provide an overview for common and unique effects per material and linkage with apical effects.

  10. PVP and PEG doped CuO nanoparticles are more biologically active: Antibacterial, antioxidant, antidiabetic and cytotoxic perspective.

    PubMed

    Javed, Rabia; Ahmed, Madiha; Haq, Ihsan Ul; Nisa, Sobia; Zia, Muhammad

    2017-10-01

    Search for biologically active nanoparticles is prerequisite for biomedical applications. CuO nanoparticles synthesized by co-precipitation method are capped by polyethylene-glycol (PEG) and polyvinyl-pyrrolidone (PVP) on the surface by simple adsorption. Physical and chemical properties carried out by SEM, XRD and FTIR confirm nanometer in size and efficient capping of PVP and PEG on CuO NPs. Biological assays reveal higher activities of CuO-PEG and CuO-PVP as compared to the uncapped CuO nanoparticles. CuO-PEG shows better antitumor activity against Streptomyces as compared with CuO-PVP and CuO NPs. Both the capped NPs are significantly active for α-amylase inhibition assay. CuO-PVP demonstrates significantly better activity against bacterial strains followed by CuO-PEG and uncapped CuO. PVP coated CuO NPs also shows strong DPPH based free radical scavenging activity, total reducing power potential, total antioxidative potential and also carries flavonoid and phenolics properties determines to querecetin and gallic acid equivalence, respectively. It can be concluded that PVP and PEG capped CuO NPs are more capable to be used in biomedical applications as drug and diagnostic carrier molecules. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  11. Effects of CuO nanoparticles on insecticidal activity and phytotoxicity in conventional and transgenic cotton.

    PubMed

    Van, Nhan Le; Ma, Chuanxin; Shang, Jianying; Rui, Yukui; Liu, Shutong; Xing, Baoshan

    2016-02-01

    Nanoparticles and transgenic plants are recent scientific developments that require systematic study to understand their potential risks to human health. The effects of CuO nanoparticles (NPs) on Bt-transgenic cotton and conventional cotton are reported here. CuO NPs inhibited the growth, development, nutrient content, and indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) and abscisic acid (ABA) concentrations of transgenic and conventional cotton. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) images showed CuO NPs aggregated on the epidermis of conventional cotton leaves, whereas it had reached into the cells of transgenic cotton leaves by endocytosis. Most CuO NPs aggregates were found on the root outer epidermis and the rest were located in intercellular spaces of both conventional and Bt-transgenic cottons. CuO NPs enhanced the expression of the exogenous gene encoding of Bt toxin protein in leaves and roots, especially at low CuO NP concentrations, providing an important benefit for Bt cotton insect resistance. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  12. Bombesin functionalized 64Cu-copper sulfide nanoparticles for targeted imaging of orthotopic prostate cancer.

    PubMed

    Cai, Huawei; Xie, Fang; Mulgaonkar, Aditi; Chen, Lihong; Sun, Xiankai; Hsieh, Jer-Tsong; Peng, Fangyu; Tian, Rong; Li, Lin; Wu, Changqiang; Ai, Hua

    2018-05-22

    To synthesize and evaluate the imaging potential of Bom-PEG-[ 64 Cu]CuS nanoparticles (NPs) in orothotopic prostate tumor. [ 64 Cu]CuS NPs were synthesized in aqueous solution by 64 CuCl 2 and Na 2 S reaction. Then PEG linker with or without bombesin peptide were conjugated to the surface of [ 64 Cu]CuS NPs to produce Bom-PEG-[ 64 Cu]CuS and PEG-[ 64 Cu]CuS NPs. These two kinds of NPs were used for testing specific uptake in prostate cancer cells in vitro and imaging of orthotopic prostate tumor in vivo. Bom-PEG-[ 64 Cu]CuS and PEG-[ 64 Cu]CuS NPs were successfully synthesized with core diameter of approximately 5 nm. Radioactive cellular uptake revealed that Bom-PEG-[ 64 Cu]CuS was able to specifically bind to prostate cancer cells, and the microPET-CT imaging indicated clear visualization of orthotopic prostate tumors. Radiolabeled Bom-PEG-[ 64 Cu]CuS NPs have potential as an ideal agent for orthotopic prostate tumor imaging by microPET-CT.

  13. A Chelator-Free Multifunctional [64Cu]-CuS Nanoparticle Platform for Simultaneous Micro-PET/CT Imaging and Photothermal Ablation Therapy

    PubMed Central

    Zhou, Min; Zhang, Rui; Huang, Miao; Lu, Wei; Song, Shaoli; Melancon, Marites P.; Tian, Mei; Liang, Dong; Li, Chun

    2010-01-01

    We synthesized and evaluated a novel class of chelator-free [64Cu]-CuS nanoparticles (NPs) suitable for both PET imaging and as photothermal coupling agents for photothermal ablation. [64Cu]-CuS NPs were simple to make, possessed excellent stability, and allowed robust noninvasive micro-PET imaging. Furthermore, CuS NPs displayed strong absorption in the near-infrared (NIR) region (peak 930 nm), passive targeting prefers the tumor site, and mediated ablation of U87 tumor cells upon exposure to NIR light both in vitro and in vivo after either intratumoral or intravenous injection. The combination of small diameter (~11 nm diameter), strong NIR absorption, and integration of 64Cu as a structural component makes [64Cu]-CuS NPs ideally suited for multifunctional molecular imaging and therapy. PMID:20942456

  14. Xylem- and phloem-based transport of CuO nanoparticles in maize (Zea mays L.).

    PubMed

    Wang, Zhenyu; Xie, Xiaoyan; Zhao, Jian; Liu, Xiaoyun; Feng, Wenqiang; White, Jason C; Xing, Baoshan

    2012-04-17

    This work reports on the toxicity of CuO nanoparticles (NPs) to maize (Zea mays L.) and their transport and redistribution in the plant. CuO NPs (100 mg L(-1)) had no effect on germination, but inhibited the growth of maize seedlings; in comparison the dissolved Cu(2+) ions and CuO bulk particles had no obvious effect on maize growth. CuO NPs were present in xylem sap as examined by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), showing that CuO NPs were transported from roots to shoots via xylem. Split-root experiments and high-resolution TEM observation further showed that CuO NPs could translocate from shoots back to roots via phloem. During this translocation, CuO NPs could be reduced from Cu (II) to Cu (I). To our knowledge, this is the first report of root-shoot-root redistribution of CuO NPs within maize. The current study provides direct evidence for the bioaccumulation and biotransformation of CuO NPs (20-40 nm) in maize, which has significant implications on the potential risk of NPs and food safety.

  15. The important role of polyvinylpyrrolidone and Cu on enhancing dechlorination of 2,4-dichlorophenol by Cu/Fe nanoparticles: Performance and mechanism study

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Fang, Liping; Xu, Cuihong; Zhang, Wenbin; Huang, Li-Zhi

    2018-03-01

    The important role of polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) and Cu on the reductive dechlorination of 2,4-dichlorophenol (2,4-DCP) by Cu/Fe bimetal nanoparticles has been investigated. The synthesized PVP coated Cu/Fe bimetal nanoparticles with different Cu/Fe ratios were systematically characterized by FTIR, XRD, TEM and magnetic hysteresis loops. The Cu/Fe ratio and the PVP loading were optimized for dechlorination performance, and the optimum ratio of PVP to Cu/Fe was found to be 0.35 and the content of Cu in Cu/Fe nanoparticles was 41%. The presence of PVP as a dispersant/stabilizer results in a highly-dispersed Cu/Fe NPs and increase the reactivity of Cu/Fe NPs for 2,4-DCP removal. The dechlorination rate was enhanced at lower pH and higher temperature conditions. The presence of humic acid, PO43-, NO3-, SO42- leads to a slightly decreased removal efficiency of 2,4-DCP. The magnetic property of PVP-Cu/Fe nanoparticles allows rapid magnetic separation of the catalysts after reaction. A galvanic corrosion model was proposed where iron corrodes and transfers electrons to Cu-rich catalytic regions of the nanoparticles, and finally accelerating the reduction efficiency of 2,4-DCP.

  16. The potentiation effect makes the difference: non-toxic concentrations of ZnO nanoparticles enhance Cu nanoparticle toxicity in vitro.

    PubMed

    Li, Lingxiangyu; Fernández-Cruz, María Luisa; Connolly, Mona; Conde, Estefanía; Fernández, Marta; Schuster, Michael; Navas, José María

    2015-02-01

    Here we examined whether the addition of a non-toxic concentration (6.25 μg/mL) of zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnONPs: 19, 35 and 57 nm, respectively) modulates the cytotoxicity of copper nanoparticles (CuNPs, 63 nm in size) in the human hepatoma cell line HepG2. The cytotoxic effect of CuNPs on HepG2 cells was markedly enhanced by the ZnONPs, the largest ZnONPs causing the highest increase in toxicity. However, CuNPs cytotoxicity was not affected by co-incubation with medium containing only zinc ions, indicating the increase in toxicity might be attributed to the particle form of ZnONPs. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) revealed the presence of CuNPs and ZnONPs inside the cells co-exposed to both types of NP and outflow of cytoplasm through the damaged cell membrane. Inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) determined an increase in the concentration of zinc and a decrease in that of copper in co-exposed cells. On the basis of these results, we propose that accumulation of large numbers of ZnONPs in the cells alters cellular membranes and the cytotoxicity of CuNPs is increased. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  17. Legionella pneumophila transcriptional response following exposure to CuO nanoparticles

    EPA Science Inventory

    Copper ions are an effective antimicrobial agent used to control Legionnaires’ disease and Pontiac fever arising from institutional drinking water systems. Here we present data on an alternative bactericidal agent, CuO nanoparticles (CuO-NPs), and test its efficacy at three conce...

  18. Ru-core/Cu-shell bimetallic nanoparticles with controlled size formed in one-pot synthesis.

    PubMed

    Helgadottir, I; Freychet, G; Arquillière, P; Maret, M; Gergaud, P; Haumesser, P H; Santini, C C

    2014-12-21

    Suspensions of bimetallic nanoparticles (NPs) of Ru and Cu have been synthesized by simultaneous decomposition of two organometallic compounds in an ionic liquid. These suspensions have been characterized by Anomalous Small-Angle X-ray Scattering (ASAXS) at energies slightly below the Ru K-edge. It is found that the NPs adopt a Ru-core, a Cu-shell structure, with a constant Ru core diameter of 1.9 nm for all Ru : Cu compositions, while the Cu shell thickness increases with Cu content up to 0.9 nm. The formation of RuCuNPs thus proceeds through rapid decomposition of the Ru precursor into RuNPs of constant size followed by the reaction of the Cu precursor and agglomeration as a Cu shell. Thus, the different decomposition kinetics of precursors make possible the elaboration of core-shell NPs composed of two metals without chemical affinity.

  19. CuO Nanoparticle Dissolution and Toxicity to Wheat ( Triticum aestivum) in Rhizosphere Soil.

    PubMed

    Gao, Xiaoyu; Avellan, Astrid; Laughton, Stephanie; Vaidya, Rucha; Rodrigues, Sónia M; Casman, Elizabeth A; Lowry, Gregory V

    2018-03-06

    It has been suggested, but not previously measured, that dissolution kinetics of soluble nanoparticles such as CuO nanoparticles (NPs) in soil affect their phytotoxicity. An added complexity is that such dissolution is also affected by the presence of plant roots. Here, we measured the rate of dissolution of CuO NPs in bulk soil, and in soil in which wheat plants ( Triticum aestivum) were grown under two soil NP dosing conditions: (a) freshly added CuO NPs (500 mg Cu/kg soil) and (b) CuO NPs aged for 28 d before planting. At the end of the plant growth period (14 d), available Cu was measured in three different soil compartments: bulk (not associated with roots), loosely attached to roots, and rhizosphere (soil firmly attached to roots). The labile Cu fraction increased from 17 mg/kg to 223 mg/kg in fresh treatments and from 283 mg/kg to 305 mg/kg in aged treatments over the growth period due to dissolution. Aging CuO NPs increased the toxicity to Triticum aestivum (reduction in root maximal length). The presence of roots in the soil had opposite and somewhat compensatory effects on NP dissolution, as measured in rhizosphere soil. pH increased 0.4 pH units for fresh NP treatments and 0.6 pH units for aged NPs. This lowered CuO NP dissolution in rhizosphere soil. Exudates from T. aestivum roots also increased soluble Cu in pore water. CaCl 2 extractable Cu concentrations increaed in rhizosphere soil compared to bulk soil, from 1.8 mg/kg to 6.2 mg/kg in fresh treatment and from 3.4 mg/kg to 5.4 mg/kg in aged treatments. Our study correlated CuO NP dissolution and the resulting Cu ion exposure profile to phytotoxicity, and showed that plant-induced changes in rhizosphere conditions should be considered when measuring the dissolution of CuO NPs near roots.

  20. Green synthesis of copper oxide (CuO) nanoparticles using banana peel extract and their photocatalytic activities

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Aminuzzaman, Mohammod; Kei, Leong Mei; Liang, Wong Hong

    2017-04-01

    Copper oxide nanoparticles (CuO NPs) are interesting class of materials having multifunctional properties with promising applications in the areas of catalysts, gas sensors, batteries, magnetic storage media, solar energy, superconductors etc. Thus synthesis of CuO NPs has attracted tremendous interest to scientists and researchers Herein, we reported a green and simple method for biosynthesizing CuO NPs using banana peel extract as reducing and stabilizing agent. XRD, EDX, FE-SEM, FTIR have been used for characterization of biosynthesized CuO NPs. The results indicating that the CuO NPs synthesized by banana peel extract have high purity and the average particles size is 60 nm. The photocatalytic activity of the CuO NPs has been investigated by degradation of Congo red (CR) dye under solar irradiation. The extent of CR dye degradation by CuO NPs is monitored by using a UV-visible spectrophotometer. Due to the smaller size and high purity, the biosynthesized CuO NPs showed an excellent photocatlytic activity.

  1. Interactions of CuO nanoparticles with the algae Chlorella pyrenoidosa: adhesion, uptake, and toxicity.

    PubMed

    Zhao, Jian; Cao, Xuesong; Liu, Xiaoyu; Wang, Zhenyu; Zhang, Chenchen; White, Jason C; Xing, Baoshan

    2016-11-01

    The potential adverse effects of CuO nanoparticles (NPs) have increasingly attracted attention. Combining electron microscopic and toxicological investigations, we determined the adhesion, uptake, and toxicity of CuO NPs to eukaryotic alga Chlorella pyrenoidosa. CuO NPs were toxic to C. pyrenoidosa, with a 72 h EC50 of 45.7 mg/L. Scanning electron microscopy showed that CuO NPs were attached onto the surface of the algal cells and interacted with extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) excreted by the organisms. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) showed that EPS layer of algae was thickened by nearly 4-fold after CuO NPs exposure, suggesting a possible protective mechanism. In spite of the thickening of EPS layer, CuO NPs were still internalized by endocytosis and were stored in algal vacuoles. TEM and electron diffraction analysis confirmed that the internalized CuO NPs were transformed to Cu2O NPs (d-spacing, ∼0.213 nm) with an average size approximately 5 nm. The toxicity investigation demonstrated that severe membrane damage was observed after attachment of CuO NPs with algae. Reactive oxygen species generation and mitochondrial depolarization were also noted upon exposure to CuO NPs. This work provides useful information on understanding the role of NPs-algae physical interactions in nanotoxicity.

  2. Synthesis methods influence characteristics, behaviour and toxicity of bare CuO NPs compared to bulk CuO and ionic Cu after in vitro exposure of Ruditapes philippinarum hemocytes.

    PubMed

    Volland, Moritz; Hampel, Miriam; Katsumiti, Alberto; Yeste, María Pilar; Gatica, José Manuel; Cajaraville, Miren; Blasco, Julián

    2018-06-01

    Copper oxide (CuO) nanoparticles (NPs) are increasingly investigated, developed and produced for a wide range of industrial and consumer products. Notwithstanding their promising novel applications, concern has been raised that their increased use and disposal could consequently increase their release into marine systems and potentially affect species within. To date the understanding of factors and mechanisms of CuO (nano-) toxicity to marine invertebrates is still limited. Hence, we studied the characteristics and behaviour of two commercially available CuO NPs of similar size, but produced employing distinct synthesis methods, under various environmentally and experimentally relevant conditions. In addition, cell viability and DNA damage, as well as gene expression of detoxification, oxidative stress, inflammatory response, DNA damage repair and cell death mediator markers were studied in primary cultures of hemocytes from the marine clam Ruditapes philippinarum and, where applicable, compared to bulk CuO and ionic Cu (as CuSO 4 ) behaviour and effects. We found that the synthesis method can influence particle characteristics and behaviour, as well as the toxicity of CuO NPs to Ruditapes philippinarum hemocytes. Our results further indicate that under the tested conditions aggregating behaviour influences the toxicity of CuO NPs by influencing their rate of extra- and intracellular dissolution. In addition, gene expression analysis identified similar transcriptional de-regulation for all tested copper treatments for the here measured suite of genes. Finally, our work highlights various differences in the aggregation and dissolution kinetics of CuO particles under environmental (marine) and cell culture exposure conditions that need consideration when extrapolating in vitro findings. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  3. Enhancement in visible light photocatalytic activity by embedding Cu nanoparticles over CuS/MCM-41 nanocomposite

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sohrabnezhad, Sh.; Karamzadeh, M.

    2017-07-01

    This article indicate the biogenic synthesis of copper nanoparticles (Cu NPs) using the borage flowers extract of Borago officinalis over CuS/MCM-41 nanocomposite (NC). No external reducing was utilized in the developed method. The CuS-MCM-41 NC was used as stabilizing agent. The synthesis of CuS nanostructure in MCM-41 material has been realized by hydrothermal method. Their physiochemical properties have been characterized by X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), UV-Visible diffuse reflectance spectroscopy, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. On the basis of TEM images, a layer of Cu NPs has been located over CuS/MCM-41 NC with average diameter of 60-80 nm. The results revealed the spherical nature of the prepared Cu NPs with diameter less than 10 nm. The DR spectra of Cu NPs in MCM-41 and CuS-MCM-41 NCs showed surface plasmon resonance bands at 570 and 500-600 nm, respectively. The photocatalytic activity was evaluated under visible light irradiation using the photocatalytic degradation of methylene blue (MB) as a model reaction. The prepared Cu/CuS/MCM-41 nanocomposite microspheres showed higher photodegradation ability for MB than CuS/MCM-41. The degradation of MB achieved up to 80% after 60 min and the nanocomposite could be recycled and reused.

  4. Photocatalytic effect of green synthesised CuO nanoparticles on selected environmental pollutants and pathogens

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Fuku, Xolile; Thovhogi, Ntevheleni; Maaza, Malik

    2018-05-01

    Highly crystalline irregular green synthesised CuO nanoparticles (CuO NPs) which are 10 nm in particle size were successfully characterised by HRSEM and AFM. EDS confirmed the main components of prepared sample which are Cu and O. Meanwhile, UV/Vis revealed the reflectance, transmittance, absorbance and the semiconducting nature of the synthesised nano-oxides. The optical band gap of CuO NPs was calculated to be 1.4 - 2.3 eV which indicates that CuO NPs can be used in metal oxide semiconductor-based devices. CuO NPs were found to be excellent photocatalysts for the degradation of methyl orange organic dye under the illumination of artificial light irradiation. The experiments demonstrated that MO in aqueous solution was more efficiently photo-degraded (65 %) using CuO NPs as photocatalysts. Further, the nanomaterials were also found to be good inhibitors of bacterial strains at both low and high concentrations of 5 - 10 mg mL-1.

  5. Kinetic trapping through coalescence and the formation of patterned Ag-Cu nanoparticles

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Grammatikopoulos, Panagiotis; Kioseoglou, Joseph; Galea, Antony; Vernieres, Jerome; Benelmekki, Maria; Diaz, Rosa E.; Sowwan, Mukhles

    2016-05-01

    In recent years, due to its inherent flexibility, magnetron-sputtering has been widely used to synthesise bi-metallic nanoparticles (NPs) via subsequent inert-gas cooling and gas-phase condensation of the sputtered atomic vapour. Utilising two separate sputter targets allows for good control over composition. Simultaneously, it involves fast kinetics and non-equilibrium processes, which can trap the nascent NPs into metastable configurations. In this study, we observed such configurations in immiscible, bi-metallic Ag-Cu NPs by scanning transmission electron microscopy (S/TEM) and electron energy-loss spectroscopy (EELS), and noticed a marked difference in the shape of NPs belonging to Ag- and Cu-rich samples. We explained the formation of Janus or Ag@Cu core/shell metastable structures on the grounds of in-flight mixed NP coalescence. We utilised molecular dynamics (MD) and Monte Carlo (MC) computer simulations to demonstrate that such configurations cannot occur as a result of nanoalloy segregation. Instead, sintering at relatively low temperatures can give rise to metastable structures, which eventually can be stabilised by subsequent quenching. Furthermore, we compared the heteroepitaxial diffusivities along various surfaces of both Ag and Cu NPs, and emphasised the differences between the sintering mechanisms of Ag- and Cu-rich NP compositions: small Cu NPs deform as coherent objects on large Ag NPs, whereas small Ag NPs dissolve into large Cu NPs, with their atoms diffusing along specific directions. Taking advantage of this observation, we propose controlled NP coalescence as a method to engineer mixed NPs of a unique, patterned core@partial-shell structure, which we refer to as a ``glass-float'' (ukidama) structure.In recent years, due to its inherent flexibility, magnetron-sputtering has been widely used to synthesise bi-metallic nanoparticles (NPs) via subsequent inert-gas cooling and gas-phase condensation of the sputtered atomic vapour. Utilising two

  6. Crystal Structural Effect of AuCu Alloy Nanoparticles on Catalytic CO Oxidation

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

    Zhan, Wangcheng; Wang, Jinglin; Wang, Haifeng

    2017-06-07

    Controlling the physical and chemical properties of alloy nanoparticles (NPs) is an important approach to optimize NP catalysis. Unlike other tuning knobs, such as size, shape, and composition, crystal structure has received limited attention and not been well understood for its role in catalysis. This deficiency is mainly due to the difficulty in synthesis and fine-tuning of the NPs’ crystal structure. Here, Exemplifying by AuCu alloy NPs with face centered cubic (fcc) and face centered tetragonal (fct) structure, we demonstrate a remarkable difference in phase segregation and catalytic performance depending on the crystal structure. During the thermal treatment in air,more » the Cu component in fcc-AuCu alloy NPs segregates more easily onto the alloy surface as compared to that in fct-AuCu alloy NPs. As a result, after annealing at 250 °C in air for 1 h, the fcc- and fct-AuCu alloy NPs are phase transferred into Au/CuO and AuCu/CuO core/shell structures, respectively. More importantly, this variation in heterostructures introduces a significant difference in CO adsorption on two catalysts, leading to a largely enhanced catalytic activity of AuCu/CuO NP catalyst for CO oxidation. Furthermore, the same concept can be extended to other alloy NPs, making it possible to fine-tune NP catalysis for many different chemical reactions.« less

  7. Bioaccumulation and toxicity of CuO nanoparticles by a freshwater invertebrate after waterborne and dietborne exposures

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Croteau, Marie-Noele; Misra, Superb K.; Luoma, Samuel N.; Valsami-Jones, Eugenia

    2014-01-01

    The incidental ingestion of engineered nanoparticles (NPs) can be an important route of uptake for aquatic organisms. Yet, knowledge of dietary bioavailability and toxicity of NPs is scarce. Here we used isotopically modified copper oxide (65CuO) NPs to characterize the processes governing their bioaccumulation in a freshwater snail after waterborne and dietborne exposures. Lymnaea stagnalis efficiently accumulated 65Cu after aqueous and dietary exposures to 65CuO NPs. Cu assimilation efficiency and feeding rates averaged 83% and 0.61 g g–1 d–1 at low exposure concentrations (–1), and declined by nearly 50% above this concentration. We estimated that 80–90% of the bioaccumulated 65Cu concentration in L. stagnalis originated from the 65CuO NPs, suggesting that dissolution had a negligible influence on Cu uptake from the NPs under our experimental conditions. The physiological loss of 65Cu incorporated into tissues after exposures to 65CuO NPs was rapid over the first days of depuration and not detectable thereafter. As a result, large Cu body concentrations are expected in L. stagnalis after exposure to CuO NPs. To the degree that there is a link between bioaccumulation and toxicity, dietborne exposures to CuO NPs are likely to elicit adverse effects more readily than waterborne exposures.

  8. Evaluating toxicity of copper(II) oxide nanoparticles (CuO-NPs) through waterborne exposure to tilapia (Oreochromis mossambicus) by tissue accumulation, oxidative stress, histopathology, and genotoxicity.

    PubMed

    Shahzad, Khurram; Khan, Muhammad Naeem; Jabeen, Farhat; Kosour, Nasreen; Chaudhry, Abdul Shakoor; Sohail, Muhammad

    2018-06-01

    Metal oxide nanoparticles are widely used in industries, and peak level can be confirmed in their surroundings. In the present study, the sub-lethal effects of CuO-NPs from low to high concentration as 0.5 to 1.5 mg/L were observed in tilapia (Oreochromis mossambicus). Accumulation of copper from CuO-NPs was increased with the increase in doses, and maximum accumulation was found in the gill than liver and muscles. The increased lipid peroxidation level was observed in the gill as compared to liver, and the similar results were obtained in catalase and glutathione while superoxide dismutase level was higher in the liver than gills. In histological alterations, gill edema, curved tips, fusion of gill lamellae, and thickening of primary and secondary gill lamellae were observed. Necrosis and apoptosis with condensed nuclear bodies and pyknotic nuclei were observed in the liver at the highest dose concentration. In a genotoxic study, the highest value of % tail DNA and olive tail movement was observed with increasing concentrations. Copper oxide nanoparticles has greater potential to accumulate in the soft tissues, which may cause respiratory distress such as oxidative stress, induction of antioxidant defense by raising glutathione, organ pathology, and genotoxicity.

  9. Histopathological effects following short-term coexposure of Cyprinus carpio to nanoparticles of TiO2 and CuO.

    PubMed

    Mansouri, Borhan; Maleki, Afshin; Davari, Behroz; Johari, Seyed Ali; Shahmoradi, Behzad; Mohammadi, Ebrahim; Shahsavari, Siros

    2016-10-01

    The aim of this research was to investigate the coexposure of nanoparticles of titanium dioxide (TiO2) and copper oxide (CuO) on the alterations of the gill, intestine, kidney, and liver tissues of carps (Cyprinus carpio). In this study, carps (length 23 ± 1.5 cm; weight 13 ± 1.3 g) were divided into six groups of 15 each and exposed to 2.5 and 5.0 mg L(-1) of CuO nanoparticles (NPs), 10.0 mg L(-1) of TiO2 NPs, and 2.5 and 5.0 mg L(-1) of CuO NPs + 10.0 mg L(-1) of TiO2 NP mixture. Fish were sampled for histopathological studies after hematoxylin-eosin staining. Results indicated that the more kinds of histopathology anomalies observed with CuO NP and TiO2 NP mixture were broadly of the same type as CuO NPs and TiO2 NPs alone, but the severity or incidence of injuries of gill, intestine, liver, and kidney of carps in the mixture of CuO NPs + TiO2 NPs was higher than that of each NP alone. Moreover, behavioral changes in carps exposed to CuO NP and TiO2 NP mixture such as hyperactivity, loss of balance, and convulsions were higher than those to CuO NPs and TiO2 NPs alone. In conclusion, the presence of TiO2 NPs enhanced the effects of NPs of copper oxide in terms of histopathological changes in carps.

  10. Can CuO nanoparticles lead to epigenetic regulation of antioxidant enzyme system?

    PubMed

    Chibber, Sandesh; Shanker, Rishi

    2017-01-01

    Copper has been used from ancient time in various applications. Scientists have exploited its means of exposure and consequences to living organisms. The peculiar property of nanomaterials that is a high surface to volume ratio has increased the range of application in products. Copper oxide nanoparticles (CuO NPs) are widely used in industrial applications such as semiconductor devices, gas sensor, batteries, solar energy converter, microelectronics, heat transfer fluids and consumer products. In contrast, acute toxicity of CuO NPs has also been reported. Subsequently, human and environmental health may be at a high risk. Their frequent use can also contaminate ecosystems. Therefore, the toxicity of CuO NPs needs to be thoroughly understood. In this review, we have tried to discuss the recent facts and mechanism that have been explored for CuO NPs-induced toxicity at a cellular, in vivo and ecotoxicological level. Accordingly, the main cause for induction of toxicity by CuO NPs is the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) followed by the mitochondrial destruction that leads to apoptosis via the intrinsic pathway or under the condition such as hypoxia cell on exposure to CuO NPs may commit to necrosis. Moreover, CuO NPs also result in activation of MAPK pathways, ERKs and JNK/SAPK thus play an important role in the activation of AP-1. Furthermore, CuO NPs also leads to up-regulation of p53 and caspase three genes. Therefore, careful measures are required to explore omic technology to understand the molecular mechanism of the deleterious effects caused by CuO NPs. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  11. Ordered PdCu-Based Nanoparticles as Bifunctional Oxygen-Reduction and Ethanol-Oxidation Electrocatalysts

    DOE PAGES

    Jiang, Kezhu; Wang, Pengtang; Guo, Shaojun; ...

    2016-06-02

    Here, the development of superior non-platinum electrocatalysts for enhancing the electrocatalytic activity and stability for the oxygen-reduction reaction (ORR) and liquid fuel oxidation reaction is very important for the commercialization of fuel cells,but still agreat challenge.Herein, we demonstrate a new colloidal chemistry technique for making structurally ordered PdCu-based nanoparticles (NPs) with composition control from PdCu to PdCuNi and PtCuCo.Under the dual tuning on the composition and intermetallic phase,the ordered PdCuCo NPs exhibit better activity and much enhanced stability for ORR and ethanol-oxidation reaction (EOR)than those of disordered PdCuM NPs,the commercial Pt/Cand Pd/C catalysts.The density functional theory (DFT)calculations reveal that themore » improved ORR activity on the PdCuM NPs stems from the catalytically active hollow sites arising from the ligand effect and the compressive strain on thePd surface owing to the smaller atomic size of Cu, Co,and Ni.« less

  12. Stabilizing CuPd Nanoparticles via CuPd Coupling to WO 2.72 Nanorods in Electrochemical Oxidation of Formic Acid

    DOE PAGES

    Xi, Zheng; Li, Junrui; Su, Dong; ...

    2017-10-05

    Stabilizing a 3d-transition metal component M from an MPd alloy structure in an acidic environment is key to the enhancement of MPd catalysis for various reactions. Here we show a strategy to stabilize Cu in 5 nm CuPd nanoparticles (NPs) by coupling the CuPd NPs with perovskite-type WO 2.72 nanorods (NRs). The CuPd NPs are prepared by controlled diffusion of Cu into Pd NPs and the coupled CuPd/WO 2.72 are synthesized by growing WO 2.72 NRs in the presence of CuPd NPs. The CuPd/WO 2.72 can stabilize Cu in 0.1 M HClO4 solution and, as a result, they show Cu,more » Pd composition dependent activity for the electrochemical oxidation of formic acid in 0.1 M HClO 4 + 0.1 M HCOOH. Among three different CuPd/WO 2.72 studied, the Cu 48Pd 52/WO 2.72 is the most efficient catalyst with its mass activity reaching 2086 mA/mgPd in a broad potential range of 0.40 to 0.80 V (vs. RHE) and staying at this value after the 12 h chronoamperometry test at 0.40 V. The synthesis can be extended to obtain other MPd/WO 2.72 (M = Fe, Co, Ni), making it possible to study MPd-WO 2.72 interactions and MPd stabilization on enhancing MPd catalysis for various chemical reactions.« less

  13. Chamomile flower extract-directed CuO nanoparticle formation for its antioxidant and DNA cleavage properties.

    PubMed

    Duman, Fatih; Ocsoy, Ismail; Kup, Fatma Ozturk

    2016-03-01

    In this study, we report the synthesis of copper oxide nanoparticles (CuO NPs) using a medicinal plant (Matricaria chamomilla) flower extract as both reducing and capping agent and investigate their antioxidant activity and interaction with plasmid DNA (pBR322).The CuO NPs were characterized using Uv-Vis spectroscopy, FT-IR (Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy), DLS (dynamic light scattering), XRD (X-ray diffraction), EDX (energy-dispersive X-ray) spectroscopy and SEM (scanning electron microscopy). The CuO NPs exhibited nearly mono-distributed and spherical shapes with diameters of 140 nm size. UV-Vis absorption spectrum of CuO NPs gave a broad peak around 285 and 320 nm. The existence of functional groups on the surface of CuO NPs was characterized with FT-IR analysis. XRD pattern showed that the NPs are in the form of a face-centered cubic crystal. Zeta potential value was measured as -20 mV due to the presence of negatively charged functional groups in plant extract. Additionally, we demonstrated concentration-dependent antioxidant activity of CuO NPs and their interaction with plasmid DNA. We assumed that the CuO NPs both cleave and break DNA double helix structure. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  14. Cu-Chitosan Nanoparticle Mediated Sustainable Approach To Enhance Seedling Growth in Maize by Mobilizing Reserved Food.

    PubMed

    Saharan, Vinod; Kumaraswamy, R V; Choudhary, Ram Chandra; Kumari, Sarita; Pal, Ajay; Raliya, Ramesh; Biswas, Pratim

    2016-08-10

    Food crop seedlings often have susceptibility to various abiotic and biotic stresses. Therefore, in the present study, we investigated the impact of Cu-chitosan nanoparticles (NPs) on physiological and biochemical changes during maize seedling growth. Higher values of percent germination, shoot and root length, root number, seedling length, fresh and dry weight, and seed vigor index were obtained at 0.04-0.12% concentrations of Cu-chitosan NPs as compared to water, CuSO4, and bulk chitosan treatments. Cu-chitosan NPs at the same concentrations induced the activities of α-amylase and protease enzymes and also increased the total protein content in germinating seeds. The increased activities of α-amylase and protease enzymes corroborated with decreased content of starch and protein, respectively, in the germinating seeds. Cu-chitosan NPs at 0.16% and CuSO4 at 0.01% concentrations showed inhibitory effect on seedling growth. The observed results on seedling growth could be explained by the toxicity of excess Cu and growth promotory effect of Cu-chitosan NPs. Physiological and biochemical studies suggest that Cu-chitosan NPs enhance the seedling growth of maize by mobilizing the reserved food, primarily starch, through the higher activity of α-amylase.

  15. Synthesis of Cu/CuO nanoparticles in mesoporous material by solid state reaction

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sohrabnezhad, Sh.; Valipour, A.

    2013-10-01

    The Mobil Composition of Matter No. 41 (MCM-41) containing 1.0 and 5.0 wt.% of Cu was synthesized under solid state reaction. The calcinations of samples were done at two different temperatures, 500 and 300 °C. X-ray diffraction (XRD), UV-Vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (UV-Vis DRS), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) were used for samples characterization. Powder X-ray diffraction showed that when Cu(CH3COO)2 content is about 1.0 wt.% in Cu/MCM-41, the guest CuO-NPs and copper ions is formed on the silica channel wall, and more exists in the crystalline state. When Cu(CH3COO)2 content exceeds this value (5.0 wt.%), CuO nanoparticles and Cu2+ ions can be observed in low crystalline state. From the diffuse reflectance spectra it was confirmed that 5 wt.% Cu/MCM-41 sample calcined at 500 °C show plasmon resonance band due to Cu nanoparticles in the range between 500 and 600 nm and small copper clusters Cun in 450 nm. It also shows that some of the Cu2+ ions are present octahedrally in extraframework position in all samples. Both fourier transform infrared and diffuse reflectance spectra indicate that some of Cu2+ ions are tetrahedrally within the framework position in 1 wt.% Cu/MCM-41 samples. TEM images indicated that nanoparticles size of CuO is in range of 30-40 nm.

  16. Fate and Transformation of CuO Nanoparticles in the Soil-Rice System during the Life Cycle of Rice Plants.

    PubMed

    Peng, Cheng; Xu, Chen; Liu, Qinglin; Sun, Lijuan; Luo, Yongming; Shi, Jiyan

    2017-05-02

    Agricultural soil is gradually becoming a primary sink for metal-based nanoparticles (MNPs). The uptake and accumulation of MNPs by crops may contaminate food chain and pose unexpected risks for human health. Here, we investigated the fate and transformation of CuO nanoparticles (NPs) in the soil-rice system during the rice lifecycle. The results show that at the maturation stage, 1000 mg/kg CuO NPs significantly decreased redox potential by 202.75 mV but enhanced electrical conductivity by 497.07 mS/cm compared to controls. Moreover, the bioavailability of highest CuO NPs in the soil was reduced by 69.84% along with the plant growth but then was significantly increased by 165% after drying-wetting cycles. Meanwhile, CuO and Cu combined with humic acid were transformed to Cu 2 S and Cu associated with goethite by X-ray absorption near edge structure analysis. Additionally, CuO NPs had an acute negative effect on the plant growth than bulk particles, which dramatically reduced the fresh weight of grains to 6.51% of controls. Notably, CuO NPs were found to be translocated from soil to plant especially to the chaff and promoted the Cu accumulation in the aleurone layer of rice using micro X-ray fluorescence technique, but could not reach the polished rice.

  17. Copper Bioaccumulation and Depuration in Common Carp (Cyprinus carpio) Following Co-exposure to TiO2 and CuO Nanoparticles.

    PubMed

    Mansouri, Borhan; Maleki, Afshin; Johari, Seyed Ali; Shahmoradi, Behzad; Mohammadi, Ebrahim; Shahsavari, Siros; Davari, Behroz

    2016-11-01

    Metal oxide nanoparticles (NPs), such as TiO 2 and CuO, are widely applied in an increasing number of products and applications, and therefore their release to the aquatic ecosystems is unavoidable. However, little is known about joint toxicity of different NPs on tissues of aquatic organisms, such as fish. This study was conducted to assess the uptake and depuration of Cu following exposure to CuO NPs in the presence of TiO 2 NPs in the liver, intestine, muscle, and gill of common carp, Cyprinus carpio. Carps with a mean total length of 23 ± 1.5 cm and mean weight of 13 ± 1.3 g were divided into 6 groups of 15 each (1 control group) and exposed to TiO 2 NPs, CuO NPs, and a mixture of TiO 2 and CuO NPs for periods of 20 days for uptake and 10 days for depuration. The determination of total Cu concentration was carried out by an ICP-OES. The order of Cu uptake in different tissues of the carps was liver > gill > muscle > intestine in both levels of CuO NPs alone; results showed that the total Cu concentrations in the presence of TiO 2 nanoparticles were increased and were in the sequence of liver > gill > intestine > muscle. In depuration period, Cu concentrations were decreased in all treatments in the sequence of gill > intestine > muscle > liver. Uptake of Cu in different tissues of common carp increased with increasing concentration and time and was tissues- and time-dependent. In conclusion, this study suggested that the uptake of Cu in the tissues of common carp increased in the joint presence of TiO 2 NPs.

  18. Catalytic Gas-Phase Glycerol Processing over SiO2-, Cu-, Ni- and Fe- Supported Au Nanoparticles

    PubMed Central

    Kapkowski, Maciej; Siudyga, Tomasz; Sitko, Rafal; Lelątko, Józef; Szade, Jacek; Balin, Katarzyna; Klimontko, Joanna; Bartczak, Piotr; Polanski, Jaroslaw

    2015-01-01

    In this study, we investigated different metal pairings of Au nanoparticles (NPs) as potential catalysts for glycerol dehydration for the first time. All of the systems preferred the formation of hydroxyacetone (HYNE). Although the bimetallics that were tested, i.e., Au NPs supported on Ni, Fe and Cu appeared to be more active than the Au/SiO2 system, only Cu supported Au NPs gave high conversion (ca. 63%) and selectivity (ca. 70%) to HYNE. PMID:26580400

  19. An efficient one-pot synthesis of 1,4-disubstituted 1,2,3-triazoles at room temperature by green synthesized Cu NPs using Otostegia persica leaf extract.

    PubMed

    Nasrollahzadeh, Mahmoud; Sajadi, S Mohammad; Mirzaei, Yousef

    2016-04-15

    In this study, copper nanoparticles (Cu NPs) were synthesized using a rapid, single step and completely green biosynthetic method by reduction of CuCl2 · 2H2O solution with aqueous extract of leaves of Otostegia persica containing flavonoid and other phenolics as a main factor which acts as reducing agent and efficient stabilizer. UV-vis spectra gave surface plasmon resonance (SPR) at 560 nm. The Cu NPs were characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). A possible synthesis mechanism of Cu NPs was presented. In addition, we investigated the catalytic activity of Cu NPs for the one-pot synthesis of 1,4-disubstituted 1,2,3-triazoles under mild reaction conditions with good to excellent yields. The catalyst could be easily recovered by centrifugation and reused at least five recycles with no significant decreases in the yields. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  20. CuNi Nanoparticles Assembled on Graphene for Catalytic Methanolysis of Ammonia Borane and Hydrogenation of Nitro/Nitrile Compounds

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

    Yu, Chao; Fu, Jiaju; Muzzio, Michelle

    Here we report a solution phase synthesis of 16 nm CuNi nanoparticles (NPs) with the Cu/Ni composition control. These NPs are assembled on graphene (G) and show Cu/Ni composition-dependent catalysis for methanolysis of ammonia borane (AB) and hydrogenation of aromatic nitro (nitrile) compounds to primary amines in methanol at room temperature. Among five different CuNi NPs studied, the G-Cu 36Ni 64 NPs are the best catalyst for both AB methanolysis (TOF = 49.1 mol H2 mol CuNi -1 min -1 and E a = 24.4 kJ/mol) and hydrogenation reactions (conversion yield >97%). In conclusion, the G-CuNi represents a unique noble-metal-freemore » catalyst for hydrogenation reactions in a green environment without using pure hydrogen.« less

  1. CuNi Nanoparticles Assembled on Graphene for Catalytic Methanolysis of Ammonia Borane and Hydrogenation of Nitro/Nitrile Compounds

    DOE PAGES

    Yu, Chao; Fu, Jiaju; Muzzio, Michelle; ...

    2017-01-12

    Here we report a solution phase synthesis of 16 nm CuNi nanoparticles (NPs) with the Cu/Ni composition control. These NPs are assembled on graphene (G) and show Cu/Ni composition-dependent catalysis for methanolysis of ammonia borane (AB) and hydrogenation of aromatic nitro (nitrile) compounds to primary amines in methanol at room temperature. Among five different CuNi NPs studied, the G-Cu 36Ni 64 NPs are the best catalyst for both AB methanolysis (TOF = 49.1 mol H2 mol CuNi -1 min -1 and E a = 24.4 kJ/mol) and hydrogenation reactions (conversion yield >97%). In conclusion, the G-CuNi represents a unique noble-metal-freemore » catalyst for hydrogenation reactions in a green environment without using pure hydrogen.« less

  2. Proteomic response of mussels Mytilus galloprovincialis exposed to CuO NPs and Cu²⁺: an exploratory biomarker discovery.

    PubMed

    Gomes, Tânia; Chora, Suze; Pereira, Catarina G; Cardoso, Cátia; Bebianno, Maria João

    2014-10-01

    CuO NPs are one of the most used metal nanomaterials nowadays with several industrial and other commercial applications. Nevertheless, less is known about the mechanisms by which these NPs inflict toxicity in mussels and to what extent it differs from Cu(2+). The aim of this study was to investigate changes in protein expression profiles in mussels Mytilus galloprovincialis exposed for 15 days to CuO NPs and Cu(2+) (10 μg L(-1)) using a proteomic approach. Results demonstrate that CuO NPs and Cu(2+) induced major changes in protein expression in mussels' showing several tissue and metal-dependent responses. CuO NPs showed a higher tendency to up-regulate proteins in the gills and down-regulate in the digestive gland, while Cu(2+) showed the opposite tendency. Distinctive sets of differentially expressed proteins were found, either common or specific to each Cu form and tissue, reflecting different mechanisms involved in their toxicity. Fifteen of the differentially expressed proteins from both tissues were identified by MALDI-TOF-TOF. Identified proteins indicate common response mechanisms induced by CuO NPs and Cu(2+), namely in cytoskeleton and cell structure (actin, α-tubulin, paramyosin), stress response (heat shock cognate 71, putative C1q domain containing protein), transcription regulation (zinc-finger BED domain-containing protein 1, nuclear receptor subfamily 1G) and energy metabolism (ATP synthase F0 subunit 6). CuO NPs alone also had a marked effect on other biological processes, namely oxidative stress (GST), proteolysis (cathepsin L) and apoptosis (caspase 3/7-1). On the other hand, Cu(2+) affected a protein associated with adhesion and mobility, precollagen-D that is associated with the detoxification mechanism of Cu(2+). Protein identification clearly showed that the toxicity of CuO NPs is not solely due to Cu(2+) dissolution and can result in mitochondrial and nucleus stress-induced cell signalling cascades that can lead to apoptosis. While the

  3. Transformation of CuO Nanoparticles in the Aquatic Environment: Influence of pH, Electrolytes and Natural Organic Matter

    PubMed Central

    Peng, Cheng; Shen, Chensi; Zheng, Siyuan; Yang, Weiling; Hu, Hang; Liu, Jianshe; Shi, Jiyan

    2017-01-01

    Many studies have shown the effect of solution chemistry on the environmental behavior of metal-based nanoparticles (NPs), except CuO NPs. Here, we investigated the agglomeration, sedimentation, dissolution, and speciation of CuO NPs by varying pH, ionic strength, ionic valence, and natural organic matter (NOM). The results showed that as the pH moved away from 6, the size of CuO agglomerates decreased, along with the enhanced NP suspension stabilization, due to the increase of electrostatic repulsive force. Increasing ionic strength and valence intensified the agglomeration and sedimentation of CuO NPs because of the compression of electrical double layers. The presence of humic acid and citric acid enhanced the dispersion and stabilization of CuO NP suspension, but l-cysteine showed a different impact. Decreasing pH, increasing ionic strength and all NOM improved the dissolution of CuO NPs, but the divalent electrolyte (CaCl2) inhibited the Cu2+ release from CuO NPs compared to the monovalent electrolyte (NaCl). In addition, X-ray absorption near edge structure (XANES) analysis demonstrated that the presence of l-cysteine transformed more than 30% of CuO NPs to Cu(I)-cysteine by coordinating with thiol group. This study can give us an in-depth understanding on the environmental behavior and fate of CuO NPs in the aquatic environment. PMID:29036921

  4. High-performance SERS substrate based on hybrid structure of graphene oxide/AgNPs/Cu film@pyramid Si

    PubMed Central

    Li, Zhe; Xu, Shi Cai; Zhang, Chao; Liu, Xiao Yun; Gao, Sai Sai; Hu, Li Tao; Guo, Jia; Ma, Yong; Jiang, Shou Zhen; Si, Hai Peng

    2016-01-01

    We present a novel surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) substrate based on graphene oxide/silver nanoparticles/copper film covered silicon pyramid arrays (GO/AgNPs/PCu@Si) by a low-cost and simple method. The GO/AgNPs/PCu@Si substrate presents high sensitivity, good homogeneity and well stability with R6G molecules as a probe. The detected concentration of Rhodamine 6 G (R6G) is as low as 10−15 M. These sensitive SERS behaviors are also confirmed in theory via a commercial COMSOL software, the electric field enhancement is not only formed between the AgNPs, but also formed between the AgNPs and Cu film. And the GO/AgNPs/PCu@Si substrates also present good property on practical application for the detection of methylene blue (MB) and crystal violet (CV). This work may offer a novel and practical method to facilitate the SERS applications in areas of medicine, food safety and biotechnology. PMID:27924863

  5. High-performance SERS substrate based on hybrid structure of graphene oxide/AgNPs/Cu film@pyramid Si

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Li, Zhe; Xu, Shi Cai; Zhang, Chao; Liu, Xiao Yun; Gao, Sai Sai; Hu, Li Tao; Guo, Jia; Ma, Yong; Jiang, Shou Zhen; Si, Hai Peng

    2016-12-01

    We present a novel surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) substrate based on graphene oxide/silver nanoparticles/copper film covered silicon pyramid arrays (GO/AgNPs/PCu@Si) by a low-cost and simple method. The GO/AgNPs/PCu@Si substrate presents high sensitivity, good homogeneity and well stability with R6G molecules as a probe. The detected concentration of Rhodamine 6 G (R6G) is as low as 10-15 M. These sensitive SERS behaviors are also confirmed in theory via a commercial COMSOL software, the electric field enhancement is not only formed between the AgNPs, but also formed between the AgNPs and Cu film. And the GO/AgNPs/PCu@Si substrates also present good property on practical application for the detection of methylene blue (MB) and crystal violet (CV). This work may offer a novel and practical method to facilitate the SERS applications in areas of medicine, food safety and biotechnology.

  6. High-performance SERS substrate based on hybrid structure of graphene oxide/AgNPs/Cu film@pyramid Si.

    PubMed

    Li, Zhe; Xu, Shi Cai; Zhang, Chao; Liu, Xiao Yun; Gao, Sai Sai; Hu, Li Tao; Guo, Jia; Ma, Yong; Jiang, Shou Zhen; Si, Hai Peng

    2016-12-07

    We present a novel surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) substrate based on graphene oxide/silver nanoparticles/copper film covered silicon pyramid arrays (GO/AgNPs/PCu@Si) by a low-cost and simple method. The GO/AgNPs/PCu@Si substrate presents high sensitivity, good homogeneity and well stability with R6G molecules as a probe. The detected concentration of Rhodamine 6 G (R6G) is as low as 10 -15 M. These sensitive SERS behaviors are also confirmed in theory via a commercial COMSOL software, the electric field enhancement is not only formed between the AgNPs, but also formed between the AgNPs and Cu film. And the GO/AgNPs/PCu@Si substrates also present good property on practical application for the detection of methylene blue (MB) and crystal violet (CV). This work may offer a novel and practical method to facilitate the SERS applications in areas of medicine, food safety and biotechnology.

  7. Insights into the CuO nanoparticle ecotoxicity with suitable marine model species.

    PubMed

    Rotini, A; Gallo, A; Parlapiano, I; Berducci, M T; Boni, R; Tosti, E; Prato, E; Maggi, C; Cicero, A M; Migliore, L; Manfra, L

    2018-01-01

    Metal oxide nanoparticles, among them copper oxide nanoparticles (CuO NPs), are widely used in different applications (e.g. batteries, gas sensors, superconductors, plastics and metallic coatings), increasing their potential release in the environment. In aquatic matrix, the behavior of CuO NPs may strongly change, depending on their surface charge and some physical-chemical characteristics of the medium (e.g. ionic strength, salinity, pH and natural organic matter content). Ecotoxicity of CuO NPs to aquatic organisms was mainly studied on freshwater species, few tests being performed on marine biota. The aim of this study was to assess the toxicity of CuO NPs on suitable indicator species, belonging to the ecologically relevant level of consumers. The selected bioassays use reference protocols to identify Effect/Lethal Concentrations (E(L)C), by assessing lethal and sub-lethal endpoints. Mortality tests were performed on rotifer (Brachionus plicatilis), shrimp (Artemia franciscana) and copepod (Tigriopus fulvus). While moult release failure and fertilization rate were studied, as sub-lethal endpoints, on T. fulvus and sea urchin (Paracentrotus lividus), respectively. The size distribution and sedimentation rates of CuO NPs, together with the copper dissolution, were also analyzed in the exposure media. The CuO NP ecotoxicity assessment showed a concentration-dependent response for all species, indicating similar mortality for B. plicatilis (48hLC 50 = 16.94 ± 2.68mg/l) and T. fulvus (96hLC 50 = 12.35 ± 0.48mg/l), followed by A. franciscana (48hLC 50 = 64.55 ± 3.54mg/l). Comparable EC 50 values were also obtained for the sub-lethal endpoints in P. lividus (EC 50 = 2.28 ± 0.06mg/l) and T. fulvus (EC 50 = 2.38 ± 0.20mg/l). Copper salts showed higher toxicity than CuO NPs for all species, with common sensitivity trend as follows: P. lividus ≥ T. fulvus (sublethal endpoint) ≥ B. plicatilis >T. fulvus (lethal endpoint) >A. franciscana. CuO NP micrometric

  8. Salts affect the interaction of ZnO or CuO nanoparticles with wheat.

    PubMed

    Stewart, Jacob; Hansen, Trevor; McLean, Joan E; McManus, Paul; Das, Siddhartha; Britt, David W; Anderson, Anne J; Dimkpa, Christian O

    2015-09-01

    Exposure to nanoparticles (NPs) that release metals with potential phytotoxicity could pose problems in agriculture. The authors of the present study used growth in a model growth matrix, sand, to examine the influence of 5 mmol/kg of Na, K, or Ca (added as Cl salts) and root exudates on transformation and changes to the bioactivity of copper(II) oxide (CuO) and zinc oxide (ZnO) NPs on wheat. These salt levels are found in saline agricultural soils. After 14 d of seedling growth, particles with crystallinity typical of CuO or ZnO remained in the aqueous fraction from the sand; particles had negative surface charges that differed with NP type and salt, but salt did not alter particle agglomeration. Reduction in shoot and root elongation and lateral root induction by ZnO NPs were mitigated by all salts. However, whereas Na and K promoted Zn loading into shoots, Ca reduced loading, suggesting that competition with Zn ions for uptake occurred. With CuO NPs, plant growth and loading was modified equally by all salts, consistent with major interaction with the plant with CuO rather than Cu ions. Thus, for both NPs, loading into plant tissues was not solely dependent on ion solubility. These findings indicated that salts in agricultural soils could modify the phytotoxicity of NPs. © 2015 SETAC.

  9. Thermoluminescence dosimetry features of DY and Cu doped SrF2 nanoparticles under gamma irradiation.

    PubMed

    Zahedifar, M; Sadeghi, E; Kashefi Biroon, M; Harooni, S; Almasifard, F

    2015-11-01

    Dy and Cu-doped SrF2 nanoparticles (NPs) were synthesized by using co-precipitation method and their possible application to solid state dosimetry were studied and compared to that of pure SrF2 NPs. X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersive spectrometer (EDS) were used for sample characterization. The highest thermoluminescence (TL) response of SrF2:Dy and SrF2:Cu NPs were found respectively at 0.5 and 0.7mol% of Dy and Cu impurities. Seven overlapping glow peaks at 384, 406, 421, 449, 569, 495, 508K and three component glow peaks at 381, 421 and 467K were identified respectively for SrF2:Dy and SrF2:Cu NPs employing Tm-Tstop and computerized glow curve deconvolution (CGCD) methods. The TL sensitivity of SrF2:Dy is approximately the same as that of LiF:Mg,Ti (TLD-100) cheeps. Linear dose response were observed for the SrF2:Dy and SrF2:Cu NPs up to the absorbed doses of 1kGy and 10kGy correspondingly. Regarding other dosimetry characteristics of the produced NPs such as fading, reproducibility and thermal treatment, Dy and Cu doped SrF2 NPs recommend for high dose TL dosimetry applications. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  10. SELDI-TOF MS-based discovery of a biomarker in Cucumis sativus seeds exposed to CuO nanoparticles.

    PubMed

    Moon, Young-Sun; Park, Eun-Sil; Kim, Tae-Oh; Lee, Hoi-Seon; Lee, Sung-Eun

    2014-11-01

    Metal oxide nanoparticles (NPs) can inhibit plant seed germination and root elongation via the release of metal ions. In the present study, two acute phytotoxicity tests, seed germination and root elongation tests, were conducted on cucumber seeds (Cucumis sativus) treated with bulk copper oxide (CuO) and CuO NPs. Two concentrations of bulk CuO and CuO NPs, 200 and 600ppm, were used to test the inhibition rate of root germination; both concentrations of bulk CuO weakly inhibited seed germination, whereas CuO NPs significantly inhibited germination, showing a low germination rate of 23.3% at 600ppm. Root elongation tests demonstrated that CuO NPs were much stronger inhibitors than bulk CuO. SELDI-TOF MS analysis showed that 34 proteins were differentially expressed in cucumber seeds after exposure to CuO NPs, with the expression patterns of at least 9 proteins highly differing from those in seeds treated with bulk CuO and in control plants. Therefore, these 9 proteins were used to identify CuO NP-specific biomarkers in cucumber plants exposed to CuO NPs. A 5977-m/z protein was the most distinguishable biomarker for determining phytotoxicity by CuO NPs. Principal component analysis (PCA) of the SELDI-TOF MS results showed variability in the modes of inhibitory action on cucumber seeds and roots. To our knowledge, this is the first study to demonstrate that the phytotoxic effect of metal oxide NPs on plants is not caused by the same mode of action as other toxins. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  11. CuO and ZnO nanoparticles: phytotoxicity, metal speciation, and induction of oxidative stress in sand-grown wheat

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Dimkpa, Christian O.; McLean, Joan E.; Latta, Drew E.; Manangón, Eliana; Britt, David W.; Johnson, William P.; Boyanov, Maxim I.; Anderson, Anne J.

    2012-09-01

    Metal oxide nanoparticles (NPs) are reported to impact plant growth in hydroponic systems. This study describes the impact of commercial CuO (<50 nm) and ZnO (<100 nm) NPs on wheat ( Triticum aestivum) grown in a solid matrix, sand. The NPs contained both metallic and non-metallic impurities to different extents. Dynamic light scattering and atomic force microscopy (AFM) assessments confirmed aggregation of the NPs to submicron sizes. AFM showed transformation of ZnO NPs from initial rhomboid shapes in water to elongated rods in the aqueous phase of the sand matrix. Solubilization of metals occurred in the sand at similar rates from CuO or ZnO NPs as their bulk equivalents. Amendment of the sand with 500 mg Cu and Zn/kg sand from the NPs significantly ( p = 0.05) reduced root growth, but only CuO NPs impaired shoot growth; growth reductions were less with the bulk amendments. Dissolved Cu from CuO NPs contributed to their phytotoxicity but Zn release did not account for the changes in plant growth. Bioaccumulation of Cu, mainly as CuO and Cu(I)-sulfur complexes, and Zn as Zn-phosphate was detected in the shoots of NP-challenged plants. Total Cu and Zn levels in shoot were similar whether NP or bulk materials were used. Oxidative stress in the NP-treated plants was evidenced by increased lipid peroxidation and oxidized glutathione in roots and decreased chlorophyll content in shoots; higher peroxidase and catalase activities were present in roots. These findings correlate with the NPs causing increased production of reactive oxygen species. The accumulation of Cu and Zn from NPs into edible plants has relevance to the food chain.

  12. Highly Active and Selective Hydrogenation of CO2 to Ethanol by Ordered Pd-Cu Nanoparticles.

    PubMed

    Bai, Shuxing; Shao, Qi; Wang, Pengtang; Dai, Qiguang; Wang, Xingyi; Huang, Xiaoqing

    2017-05-24

    Carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) hydrogenation to ethanol (C 2 H 5 OH) is considered a promising way for CO 2 conversion and utilization, whereas desirable conversion efficiency remains a challenge. Herein, highly active, selective and stable CO 2 hydrogenation to C 2 H 5 OH was enabled by highly ordered Pd-Cu nanoparticles (NPs). By tuning the composition of the Pd-Cu NPs and catalyst supports, the efficiency of CO 2 hydrogenation to C 2 H 5 OH was well optimized with Pd 2 Cu NPs/P25 exhibiting high selectivity to C 2 H 5 OH of up to 92.0% and the highest turnover frequency of 359.0 h -1 . Diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier transform spectroscopy results revealed the high C 2 H 5 OH production and selectivity of Pd 2 Cu NPs/P25 can be ascribed to boosting *CO (adsorption CO) hydrogenation to *HCO, the rate-determining step for the CO 2 hydrogenation to C 2 H 5 OH.

  13. Ag/CuO nanoparticles prepared from a novel trinuclear compound [Cu(Imdz)4(Ag(CN)2)2] (Imdz = imidazole) by a pyrolysis display excellent antimicrobial activity

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Adhikary, Jaydeep; Das, Balaram; Chatterjee, Sourav; Dash, Sandeep Kumar; Chattopadhyay, Sourav; Roy, Somenath; Chen, Jeng-Wei; Chattopadhyay, Tanmay

    2016-06-01

    One copper and two silver containing one hetero tri-nuclear precursor compound [Cu(Imdz)4(Ag(CN)2)2] (1) (Imdz = Imidazole) has been synthesized and characterized by single crystal X-ray diffraction. Simple pyrolysis of the complex at 550 °C for 4 h afforded Ag/CuO nanoparticles (NPs). The synthesized nanoparticles were characterized by ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis), Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR), X-ray powder diffraction (XRPD), dynamic light scattering (DLS), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) and X-ray photo electron spectroscopy (XPS). Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) and Escherichia coli (E. coli) have been employed as model microbial species to study the anti-microbial activity of the synthesized NPs. The NPs showed potent anti-microbial activity evidenced from the Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) and Minimum Bactericidal Concentration (MBC) values. Very high level of cell uptake and then generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) are the origin of such strong antimicrobial activity for the NPs. However, the cytotoxicity level of the NPs towards normal human cell is very low.

  14. Legionella pneumophila transcriptional response following exposure to CuO nanoparticles.

    PubMed

    Lu, Jingrang; Struewing, Ian; Buse, Helen Y; Kou, Jiahui; Shuman, Howard A; Faucher, Sébastien P; Ashbolt, Nicholas J

    2013-04-01

    Copper ions are an effective antimicrobial agent used to control Legionnaires' disease and Pontiac fever arising from institutional drinking water systems. Here, we present data on an alternative bactericidal agent, copper oxide nanoparticles (CuO-NPs), and its efficacy on Legionella pneumophila. In broth cultures, the CuO-NPs caused growth inhibition, which appeared to be concentration and exposure time dependent. The transcriptomic response of L. pneumophila to CuO-NP exposure was investigated by using a whole-genome microarray. The expression of genes involved in metabolism, transcription, translation, DNA replication and repair, and unknown/hypothetical proteins was significantly affected by exposure to CuO-NPs. In addition, expression of 21 virulence genes was also affected by exposure to CuO-NP and further evaluated by quantitative reverse transcription-PCR (qRT-PCR). Some virulence gene responses occurred immediately and transiently after addition of CuO-NPs to the cells and faded rapidly (icmV, icmW, lepA), while expression of other genes increased within 6 h (ceg29, legLC8, legP, lem19, lem24, lpg1689, and rtxA), 12 h (cegC1, dotA, enhC, htpX, icmE, pvcA, and sidF), and 24 h (legP, lem19, and ceg19), but for most of the genes tested, expression was reduced after 24 h of exposure. Genes like ceg29 and rtxA appeared to be the most responsive to CuO-NP exposures and along with other genes identified in this study may prove useful to monitor and manage the impact of drinking water disinfection on L. pneumophila.

  15. New vision to CuO, ZnO, and TiO2 nanoparticles: their outcome and effects

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Chibber, Sandesh; Ansari, Shakeel Ahmed; Satar, Rukhsana

    2013-04-01

    Nanomaterials and nanotechnology have attracted more and more attention due to their wide ranges of applications in various fields. With a high level of surface energy, high magnetism, high surface area, and low melting point, engineered nanoparticles (ENPs) has been widely used in industry for various applications. Metal nanoparticles, in particular, have been shown to cause significant biological effects. Review discusses cytotoxic to neurotoxic effects of CuO, ZnO, and TiO2 nanoparticles based on the scenario drawn from various in vitro and in vivo studies. ENPs such as TiO2 and ZnO NPs have great practical importance in industrial applications. CuO NPs is also widely used in biomedical applications as catalyst supports, drug carriers, and gene delivery. However, study conducted on TiO2 NPs have forecast that oxidative DNA damage could be attributed due to reduced glutathione levels with concomitant increase in lipid peroxidation and reactive oxygen species generation. Moreover, there are many evidences showing that ZnO NP and CuO NPs generates ROS production and can cause cell death in different types of cultured cell. Nanoparticle toxicity is assessed by set of tests designed to characterize a given risk and also the mechanism for related outcomes. Conclusively, it becomes more and more important for nanotechnologist to understand the potential health effects of ENPs and what new methodology can be applied to reveal problems like gene silencing and inhibition in antioxidant defense mechanism which can be occurred on severe effects to oxidative stress by ENPs.

  16. Enhancement in light harvesting ability of photoactive layer P3HT: PCBM using CuO nanoparticles

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Tiwari, D. C.; Dwivedi, Shailendra Kumar; Dipak, Pukhrambam; Chandel, Tarun

    2018-05-01

    In this paper, we have synthesized CuO nanoparticles via precipitation method and incorporated CuO nanoparticles in the P3HT-poly (3-hexyl) thiophene: PCBM-[6, 6]-phenyl-C61-butyric acid methyl ester heterogeneous blend. The ratio of P3HT to CuO in the blend was varied, while maintaining the fixed ratio of PCBM. The UV-visible absorption spectra of P3HT: PCBM photoactive layer containing different weight percentages of CuO nanoparticles showed a clear enhancement in the photo absorption of the active layer. The absorption band starts from 310 nm to 750 nm for P3HT: CuO (NPs):PCBM (0.5:0.5:1). This shows that incorporation of CuO nanoparticles leads to larger absorption band. In addition, the X-ray diffraction (XRD) shows improvement in P3HT crystallinity and the better formation of CuO nanostructures.

  17. Carbon nanotubes affect the toxicity of CuO nanoparticles to denitrification in marine sediments by altering cellular internalization of nanoparticle

    PubMed Central

    Zheng, Xiong; Su, Yinglong; Chen, Yinguang; Wan, Rui; Li, Mu; Huang, Haining; Li, Xu

    2016-01-01

    Denitrification is an important pathway for nitrate transformation in marine sediments, and this process has been observed to be negatively affected by engineered nanomaterials. However, previous studies only focused on the potential effect of a certain type of nanomaterial on microbial denitrification. Here we show that the toxicity of CuO nanoparticles (NPs) to denitrification in marine sediments is highly affected by the presence of carbon nanotubes (CNTs). It was found that the removal efficiency of total NOX−-N (NO3−-N and NO2−-N) in the presence of CuO NPs was only 62.3%, but it increased to 81.1% when CNTs appeared in this circumstance. Our data revealed that CuO NPs were more easily attached to CNTs rather than cell surface because of the lower energy barrier (3.5 versus 36.2 kT). Further studies confirmed that the presence of CNTs caused the formation of large, incompact, non-uniform dispersed, and more negatively charged CuO-CNTs heteroaggregates, and thus reduced the nanoparticle internalization by cells, leading to less toxicity to metabolism of carbon source, generation of reduction equivalent, and activities of nitrate reductase and nitrite reductase. These results indicate that assessing nanomaterial-induced risks in real circumstances needs to consider the “mixed” effects of nanomaterials. PMID:27279546

  18. CuO Nanoparticles Inhibited Root Growth from Brassica nigra Seedlings but Induced Root from Stem and Leaf Explants.

    PubMed

    Zafar, Hira; Ali, Attarad; Zia, Muhammad

    2017-01-01

    Interests associated with nanoparticles (NPs) are budding due to their toxicity to living species. The lethal effect of NPs depends on their nature, size, shape, and concentration. Present investigation reports that CuO NPs badly affected Brassica nigra seed germination and seedling growth parameters. However, variation in antioxidative activities and nonenzymatic oxidants is observed in plantlets. Culturing the leaf and stem explants on MS medium in presence of low concentration of CuO NPs (1-20 mg l -1 ) produces white thin roots with thick root hairs. These roots also show an increase in DPPH radical scavenging activity (up to 80 % at 10 mg l -1 ), total antioxidant, and reducing power potential (maximum in presence of 10 mg l -1 CuO NPs in the media). Nonenzymatic antioxidative molecules, phenolics and flavonoids, are observed elevated but NPs concentration dependent. We can conclude that CuO NPs can induce rooting from plant explants cultured on appropriate medium. These roots can be explored for the production of active chemical constituents.

  19. Accumulation and Toxicity of CuO and ZnO Nanoparticles through Waterborne and Dietary Exposure of Goldfish (Carassius auratus)

    PubMed Central

    Ates, Mehmet; Arslan, Zikri; Demir, Veysel; Daniels, James; Farah, Ibrahim O.

    2014-01-01

    Dietary and waterborne exposure to CuO and ZnO nanoparticles (NPs) was conducted using a simplified model of an aquatic food chain consisting of zooplankton (Artemia salina) and goldfish (Carassius auratus) to determine bioaccumulation, toxic effects and particle transport through trophic levels. Artemia contaminated with NPs were used as food in dietary exposure. Fish were exposed to suspensions of the NPs in waterborne exposure. ICP-MS analysis showed that accumulation primarily occurred in the intestine, followed by the gills and liver. Dietary uptake was lower, but was found to be a potential pathway for transport of NPs to higher organisms. Waterborne exposure resulted in about a tenfold higher accumulation in the intestine. The heart, brain and muscle tissue had no significant Cu or Zn. However, concentrations in muscle increased with NP concentration, which was ascribed to bioaccumulation of Cu and Zn released from NPs. Free Cu concentration in the medium was always higher than that of Zn, indicating CuO NPs dissolved more readily. ZnO NPs were relatively benign, even in waterborne exposure (p≥0.05). In contrast, CuO NPs were toxic. Malondialdehyde levels in the liver and gills increased substantially (p<0.05). Despite lower Cu accumulation, the liver exhibited significant oxidative stress, which could be from chronic exposure to Cu ions. PMID:24860999

  20. Accumulation and toxicity of CuO and ZnO nanoparticles through waterborne and dietary exposure of goldfish (Carassius auratus).

    PubMed

    Ates, Mehmet; Arslan, Zikri; Demir, Veysel; Daniels, James; Farah, Ibrahim O

    2015-01-01

    Dietary and waterborne exposure to copper oxide (CuO) and zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles (NPs) was conducted using a simplified model of an aquatic food chain consisting of zooplankton (Artemia salina) and goldfish (Carassius auratus) to determine bioaccumulation, toxic effects, and particle transport through trophic levels. Artemia contaminated with NPs were used as food in dietary exposure. Fish were exposed to suspensions of the NPs in waterborne exposure. ICP-MS analysis showed that accumulation primarily occurred in the intestine, followed by the gills and liver. Dietary uptake was lower, but was found to be a potential pathway for transport of NPs to higher organisms. Waterborne exposure resulted in about a 10-fold higher accumulation in the intestine. The heart, brain, and muscle tissue had no significant Cu or Zn. However, concentrations in muscle increased with NP concentration, which was ascribed to bioaccumulation of Cu and Zn released from NPs. Free Cu concentration in the medium was always higher than that of Zn, indicating CuO NPs dissolved more readily. ZnO NPs were relatively benign, even in waterborne exposure (p ≥ 0.05). In contrast, CuO NPs were toxic. Malondialdehyde levels in the liver and gills increased substantially (p < 0.05). Despite lower Cu accumulation, the liver exhibited significant oxidative stress, which could be from chronic exposure to Cu ions. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  1. High-performance Cu nanoparticles/three-dimensional graphene/Ni foam hybrid for catalytic and sensing applications

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zhu, Long; Guo, Xinli; Liu, Yuanyuan; Chen, Zhongtao; Zhang, Weijie; Yin, Kuibo; Li, Long; Zhang, Yao; Wang, Zengmei; Sun, Litao; Zhao, Yuhong

    2018-04-01

    A novel hybrid of Cu nanoparticles/three-dimensional graphene/Ni foam (Cu NPs/3DGr/NiF) was prepared by chemical vapor deposition, followed by a galvanic displacement reaction in Ni- and Cu-ion-containing salt solution through a one-step reaction. The as-prepared Cu NPs/3DGr/NiF hybrid is uniform, stable, recyclable and exhibits an extraordinarily high catalytic efficiency for the reduction of 4-nitrophenol (4-NP) to 4-aminophenol (4-AP) with a reduction rate constant K = 0.056 15 s-1, required time ˜30 s and excellent sensing properties for the non-enzymatic amperometric hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) with a linear range ˜50 μM-9.65 mM, response time ˜3 s, detection limit ˜1 μM. The results indicate that the as-prepared Cu NPs/3DGr/NiF hybrid can be used to replace expensive noble metals in catalysis and sensing applications.

  2. Dissolution and aggregation of Cu nanoparticles in culture media: effects of incubation temperature and particles size

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Li, Lingxiangyu; Fernández-Cruz, María Luisa; Connolly, Mona; Schuster, Michael; Navas, José María

    2015-01-01

    Here, the effects of incubation temperature and particle size on the dissolution and aggregation behavior of copper nanoparticles (CuNPs) in culture media were investigated over 96 h, equivalent to the time period for acute cell toxicity tests. Three CuNPs with the nominal sizes of 25, 50, and 100 nm and one type of micro-sized particles (MPs, 500 nm) were examined in culture media used for human and fish hepatoma cell lines acute tests. A large decrease in sizes of CuNPs in the culture media was observed in the first 24 h incubation, and subsequently the sizes of CuNPs changed slightly over the following 72 h. Moreover, the decreasing rate in size was significantly dependent on the incubation temperature; the higher the incubation temperature, the larger the decreasing rate in size. In addition to that, we also found that the release of copper ions depended on the incubation temperature. Moreover, the dissolution rate of Cu particles increased very fast in the first 24 h, with a slight increase over the following 72 h.

  3. Localized Plasmon resonance in metal nanoparticles using Mie theory

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Duque, J. S.; Blandón, J. S.; Riascos, H.

    2017-06-01

    In this work, scattering light by colloidal metal nanoparticles with spherical shape was studied. Optical properties such as diffusion efficiencies of extinction and absorption Q ext and Q abs were calculated using Mie theory. We employed a MATLAB program to calculate the Mie efficiencies and the radial dependence of electric field intensities emitted for colloidal metal nanoparticles (MNPs). By UV-Vis spectroscopy we have determined the LSPR for Cu nanoparticles (CuNPs), Ni nanoparticles (NiNPs) and Co nanoparticles (CoNPs) grown by laser ablation technique. The peaks of resonances appear in 590nm, 384nm and 350nm for CuNPs, NiNPs and CoNPs respectively suspended in water. Changing the medium to acetone and ethanol we observed a shift of the resonance peaks, these values agreed with our simulations results.

  4. Fucoidan-coated CuS nanoparticles for chemo-and photothermal therapy against cancer

    PubMed Central

    Jang, Bian; Moorthy, Madhappan Santha; Manivasagan, Panchanathan; Xu, Li; Song, Kyeongeun; Lee, Kang Dae; Kwak, Minseok; Oh, Junghwan; Jin, Jun-O

    2018-01-01

    In advanced cancer therapy, the combinational therapeutic effect of photothermal therapy (PTT) using near-infrared (NIR) light-responsive nanoparticles (NPs) and anti-cancer drug delivery-mediated chemotherapy has been widely applied. In the present study, using a facile, low-cost, and solution-based method, we developed and synthesized fucoidan, a natural polymer isolated from seaweed that has demonstrated anti-cancer effect, and coated NPs with it as an ideal candidate in chemo-photothermal therapy against cancer cells. Fucoidan-coated copper sulfide nanoparticles (F-CuS) act not only as a nanocarrier to enhance the intracellular delivery of fucoidan but also as a photothermal agent to effectively ablate different cancer cells (e.g., HeLa, A549, and K562), both in vitro and in vivo, with the induction of apoptosis under 808 nm diode laser irradiation. These results point to the potential usage of F-CuS in treating human cancer. PMID:29560098

  5. Enhanced reactive oxygen species overexpression by CuO nanoparticles in poorly differentiated hepatocellular carcinoma cells

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kung, Mei-Lang; Hsieh, Shu-Ling; Wu, Chih-Chung; Chu, Tian-Huei; Lin, Yu-Chun; Yeh, Bi-Wen; Hsieh, Shuchen

    2015-01-01

    Copper oxide nanoparticles (CuO NPs) are known to exhibit toxic effects on a variety of cell types and organs. To determine the oxidative impact of CuO NPs on hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cells, well-differentiated (HepG2) and poorly differentiated (SK-Hep-1) cells were exposed to CuO NPs. Cell viability assay showed that the median inhibition concentration (IC50) for SK-Hep-1 and HepG2 cells was 25 μg ml-1 and 85 μg ml-1, respectively. Cellular fluorescence intensity using DCFH-DA staining analysis revealed significant intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation of up to 242% in SK-Hep-1 cells, compared with 86% in HepG2 cells. HPLC analysis demonstrated that a CuO NP treatment caused cellular GSH depletion of 58% and a GSH/GSSG ratio decrease to ~0.1 in SK-Hep-1 cells. The oxidative stress caused by enhanced superoxide anion production was observed in both HepG2 (146%) and SK-Hep-1 (192%) cells. The Griess assay verified that CuO NPs induced NO production (170%) in SK-Hep-1 cells. Comet assay and western blot further demonstrated that CuO NPs induced severe DNA strand breakage (70%) in SK-Hep-1 cells and caused DNA damage via increased γ-H2AX levels. These results suggest that well-differentiated HepG2 cells possess a robust antioxidant defense system against CuO NP-induced ROS stress and exhibit more tolerance to oxidative stress. Conversely, poorly differentiated SK-Hep-1 cells exhibited a deregulated antioxidant defense system that allowed accumulation of CuO NP-induced ROS and resulted in severe cytotoxicity.Copper oxide nanoparticles (CuO NPs) are known to exhibit toxic effects on a variety of cell types and organs. To determine the oxidative impact of CuO NPs on hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cells, well-differentiated (HepG2) and poorly differentiated (SK-Hep-1) cells were exposed to CuO NPs. Cell viability assay showed that the median inhibition concentration (IC50) for SK-Hep-1 and HepG2 cells was 25 μg ml-1 and 85 μg ml-1, respectively

  6. Electron spin resonance in Cu1-xFexCr2Se4 nanoparticles synthesized with the thermal decomposition method

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Edelman, I. S.; Zharkov, S. M.; Pankrats, A. I.; Vorotynov, A. M.; Tugarinov, V. I.; Ivantsov, R. D.; Petrov, D. A.; Velikanov, D. A.; Lin, Chun-Rong; Chen, Chin-Chang; Tseng, Yaw-Teng; Hsu, Hua-Shu

    2017-08-01

    In this paper, we present a study of the electron spin resonance (ESR) of nanoparticles (NPs) of Cu1-xFexCr2Se4 chalcogenides with x = 0, 0.2, and 0.4. NPs were synthesized via the thermal decomposition of metal chloride salts and selenium powder in a high-temperature organic solvent. According to the XRD and HRTEM data, the NPs were single crystalline nearly hexagonal plates with the structure close to CuCr2Se4 (Fd-3m, a = 10.337 Å). For x = 0 and 0.2, the NPs tend to form long stacks consisting of the plates ;face to face; attached to each other due to the magnetostatic interparticle interaction. Only separate NPs were observed in the case of x = 0.4. Peculiarities were revealed in the ESR temperature behavior for the NPs with x = 0 and 0.2 consistent with the features in the temperature dependences of the NPs magnetization. The non-monotonous dependence of the resonance field Hres on the temperature with a kink near 130 K and the energy gap in the resonance spectrum depending on the type of nanoparticle compacting are the distinct peculiarities. One of the main factors is discussed in order to explain the peculiarities: the coexistence of two types of anisotropy in the Cu1-xFexCr2Se4 NPs, in-plain shape anisotropy and magnetocrystalline anisotropy with four easy axes, which increases strongly with the temperature decrease.

  7. Dissolved organic matter reduces CuO nanoparticle toxicity to duckweed in simulated natural systems.

    PubMed

    Rippner, Devin A; Green, Peter G; Young, Thomas M; Parikh, Sanjai J

    2018-03-01

    With increasing demand for recycled wastewater for irrigation purposes, there is a need to evaluate the potential for manufactured nanomaterials in waste water to impact crop production and agroecosystems. Copper oxide nanoparticles (CuO NPs) have previously been shown to negatively impact the growth of duckweed (Landoltia punctata) a model aquatic plant consumed by water fowl and widely found in agricultural runoff ditches in temperate climates. However, prior studies involving CuO NP toxicity to duckweed have focused on systems without the presence of dissolved organic matter (DOM). In the current study, duckweed growth inhibition was shown to be a function of aqueous Cu 2+ concentration. Growth inhibition was greatest from aqueous CuCl 2 and, for particles, increased with decreasing CuO particle size. The dissolution of CuO NPs in ½ Hoagland's solution was measured to increase with decreasing particle size and in the presence of Suwannee river humic and fulvic acids (HA; FA). However, the current results suggest that HA, and to a lesser extent, FA, decrease the toxicity of both CuO NPs and free ionized Cu to duckweed, likely by inhibiting Cu availability through Cu-DOM complex formation. Such results are consistent with changes to Cu speciation as predicted by speciation modeling software and suggest that DOM changes Cu speciation and therefore toxicity in natural systems. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  8. Methane oxidation and abundance of methane oxidizers in tropical agricultural soil (vertisol) in response to CuO and ZnO nanoparticles contamination.

    PubMed

    Mohanty, Santosh Ranjan; Rajput, Parul; Kollah, Bharati; Chourasiya, Dipanti; Tiwari, Archana; Singh, Muneshwar; Rao, A Subba

    2014-06-01

    There is worldwide concern over the increase use of nanoparticles (NPs) and their ecotoxicological effect. It is not known if the annual production of tons of industrial nanoparticles (NPs) has the potential to impact terrestrial microbial communities, which are so necessary for ecosystem functioning. Here, we have examined the consequences of adding the NPs particularly the metal oxide (CuO, ZnO) on CH4 oxidation activity in vertisol and the abundance of heterotrophs, methane oxidizers, and ammonium oxidizers. Soil samples collected from the agricultural field located at Madhya Pradesh, India, were incubated with either CuO and ZnO NPs or ionic heavy metals (CuCl2, ZnCl2) separately at 0, 10, and 20 μg g(-1) soil. CH4 oxidation activity in the soil samples was estimated at 60 and 100 % moisture holding capacity (MHC) in order to link soil moisture regime with impact of NPs. NPs amended to soil were highly toxic for the microbial-mediated CH4 oxidation, compared with the ionic form. The trend of inhibition was Zn 20 > Zn 10 > Cu 20 > Cu 10. NPs delayed the lag phase of CH4 oxidation to a maximum of 4-fold and also decreased the apparent rate constant k up to 50 % over control. ANOVA and Pearson correlation analysis (α = 0.01) revealed significant impact of NPs on the CH4 oxidation activity and microbial abundance (p < 0.0001, and high F statistics). Principal component analysis (PCA) revealed that PC1 (metal concentration) rendered 76.06 % of the total variance, while 18.17 % of variance accounted by second component (MHC). Biplot indicated negative impact of NPs on CH4 oxidation and microbial abundance. Our result also confirmed that higher soil moisture regime alleviates toxicity of NPs and opens new avenues of research to manage ecotoxicity and environmental hazard of NPs.

  9. A colorimetric assay for measuring iodide using Au@Ag core-shell nanoparticles coupled with Cu(2+).

    PubMed

    Zeng, Jingbin; Cao, Yingying; Lu, Chun-Hua; Wang, Xu-Dong; Wang, Qianru; Wen, Cong-Ying; Qu, Jian-Bo; Yuan, Cunguang; Yan, Zi-Feng; Chen, Xi

    2015-09-03

    Au@Ag core-shell nanoparticles (NPs) were synthesized and coupled with copper ion (Cu(2+)) for the colorimetric sensing of iodide ion (I(-)). This assay relies on the fact that the absorption spectra and the color of metallic core-shell NPs are sensitive to their chemical ingredient and dimensional core-to-shell ratio. When I(-) was added to the Au@Ag core-shell NPs-Cu(2+) system/solution, Cu(2+) can oxidize I(-) into iodine (I2), which can further oxidize silver shells to form silver iodide (AgI). The generated Au@AgI core-shell NPs led to color changes from yellow to purple, which was utilized for the colorimetric sensing of I(-). The assay only took 10 min with a lowest detectable concentration of 0.5 μM, and it exhibited excellent selectivity for I(-) over other common anions tested. Furthermore, Au@Ag core-shell NPs-Cu(2+) was embedded into agarose gels as inexpensive and portable "test strips", which were successfully used for the semi-quantitation of I(-) in dried kelps. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  10. Facile one-pot synthesis of cellulose nanocrystal-supported hollow CuFe2O4 nanoparticles as efficient catalyst for 4-nitrophenol reduction

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zhang, Sufeng; Zhao, Dongyan; Hou, Chen; Liang, Chen; Li, Hao

    2018-06-01

    A facile and efficient one-pot method for the synthesis of well-dispersed hollow CuFe2O4 nanoparticles (H-CuFe2O4 NPs) in the presence of cellulose nanocrystals (CNC) as the support was described. Based on the one-pot solvothermal condition control, magnetic H-CuFe2O4 NPs were in-situ grown on the CNC surface uniformly. TEM images indicated good dispersity of H-CuFe2O4 NPs with uniform size of 300 nm. The catalytic activity of H-CuFe2O4/CNC was tested in the catalytic reduction of 4-nitrophenol (4-NP) in aqueous solution. Compared with most CNC-based ferrite catalysts, H-CuFe2O4/CNC catalyst exhibited an excellent catalytic activity toward the reduction of 4-NP. The catalytic performance of H-CuFe2O4/CNC catalyst was remarkably enhanced with the rate constant of 3.24 s-1 g-1, which was higher than H-CuFe2O4 NPs (0.50 s-1 g-1). The high catalytic activity was attributed to the introduction of CNC and the special hollow mesostructure of H-CuFe2O4 NPs. In addition, the H-CuFe2O4/CNC catalyst promised good conversion efficiency without significant decrease even after 10 cycles, confirming relatively high stability. Because of its environmental sustainability and magnetic separability, H-CuFe2O4/CNC catalyst was shown to indicate that the ferrite nanoparticles supported on CNC were acted as a promising catalyst and exhibited potential applications in numerous ferrite based catalytic reactions.

  11. Customizable radiotherapy enhancement (CuRE) for prostate cancer using platinum based nanoparticles

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Cifter, Gizem

    New approach to prostate cancer (PCa) therapy titled "Customizable Radiotherapy Enhancement (CuRE)" employs cisplatin (C), carboplatin (Ca) and oxaliplatin (O) nanoparticles (CNPs, CaNPs and ONPs) as adjuvants to brachytherapy and external beam radiation therapy (EBRT), with the CNPs/CaNPs/ONPs released in situ from either brachytherapy spacers or fudicials loaded with the nanoparticles. The chemotherapy dose from the nanoparticles released in situ from within the prostate capsule, is enhanced by the physical dose due to photon interactions with the nanoparticles. The physical dose enhancement is due to low energy photons from the brachytherapy and EBRT sources interacting with the high-Z platinum component of the nanoparticles, causing emission of short-range photoelectrons to boost dose to the tumor. By varying the nanoparticle parameters, such as size, initial concentration, functionalization, location of spacer or fiducial, and intra-tumor biodistribution, the dose enhancement can be customized to maximize dose to tumor cells while minimizing toxicity to healthy cells. The hypothesis is that the CuRE approach will be a more efficacious method for concomitant cisplatin/carboplatin/oxaliplatin and radiotherapy treatment of localized prostate cancer due to significant dose boost to the PCa cells with minimal toxicity to healthy tissue. To investigate this hypothesis, microdosimetry calculations employing the energy loss formula of Cole were used to calculate the dose enhancement to the PCa cells from the CNPs/CaNPs/OPNs. The dose enhancement ratio (DEF) representing the ratio of the overall dose in the presence of CNPs/CaNPs/ONPs to the dose without CNPs/CaNPs/ONPs was determined for a range of CNP/CaNP/OPN concentrations up to their FDA approved limits. The dose enhancement to endothelial cells with (EDEF) with single concentration of cisplatin (42.8 mg/g) was found 2.6 with Pd-103. When EBRT source was used with single concentration of cisplatin, with 10cm x 10

  12. Tuning structural motifs and alloying of bulk immiscible Mo-Cu bimetallic nanoparticles by gas-phase synthesis

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Krishnan, Gopi; Verheijen, Marcel A.; Ten Brink, Gert H.; Palasantzas, George; Kooi, Bart J.

    2013-05-01

    Nowadays bimetallic nanoparticles (NPs) have emerged as key materials for important modern applications in nanoplasmonics, catalysis, biodiagnostics, and nanomagnetics. Consequently the control of bimetallic structural motifs with specific shapes provides increasing functionality and selectivity for related applications. However, producing bimetallic NPs with well controlled structural motifs still remains a formidable challenge. Hence, we present here a general methodology for gas phase synthesis of bimetallic NPs with distinctively different structural motifs ranging at a single particle level from a fully mixed alloy to core-shell, to onion (multi-shell), and finally to a Janus/dumbbell, with the same overall particle composition. These concepts are illustrated for Mo-Cu NPs, where the precise control of the bimetallic NPs with various degrees of chemical ordering, including different shapes from spherical to cube, is achieved by tailoring the energy and thermal environment that the NPs experience during their production. The initial state of NP growth, either in the liquid or in the solid state phase, has important implications for the different structural motifs and shapes of synthesized NPs. Finally we demonstrate that we are able to tune the alloying regime, for the otherwise bulk immiscible Mo-Cu, by achieving an increase of the critical size, below which alloying occurs, closely up to an order of magnitude. It is discovered that the critical size of the NP alloy is not only affected by controlled tuning of the alloying temperature but also by the particle shape.Nowadays bimetallic nanoparticles (NPs) have emerged as key materials for important modern applications in nanoplasmonics, catalysis, biodiagnostics, and nanomagnetics. Consequently the control of bimetallic structural motifs with specific shapes provides increasing functionality and selectivity for related applications. However, producing bimetallic NPs with well controlled structural motifs still

  13. A facile route for the synthesis of Co, Ni and Cu metallic nanoparticles with potential antimicrobial activity using novel metallosurfactants

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kaur, Gurpreet; Singh, Prabjot; Mehta, S. K.; Kumar, Sandeep; Dilbaghi, Neeraj; Chaudhary, Ganga Ram

    2017-05-01

    The work deals with optimizing a methodology for fabrication of monodisperse metallic nanoparticles (active against microbes) using micellar core of amine based metallosurfactant. Novel double chained amine metallosurfactants of the type [M(C12H25NH2)2] (where M is copper, nickel and cobalt) have been synthesized and characterized with elemental analysis, Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). Further, study of theaggregated structures (i.e. bilayer) of these lipophilic metallosurfactants in various alcohols has been carried out. Thermodynamics parameters of reverse micellization have also been estimated. The process of micellization is spontaneous and entropy driven. Prepared metallosurfactants have been utilized as precursors for the fabrication of metallic nanoparticles (NPs) of Co, Ni and Cu. The method is validated for all the three studied transition metals for the preparation of metallic nanoparticles. This approach offers better results in terms of size, shape, morphology, distribution and stability of NPs. Characterization of NPs is done by UV-vis, X-Ray Diffraction (XRD), Transmission Emission Microscopy (TEM) and Dynamic light scattering (DLS). Prepared metallosurfactants and NPs have been trialled for antimicrobial activity against three pathogenic microbes viz. Bacillus Cereus (gram +ve bacterium), Klebsiella Pneumoniae (gram -ve bacterium) and Curvularia lunata (fungus) and best results are shown by Cu NPs. Furthermore, interaction of metallic NPs with bovine serum albumin (BSA) has been estimated.

  14. Comparative toxicity of metal oxide nanoparticles (CuO, ZnO and TiO2) to developing zebrafish embryos

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Vicario-Parés, Unai; Castañaga, Luis; Lacave, Jose Maria; Oron, Miriam; Reip, Paul; Berhanu, Deborah; Valsami-Jones, Eugenia; Cajaraville, Miren P.; Orbea, Amaia

    2014-08-01

    Increasing use of nanomaterials is resulting in their release into the environment, making necessary to determine the toxicity of these materials. With this aim, the effects of CuO, ZnO and TiO2 nanoparticles (NPs) on zebrafish development were assessed in comparison with the effects caused by the ionic forms (for copper and zinc), bulk counterparts and the stabilizer used for rutile TiO2 NPs. None of the NPs caused significant embryo mortality. CuO NPs were the most toxic affecting hatching and increasing malformation prevalence (≥1 mg Cu/L), followed by ZnO NPs that affected hatching at ≥5 mg Zn/L and stabilized TiO2 NPs that caused mortality and decreased hatching at 100 mg Ti/L. Exposure to the stabilizer alone provoked the same effect. Thus, toxicity of the TiO2 NP suspension can be linked to the surfactant. For all the endpoints, the greatest effects were exerted by the ionic forms, followed by the NPs and finally by the bulk compounds. By autometallography, metal-bearing deposits were observed in embryos exposed to CuO and ZnO NPs, being more abundant in the case of embryos exposed to CuO NPs. The largest and most abundant metal-bearing deposits were detected in embryos exposed to ionic copper. In conclusion, metal oxide NPs affected zebrafish development altering hatching and increasing the prevalence of malformations. Thus, the use and release of metal oxide NPs to the environment may pose a risk to aquatic organisms as a result of the toxicity caused by NPs themselves or by the additives used in their production.

  15. The Toxic Effects and Mechanisms of CuO and ZnO Nanoparticles

    PubMed Central

    Chang, Ya-Nan; Zhang, Mingyi; Xia, Lin; Zhang, Jun; Xing, Gengmei

    2012-01-01

    Recent nanotechnological advances suggest that metal oxide nanoparticles (NPs) have been expected to be used in various fields, ranging from catalysis and opto-electronic materials to sensors, environmental remediation, and biomedicine. However, the growing use of NPs has led to their release into environment and the toxicity of metal oxide NPs on organisms has become a concern to both the public and scientists. Unfortunately, there are still widespread controversies and ambiguities with respect to the toxic effects and mechanisms of metal oxide NPs. Comprehensive understanding of their toxic effect is necessary to safely expand their use. In this review, we use CuO and ZnO NPs as examples to discuss how key factors such as size, surface characteristics, dissolution, and exposure routes mediate toxic effects, and we describe corresponding mechanisms, including oxidative stress, coordination effects and non-homeostasis effects.

  16. Adsorption and inhibition of CuO nanoparticles on Arabidopsis thaliana root

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Xu, Lina

    2018-02-01

    CuO NPs, the size ranging from 20 to 80 nm were used to detect the adsorption and inhibition on the Arabidopsis thaliana roots. In this study, CuO NPs were adsorbed and agglomerated on the surface of root top after exposed for 7 days. With the increasing of CuO NPs concentrations, CuO NPs also adsorbed on the meristernatic zone. The growth of Arabidopsis thaliana lateral roots were also inhibited by CuO NPs exposure. The Inhibition were concentration dependent. The number of root top were 246, 188 and 123 per Arabidopsis thaliana, respectively. The number of root tops after CuO NPs exposure were significantly decreased compared with control groups. This results suggested the phytotoxicity of CuO NPs on Arabidopsis thaliana roots.

  17. Sustainable thermoelectric materials fabricated by using Cu2Sn1-xZnxS3 nanoparticles as building blocks

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zhou, Wei; Shijimaya, Chiko; Takahashi, Mari; Miyata, Masanobu; Mott, Derrick; Koyano, Mikio; Ohta, Michihiro; Akatsuka, Takeo; Ono, Hironobu; Maenosono, Shinya

    2017-12-01

    Uniform Cu2Sn1-xZnxS3 (x = 0-0.2) nanoparticles (NPs) with a characteristic size of about 40 nm were chemically synthesized. The primary crystal phase of the NPs was wurtzite (WZ) with a mean crystalline size of about 20 nm. The NPs were sintered to form nanostructured pellets with different compositions preserving the composition and grain size of the original NPs by the pulse electric current sintering technique. The pellets had a zinc blende (ZB) structure with a residual WZ phase, and the mean crystalline size was found to remain virtually unchanged for all pellets. Among all samples, the pellets of Cu2Sn0.95Zn0.05S3 and Cu2Sn0.85Zn0.15S3 exhibited the highest ZT value (0.37 at 670 K) which is 10 times higher than that of a non-nanostructured Cu2SnS3 bulk crystal thanks to effective phonon scattering by nanograins, the phase-pure ZB crystal structure, and the increase in hole carrier density by Zn doping.

  18. Comparative Study of Antimicrobial Activity of AgBr and Ag Nanoparticles (NPs)

    PubMed Central

    Suchomel, Petr; Kvitek, Libor; Panacek, Ales; Prucek, Robert; Hrbac, Jan; Vecerova, Renata; Zboril, Radek

    2015-01-01

    The diverse mechanism of antimicrobial activity of Ag and AgBr nanoparticles against gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria and also against several strains of candida was explored in this study. The AgBr nanoparticles (NPs) were prepared by simple precipitation of silver nitrate by potassium bromide in the presence of stabilizing polymers. The used polymers (PEG, PVP, PVA, and HEC) influence significantly the size of the prepared AgBr NPs dependently on the mode of interaction of polymer with Ag+ ions. Small NPs (diameter of about 60–70 nm) were formed in the presence of the polymer with low interaction as are PEG and HEC, the polymers which interact with Ag+ strongly produce nearly two times bigger NPs (120–130 nm). The prepared AgBr NPs were transformed to Ag NPs by the reduction using NaBH4. The sizes of the produced Ag NPs followed the same trends – the smallest NPs were produced in the presence of PEG and HEC polymers. Prepared AgBr and Ag NPs dispersions were tested for their biological activity. The obtained results of antimicrobial activity of AgBr and Ag NPs are discussed in terms of possible mechanism of the action of these NPs against tested microbial strains. The AgBr NPs are more effective against gram-negative bacteria and tested yeast strains while Ag NPs show the best antibacterial action against gram-positive bacteria strains. PMID:25781988

  19. Antifungal Effects of Silver Nanoparticles (AgNPs) against Various Plant Pathogenic Fungi.

    PubMed

    Kim, Sang Woo; Jung, Jin Hee; Lamsal, Kabir; Kim, Yun Seok; Min, Ji Seon; Lee, Youn Su

    2012-03-01

    This research is concerned with the fungicidal properties of nano-size silver colloidal solution used as an agent for antifungal treatment of various plant pathogens. We used WA-CV-WA13B, WA-AT-WB13R, and WA-PR-WB13R silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) at concentrations of 10, 25, 50, and 100 ppm. Eighteen different plant pathogenic fungi were treated with these AgNPs on potato dextrose agar (PDA), malt extract agar, and corn meal agar plates. We calculated fungal inhibition in order to evaluate the antifungal efficacy of silver nanoparticles against pathogens. The results indicated that AgNPs possess antifungal properties against these plant pathogens at various levels. Treatment with WA-CV-WB13R AgNPs resulted in maximum inhibition of most fungi. Results also showed that the most significant inhibition of plant pathogenic fungi was observed on PDA and 100 ppm of AgNPs.

  20. A Direct Grain-Boundary-Activity Correlation for CO Electroreduction on Cu Nanoparticles

    PubMed Central

    2016-01-01

    Copper catalyzes the electrochemical reduction of CO to valuable C2+ products including ethanol, acetate, propanol, and ethylene. These reactions could be very useful for converting renewable energy into fuels and chemicals, but conventional Cu electrodes are energetically inefficient and have poor selectivity for CO vs H2O reduction. Efforts to design improved catalysts have been impeded by the lack of experimentally validated, quantitative structure–activity relationships. Here we show that CO reduction activity is directly correlated to the density of grain boundaries (GBs) in Cu nanoparticles (NPs). We prepared electrodes of Cu NPs on carbon nanotubes (Cu/CNT) with different average GB densities quantified by transmission electron microscopy. At potentials ranging from −0.3 V to −0.5 V vs the reversible hydrogen electrode, the specific activity for CO reduction to ethanol and acetate was linearly proportional to the fraction of NP surfaces comprised of GB surface terminations. Our results provide a design principle for CO reduction to ethanol and acetate on Cu. GB-rich Cu/CNT electrodes are the first NP catalysts with significant CO reduction activity at moderate overpotential, reaching a mass activity of up to ∼1.5 A per gram of Cu and a Faradaic efficiency >70% at −0.3 V. PMID:27163043

  1. A Direct Grain-Boundary-Activity Correlation for CO Electroreduction on Cu Nanoparticles.

    PubMed

    Feng, Xiaofeng; Jiang, Kaili; Fan, Shoushan; Kanan, Matthew W

    2016-03-23

    Copper catalyzes the electrochemical reduction of CO to valuable C2+ products including ethanol, acetate, propanol, and ethylene. These reactions could be very useful for converting renewable energy into fuels and chemicals, but conventional Cu electrodes are energetically inefficient and have poor selectivity for CO vs H2O reduction. Efforts to design improved catalysts have been impeded by the lack of experimentally validated, quantitative structure-activity relationships. Here we show that CO reduction activity is directly correlated to the density of grain boundaries (GBs) in Cu nanoparticles (NPs). We prepared electrodes of Cu NPs on carbon nanotubes (Cu/CNT) with different average GB densities quantified by transmission electron microscopy. At potentials ranging from -0.3 V to -0.5 V vs the reversible hydrogen electrode, the specific activity for CO reduction to ethanol and acetate was linearly proportional to the fraction of NP surfaces comprised of GB surface terminations. Our results provide a design principle for CO reduction to ethanol and acetate on Cu. GB-rich Cu/CNT electrodes are the first NP catalysts with significant CO reduction activity at moderate overpotential, reaching a mass activity of up to ∼1.5 A per gram of Cu and a Faradaic efficiency >70% at -0.3 V.

  2. SERS study of surface plasmon resonance induced carrier movement in Au@Cu2O core-shell nanoparticles

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Chen, Lei; Zhang, Fan; Deng, Xin-Yu; Xue, Xiangxin; Wang, Li; Sun, Yantao; Feng, Jing-Dong; Zhang, Yongjun; Wang, Yaxin; Jung, Young Mee

    2018-01-01

    A plasmon induced carrier movement enhanced mechanism of surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) was investigated using a charge-transfer (CT) enhancement mechanism. Here, we designed a strategy to study SERS in Au@Cu2O nanoshell nanoparticles with different shell thicknesses. Among the plasmonically coupled nanostructures, Au spheres with Cu2O shells have been of special interest due to their ultrastrong electromagnetic fields and controllable carrier transfer properties, which are useful for SERS. Au@Cu2O nanoshell nanoparticles (NPs) with shell thicknesses of 48-56 nm are synthesized that exhibit high SERS activity. This high activity originates from plasmonic-induced carrier transfer from Au@Cu2O to 4-mercaptobenzoic acid (MBA). The CT transition from the valence band (VB) of Cu2O to the second excited π-π* transition of MBA, and is of b2 electronic symmetry, which was enhanced significantly. The Herzberg-Teller selection rules were employed to predict the observed enhanced b2 symmetry modes. The system constructed in this study combines the long-range electromagnetic effect of Au NPs, localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) of the Au@Cu2O nanoshell, and the CT contribution to assist in understanding the SERS mechanism based on LSPR-induced carrier movement in metal/semiconductor nanocomposites.

  3. Cytotoxicity Evaluation and Magnetic Characteristics of Mechano-thermally Synthesized CuNi Nanoparticles for Hyperthermia

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Amrollahi, P.; Ataie, A.; Nozari, A.; Seyedjafari, E.; Shafiee, A.

    2015-03-01

    CuNi alloys are very well known, both in academia and industry, based on their wide range of applications. In the present investigation, the previously synthesized Cu0.5Ni0.5 nanoparticles (NPs) by mechano-thermal method were studied more extensively. Phase composition and morphology of the samples were studied by employing x-ray diffraction (XRD), field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) techniques. The Curie temperature ( T c) was determined by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). In vitro cytotoxicity was studied through methyl-thiazolyl-tetrazolium (MTT) assay. XRD and FESEM results indicated the formation of single-phase Cu0.5Ni0.5. TEM micrographs showed that the mean particle size of powders is 20 nm. DSC results revealed that T c of mechano-thermally synthesized Cu0.5Ni0.5 is 44 °C. The MTT assay results confirmed the viability and proliferation of human bone marrow stem cells in contact with Cu0.5Ni0.5 NPs. In summary, the fabricated particles were demonstrated to have potential in low concentrations for cancer treatment applications.

  4. Cellular and molecular responses of adult zebrafish after exposure to CuO nanoparticles or ionic copper.

    PubMed

    Vicario-Parés, Unai; Lacave, Jose M; Reip, Paul; Cajaraville, Miren P; Orbea, Amaia

    2018-01-01

    Due to their antimicrobial, electrical and magnetic properties, copper nanoparticles (NPs) are suitable for a vast array of applications. Copper can be toxic to biota, making it necessary to assess the potential hazard of copper nanomaterials. Zebrafish (Danio rerio) were exposed to 10 µg Cu/L of CuO NPs of ≈100 nm (CuO-poly) or ionic copper to compare the effects provoked after 3 and 21 days of exposure and at 6 months post-exposure (mpe). At 21 days, significant copper accumulation was only detected in fish exposed to ionic copper. Exposure to both copper forms caused histopathological alterations that could reduce gill functionality, more markedly in the case of ionic copper. Nevertheless, at 6 mpe higher prevalences of gill lesions were detected in fish previously exposed to CuO-poly NPs. No relevant histological alterations were detected in liver, but the lysosomal membrane stability test showed significantly impaired general health status after exposure to both metal forms that lasted up to 6 mpe. 69 transcripts appeared regulated after 3 days of exposure to CuO-poly NPs, suggesting that NPs could produce oxidative stress and reduce metabolism and transport processes. Thirty transcripts were regulated after 21 days of exposure to ionic copper, indicating possible DNA damage. Genes of the circadian clock were identified as the key genes involved in time-dependent differences between the two copper forms. In conclusion, each copper form showed a distinct pattern of liver transcriptome regulation, but both caused gill histopathological alterations and long lasting impaired health status in adult zebrafish.

  5. Long-term effects of CuO nanoparticles on the surface physicochemical properties of biofilms in a sequencing batch biofilm reactor.

    PubMed

    Hou, Jun; You, Guoxiang; Xu, Yi; Wang, Chao; Wang, Peifang; Miao, Lingzhan; Li, Yi; Ao, Yanhui; Lv, Bowen; Yang, Yangyang

    2016-11-01

    In this study, we examined the long-term effects of copper oxide nanoparticles (CuO NPs) on the production and properties of EPS and the resulting variations in surface physicochemical characteristics of biofilms in a sequencing batch biofilm reactor. After exposure to 50 mg/L CuO NPs for 45 days, the protein (PRO) and polysaccharide (PS) contents in loosely bound EPS (LB-EPS) decreased as the production of LB-EPS decreased from 34.4 to 30 mg TOC/g EPS. However, the production of tightly bound EPS (TB-EPS) increased by 16.47 % as the PRO and PS contents increased. The content of humic-like substances (HS) increased significantly, becoming the predominant constituent in EPS with the presence of 50 mg/L CuO NPs. Furthermore, the results of three-dimensional excitation-emission fluorescence spectra confirmed the various changes in terms of the LB-EPS and TB-EPS contents after exposure to CuO NPs. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy showed that the -OH and -NH 2 groups of proteins in EPS were involved in the reaction with CuO NPs. Moreover, the chronic exposure to CuO NPs induced a negative impact on the flocculating efficiency of EPS and on the hydrophobicity and aggregation ability of microbial cells. The PRO/PS ratios of different EPS fractions were consistent with their hydrophobicities (R 2 >0.98) and bioflocculating efficiencies (R 2 >0.95); however, there was no correlation with aggregation ability. Additionally, the presence of bovine serum albumin (BSA) prevented the physical contact between CuO NPs and EPS as a result of NP aggregation and electrostatic repulsion.

  6. A Facile Synthesis of MPd (M=Co, Cu) Nanoparticles and Their Catalysis for Formic Acid Oxidation

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

    Mazumder, Vismadeb; Chi, Miaofang; Mankin, Max

    2012-01-01

    Monodisperse CoPd nanoparticles (NPs) were synthesized and studied for catalytic formic acid (HCOOH) oxidation (FAO). The NPs were prepared by coreduction of Co(acac)2 (acac = acetylacetonate) and PdBr2 at 260 C in oleylamine and trioctylphosphine, and their sizes (5-12 nm) and compositions (Co10Pd90 to Co60Pd40) were controlled by heating ramp rate, metal salt concentration, or metal molar ratios. The 8 nm CoPd NPs were activated for HCOOH oxidation by a simple ethanol wash. In 0.1 M HClO4 and 2 M HCOOH solution, their catalytic activities followed the trend of Co50Pd50 > Co60Pd40 > Co10Pd90 > Pd. The Co50Pd50 NPs hadmore » an oxidation peak at 0.4 V with a peak current density of 774 A/gPd. As a comparison, commercial Pd catalysts showed an oxidation peak at 0.75 V with peak current density of only 254 A/gPd. The synthesis procedure could also be extended to prepare CuPd NPs when Co(acac)2 was replaced by Cu(ac)2 (ac = acetate) in an otherwise identical condition. The CuPd NPs were less active catalysts than CoPd or even Pd for FAO in HClO4 solution. The synthesis provides a general approach to Pd-based bimetallic NPs and will enable further investigation of Pd-based alloy NPs for electro-oxidation and other catalytic reactions.« less

  7. Examining mechanism of toxicity of copper oxide nanoparticles to Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Caenorhabditis elegans

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Mashock, Michael J.

    Copper oxide nanoparticles (CuO NPs) are an up and coming technology increasingly being used in industrial and consumer applications and thus may pose risk to humans and the environment. In the present study, the toxic effects of CuO NPs were studied with two model organisms Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Caenorhabditis elegans. The role of released Cu ions during dissolution of CuO NPs in growth media were studied with freshly suspended, aged NPs, and the released Cu 2+ fraction. Exposures to the different Cu treatments showed significant inhibition of S. cerevisiae cellular metabolic activity. Inhibition from the NPs was inversely proportional to size and was not fully explained by the released Cu ions. S. cerevisiae cultures grown under respiring conditions demonstrated greater metabolic sensitivity when exposed to CuO NPs compared to cultures undergoing fermentation. The cellular response to both CuO NPs and released Cu ions on gene expression was analyzed via microarray analysis after an acute exposure. It was observed that both copper exposures resulted in an increase in carbohydrate storage, a decrease in protein production, protein misfolding, increased membrane permeability, and cell cycle arrest. Cells exposed to NPs up-regulated genes related to oxidative phosphorylation but also may be inducing cell cycle arrest by a different mechanism than that observed with released Cu ions. The effect of CuO NPs on C. elegans was examined by using several toxicological endpoints. The CuO NPs displayed a more inhibitory effect, compared to copper sulfate, on nematode reproduction, feeding, and development. We investigated the effects of copper oxide nanoparticles and copper sulfate on neuronal health, a known tissue vulnerable to heavy metal toxicity. In transgenic C. eleganswith neurons expressing a green fluorescent protein reporter, neuronal degeneration was observed in up to 10% of the population after copper oxide nanoparticle exposure. Additionally, nematode

  8. Ultra-low temperature sintering of Cu@Ag core-shell nanoparticle paste by ultrasonic in air for high-temperature power device packaging.

    PubMed

    Ji, Hongjun; Zhou, Junbo; Liang, Meng; Lu, Huajun; Li, Mingyu

    2018-03-01

    Sintering of low-cost Cu nanoparticles (NPs) for interconnection of chips to substrate at low temperature and in atmosphere conditions is difficult because they are prone to oxidation, but dramatically required in semiconductor industry. In the present work, we successfully synthesized Cu@Ag NPs paste, and they were successfully applied for joining Cu/Cu@Ag NPs paste/Cu firstly in air by the ultrasonic-assisted sintering (UAS) at a temperature of as low as 160 °C. Their sintered microstructures featuring with dense and crystallized cells are completely different from the traditional thermo-compression sintering (TCS). The optimized shear strength of the joints reached to 54.27 MPa, exhibiting one order of magnitude higher than TCS at the same temperature (180 °C) under the UAS. This ultra-low sintering temperature and high performance of the sintered joints were ascribed to ultrasonic effects. The ultrasonic vibrations have distinct effects on the metallurgical reactions of the joints, resulting in the contact and growth of Cu core and the stripping and connection of Ag shell, which contributes to the high shear strength. Thus, the UAS of Cu@Ag NPs paste has a great potential to be applied for high-temperature power device packaging. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  9. Nanospecific Inhibition of Pyoverdine Siderophore Production in Pseudomonas Chlororaphis O6 by CuO Nanoparticles

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

    Dimkpa, Christian O.; McLean, Joan E.; Britt, David W.

    2012-03-01

    As traditional antibiotics become less effective against a growing number of pathogens, engineered nanoparticles (NPs) are becoming more widely applied as biocides. NPs of Ag, ZnO, and CuO exhibit dose-dependent antimicrobial activity; however, information is scant on the impact of sublethal levels of NPs on bacteria. In this paper, we evaluated the effect of a sublethal concentration (200 mg/L) of commercial CuO NPs on the expression of genes involved in the production of the fluorescent siderophore, pyoverdine (PVD) in the plant-beneficial bacterium Pseudomonas chlororaphis O6. PVDs are important in microbe-microbe and microbe-plant interactions, and are a virulence factor in pathogenicmore » pseudomonads. Cells challenged with the NPs had reduced amounts of PVD in their periplasm and the external medium. The NPs impaired the expression of genes involved in transport of the PVD precursor through the plasmamembrane, PVD maturation in the periplasm, and export through the outer membrane. Also, expression from one of three predicted Fe-PVD receptors was reduced by the NPs. As these effects were not observed for cells challenged with copper ions, this is a nanoparticlespecific phenomenon mediating cellular reprogramming in bacteria, affecting secondary metabolism and thus associated critical microbial processes. The regulation of bacterial genes and secondary metabolites by sublethal doses of a common metal oxide NP has strong environmental and medical implications.« less

  10. Pd-Cu/poly(o-Anisidine) nanocomposite as an efficient catalyst for formaldehyde oxidation

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

    Hosseini, Sayed Reza, E-mail: r.hosseini@umz.ac.ir; Raoof, Jahan-Bakhsh; Ghasemi, Shahram

    Highlights: • o-Anisidine monomer was electro-polymerized at the pCPE surface in acid medium. • Palladium/copper NPs were prepared by galvanic replacement method at the POA/pCPE. • Pd-Cu NPs showed excellent electrocatalytic activity towards formaldehyde oxidation. • The bimetallic Pd-Cu NPs/POA nanocomposite showed satisfactory long-term stability. - Abstract: In this work, for the first time, the electrocatalytic oxidation of formaldehyde in 0.5 M sulfuric acid solution at spherical bimetallic palladium-copper nanoparticles (Pd-Cu NPs) deposited on the poly (o-Anisidine) film modified electrochemically pretreated carbon paste electrode (POA/pCPE) has been investigated. Highly porous POA film prepared by electropolymerization onto the pCPE was usedmore » as a potent support for deposition of the Pd-Cu NPs. The Pd-Cu NPs were prepared through spontaneous and irreversible reaction via galvanic replacement between Pd{sup II} ions and the Cu{sup 0} particles. The prepared Pd-Cu NPs were characterized by scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive spectroscopy and electrochemical methods. The obtained results showed that the utilization of Cu nanoparticles and pretreatment technique enhances the electrocatalytic activity of the modified electrode towards formaldehyde oxidation. The influence of several parameters on formaldehyde oxidation as well as stability of the Pd-Cu/POA/pCPE has been investigated.« less

  11. Molecular aspects of metal oxide nanoparticle (MO-NPs) mediated pharmacological effects.

    PubMed

    Tuli, Hardeep Singh; Kashyap, Dharambir; Bedi, Simranjeet Kaur; Kumar, Pardeep; Kumar, Gaurav; Sandhu, Sardul Singh

    2015-12-15

    Metal oxide nanoparticles (MO-NPs) are the multidisciplinary nano-scaled molecules which are being used in the diagnosis and treatment of the challenging diseases including cancer. Evidence suggest that antimicrobial formulations in the form of MO-NPs can be possibly used as effective antimicrobial agents. In addition, MO-NPs are known to target various cellular signaling pathways associated with apoptosis, angiogenesis, metastasis and inflammation of cancer. In combination with other chemotherapeutic/anticancer agents, MO-NPs not only increase their bioavailability and efficacy but also lower down the requirement of active dosages. To date, to our knowledge there is no single comprehensive report on cellular and molecular interactions of MO-NPs which have been well elaborated in this review. Also we highlight various action mechanisms through which MO-NPs act as antimicrobial, anticancer, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory agents. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  12. Poly(glycidyl methacrylate)-A soft template for the facile preparation of poly(glycidyl methacrylate) core-copper nanoparticle shell nanocomposite

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Mohammed Safiullah, S.; Abdul Wasi, K.; Anver Basha, K.

    2015-12-01

    Poly(glycidyl methacrylate) core/copper nanoparticle shell nanocomposite (PGMA/Cu nanohybrid) was prepared by simple two step method (i) The synthesis of poly(glycidyl methacrylate) (PGMA) beads by free radical suspension polymerization followed by (ii) direct deposition of copper nanoparticles (CuNPs) on activated PGMA beads. The PGMA beads were used as a soft template to host the CuNPs without surface modification of it. In this method the CuNPs were formed by chemical reduction of copper salts using sodium borohydride in water medium and deposited directly on the activated PGMA. Two different concentrations of copper salts were employed to know the effect of concentration on the shape and size of nanoparticles. The results showed that, the different sizes and shapes of CuNPs were deposited on the PGMA matrix. The X-ray Diffraction study results showed that the CuNPs were embedded on the surface of the PGMA matrix. The scanning electron microscopic images revealed that the fabrication of CuNPs on the PGMA matrix possess different shapes and changes the morphology and nature of PGMA beads significantly. The fluorescent micrograph also confirmed that the CuNPs were doped on the PGMA surface. The thermal studies have demonstrated that the CuNPs deposition on the surface of PGMA beads had a significant effect.

  13. Heterojunctions of mixed phase TiO2 nanotubes with Cu, CuPt, and Pt nanoparticles: interfacial band alignment and visible light photoelectrochemical activity

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kar, Piyush; Zhang, Yun; Mahdi, Najia; Thakur, Ujwal K.; Wiltshire, Benjamin D.; Kisslinger, Ryan; Shankar, Karthik

    2018-01-01

    Anodically formed, vertically oriented, self-organized cylindrical TiO2 nanotube arrays composed of the anatase phase undergo an interesting morphological and phase transition upon flame annealing to square-shaped nanotubes composed of both anatase and rutile phases. This is the first report on heterojunctions consisting of metal nanoparticles (NPs) deposited on square-shaped TiO2 nanotube arrays (STNAs) with mixed rutile and anatase phase content. A simple photochemical deposition process was used to form Cu, CuPt, and Pt NPs on the STNAs, and an enhancement in the visible light photoelectrochemical water splitting performance for the NP-decorated STNAs was observed over the bare STNAs. Under narrow band illumination by visible photons at 410 nm and 505 nm, Cu NP-decorated STNAs performed the best, producing photocurrents 80% higher and 50 times higher than bare STNAs, respectively. Probing the energy level structure at the NP-STNA interface using ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy revealed Schottky barrier formation in the NP-decorated STNAs, which assists in separating the photogenerated charge carriers, as also confirmed by longer charge carrier lifetimes in NP-decorated STNAs. While all the NP-decorated STNAs showed enhanced visible light absorption compared to the bare STNAs, only the Cu NPs exhibited a clear plasmonic behavior with an extinction cross section that peaked at 550 nm.

  14. Heterojunctions of mixed phase TiO2 nanotubes with Cu, CuPt, and Pt nanoparticles: interfacial band alignment and visible light photoelectrochemical activity.

    PubMed

    Kar, Piyush; Zhang, Yun; Mahdi, Najia; Thakur, Ujwal K; Wiltshire, Benjamin D; Kisslinger, Ryan; Shankar, Karthik

    2018-01-05

    Anodically formed, vertically oriented, self-organized cylindrical TiO 2 nanotube arrays composed of the anatase phase undergo an interesting morphological and phase transition upon flame annealing to square-shaped nanotubes composed of both anatase and rutile phases. This is the first report on heterojunctions consisting of metal nanoparticles (NPs) deposited on square-shaped TiO 2 nanotube arrays (STNAs) with mixed rutile and anatase phase content. A simple photochemical deposition process was used to form Cu, CuPt, and Pt NPs on the STNAs, and an enhancement in the visible light photoelectrochemical water splitting performance for the NP-decorated STNAs was observed over the bare STNAs. Under narrow band illumination by visible photons at 410 nm and 505 nm, Cu NP-decorated STNAs performed the best, producing photocurrents 80% higher and 50 times higher than bare STNAs, respectively. Probing the energy level structure at the NP-STNA interface using ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy revealed Schottky barrier formation in the NP-decorated STNAs, which assists in separating the photogenerated charge carriers, as also confirmed by longer charge carrier lifetimes in NP-decorated STNAs. While all the NP-decorated STNAs showed enhanced visible light absorption compared to the bare STNAs, only the Cu NPs exhibited a clear plasmonic behavior with an extinction cross section that peaked at 550 nm.

  15. Role of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) on the cardiovascular system.

    PubMed

    Gonzalez, Carmen; Rosas-Hernandez, Hector; Ramirez-Lee, Manuel Alejandro; Salazar-García, Samuel; Ali, Syed F

    2016-03-01

    With the advent of nanotechnology, the use and applications of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) have increased, both in consumer products as well as in medical devices. However, little is known about the effects of these nanoparticles on human health, more specific in the cardiovascular system, since this system represents an important route of action in terms of distribution, bioaccumulation and bioavailability of the different circulating substances in the bloodstream. A collection of studies have addressed the effects and applications of different kinds of AgNPs (shaped, sized, coated and functionalized) in several components of the cardiovascular system, such as endothelial cells, isolated vessels and organs as well as integrative animal models, trying to identify the underlying mechanisms involved in their actions, to understand their implication in the field of biomedicine. The purpose of the present review is to summarize the most relevant studies to date of AgNPs effects in the cardiovascular system and provide a broader picture of the potential toxic effects and exposure risks, which in turn will allow pointing out the directions of further research as well as new applications of these versatile nanomaterials.

  16. Enhanced Oxidation-Resistant Cu@Ni Core-Shell Nanoparticles for Printed Flexible Electrodes.

    PubMed

    Kim, Tae Gon; Park, Hye Jin; Woo, Kyoohee; Jeong, Sunho; Choi, Youngmin; Lee, Su Yeon

    2018-01-10

    In this work, the fabrication and application of highly conductive, robust, flexible, and oxidation-resistant Cu-Ni core-shell nanoparticle (NP)-based electrodes have been reported. Cu@Ni core-shell NPs with a tunable Ni shell thickness were synthesized by varying the Cu/Ni molar ratios in the precursor solution. Through continuous spray coating and flash photonic sintering without an inert atmosphere, large-area Cu@Ni NP-based conductors were fabricated on various polymer substrates. These NP-based electrodes demonstrate a low sheet resistance of 1.3 Ω sq -1 under an optical energy dose of 1.5 J cm -2 . In addition, they exhibit highly stable sheet resistances (ΔR/R 0 < 1) even after 30 days of aging at 85 °C and 85% relative humidity. Further, a flexible heater fabricated from the Cu@Ni film is demonstrated, which shows uniform heat distribution and stable temperature compared to those of a pure Cu film.

  17. Green synthesis of copper nanoparticles by Citrus medica Linn. (Idilimbu) juice and its antimicrobial activity.

    PubMed

    Shende, Sudhir; Ingle, Avinash P; Gade, Aniket; Rai, Mahendra

    2015-06-01

    We report an eco-friendly method for the synthesis of copper nanoparticles (CuNPs) using Citron juice (Citrus medica Linn.), which is nontoxic and cheap. The biogenic copper nanoparticles were characterized by UV-Vis spectrophotometer showing a typical resonance (SPR) at about 631 nm which is specific for CuNPs. Nanoparticles tracking analysis by NanoSight-LM20 showed the particles in the range of 10-60 nm with the concentration of 2.18 × 10(8) particles per ml. X-ray diffraction revealed the FCC nature of nanoparticles with an average size of 20 nm. The antimicrobial activity of CuNPs was determined by Kirby-Bauer disk diffusion method against some selected species of bacteria and plant pathogenic fungi. It was reported that the synthesized CuNPs demonstrated a significant inhibitory activity against Escherichia coli followed by Klebsiella pneumoniae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Propionibacterium acnes and Salmonella typhi. Among the plant pathogenic fungi tested, Fusarium culmorum was found to be most sensitive followed by F. oxysporum and F. graminearum. The novelty of this work is that for the first time citron juice was used for the synthesis of CuNPs.

  18. Colon-specific delivery of curcumin by exploiting Eudragit-decorated chitosan nanoparticles in vitro and in vivo

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Khatik, Renuka; Mishra, Ramakant; Verma, Ashwni; Dwivedi, Pankaj; Kumar, Vivek; Gupta, Varsha; Paliwal, Sarvesh Kumar; Mishra, Prabhat Ranjan; Dwivedi, Anil Kumar

    2013-09-01

    The aim of present investigation was to prepare chitosan (CS) nanoparticles (NPs) and to study the targeting ability of Eudragit S 100 (ES)-coated chitosan nanoparticles (ES-CS-NPs) in comparison with CS-NPs; both loaded with curcumin (CU); to colon, when administered orally, by restricting the size of formulation up to few nanometers and exploiting the pH sensitivity of ES. The CU-loaded CS-NPs (CS-NPs-CU) have been prepared by ionic gelation method. The coating of ES on CS-NPs-CU (ES-CS-NPs-CU) was performed by oil-in-oil solvent evaporation method using coat:core ratio (2:1). The cross-linking of CS with tri poly phosphate during the preparation of CS-NPs has been confirmed by FTIR. CS-NPs-CU and ES-CS-NPs-CU were evaluated for particle size, their size distribution, percentage drug entrapment, and in vitro drug release study. CS-NPs-CU has an average size 173 ± 4.5 nm and poly dispersity index (PDI) 0.16, whereas ES-CS-NPs-CU shows average size 236 ± 3.2 nm and PDI 0.22. Surface morphology of prepared NPs was confirmed by scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy. The release profile reveals that the ES coating on the ES-CS-NPs-CU protects the release of CU in upper gastrointestinal tract while maximum release of CU occurred in simulated colonic fluids of pH 6.8. There was no major difference in cell viability between ES-CS-NPs-CU and CS-NPs-CU when they were exposed to Caco-2 cells at all equivalent concentrations. The in vivo uptake studies revealed preferential uptake of ES-CS-NPs-CU in the colon. The significantly higher ( P < 0.01) AUC0-∞ has been observed in case of ES-CS-NPs-CU as compared to CU and CS-NPs-CU representing that ES-CS-NPs-CU was more bioavailable. These results demonstrated that ES-CS-NPs-CU may be useful as potential delivery system for treatment of colon cancer.

  19. Rapid, controllable, one-pot and room-temperature aqueous synthesis of ZnO:Cu nanoparticles by pulsed UV laser and its application for photocatalytic degradation of methyl orange.

    PubMed

    Arabi, Mozhgan; Baizaee, Seyyed Mahdy; Bahador, Alireza; Otaqsara, Seyed Mohammad Taheri

    2018-05-01

    Zinc oxide (ZnO) and ZnO:Cu nanoparticles (NPs) were synthesized using a rapid, controllable, one-pot and room-temperature pulsed UV-laser assisted method. UV-laser irradiation was used as an effective energy source in order to gain better control over the NPs size and morphology in aqueous media. Parameters effective in laser assisted synthesis of NPs such as irradiation time and laser shot repetition rate were optimized. Photoluminescence (PL) spectra of ZnO NPs showed a broad emission with two trap state peaks located at 442 and 485 nm related to electronic transition from zinc interstitial level (I Zn ) to zinc vacancy level (V Zn ) and electronic transition from conduction band to the oxygen vacancy level (V O ), respectively. For ZnO:Cu NPs, trap state emissions disappeared completely and a copper (Cu)-related emission appeared. PL intensity of Cu-related emission increased with the increase in concentration of Cu 2+ , so that for molar ratio of Cu:Zn 2%, optimal value of PL intensity was obtained. The photocatalytic activity of Cu-doped ZnO revealed 50 and 100% increasement than that of undoped NPs under UV and visible irradiation, respectively. The enhanced photocatalytic activity could be attributed to smaller crystal size, as well as creation of impurity acceptor levels (T 2 ) inside the ZnO energy band gap. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  20. Synthesis and structural characterization of ZnO-and CuO-NPs supported mesoporous silica materials (hexagonal SBA-15 and lamellar-SiO2)

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    El-Nahhal, Issa M.; Salem, Jamil K.; Tabasi, Nihal S.; Hempelmann, Rolf; Kodeh, Fawzi S.

    2018-01-01

    Two different mesoporous silica structures (hexagonal and lamellar) were synthesized via sol-gel method using a series of triblock copolymer (Pluronic) surfactants. L81, L61 & L31 surfactants form lamellar structure whereas P123 surfactant forms a hexagonal structure. CuO and ZnO nanoparticles (NPs) supported mesoporous silica were synthesized using impregnation method. The structural properties of these materials were investigated using several characterization techniques such as FTIR, XRD, SAXS, TEM and TGA. SAXS and TEM confirmed that the obtained mesoporous silica is based on the EO/PO ratio of Pluronic surfactants. They proved that the mesoporosity of silica is well maintained even after they loaded with metal oxide nanoparticles.

  1. Synthesis of Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) with Antibacterial Activity

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Campillo Gloria, E.; Ederley, Vélez; Gladis, Morales; César, Hincapié; Jaime, Osorio; Oscar, Arnache; Uribe José, Ignacio; Franklin, Jaramillo

    2017-06-01

    The synthesis of nanomaterials is currently one of the most active in nanoscience branches; especially those help improve the human quality life. Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) are an example of this as it is known to have inhibitory and bactericidal effects. In this work, we report the synthesis of silver nanoparticles by chemical reduction method of silver nitrate (AgNO3) from aqueous solution, using a mix of polivinyl pyrrolidone (PVP) - Aloe Vera as reducing agent and for stabilization and control of particle size. Silver nanoparticles obtained were characterized by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), UV-visible spectroscopy and measurements using Zetasizer Nano ZS were applied to size estimation. The existence of surface plasmon resonance peak at λmax ~ 420 nm is evidence of silver nanoparticles formation. It was possible to standardize an appropriate protocol for the evaluation of bactericidal activity of the nanoparticles, for mesophilic microorganisms. Bactericidal activity above 90% against these kinds of bacteria was demonstrated.

  2. Copper Nanoparticle Induced Cytotoxicity to Nitrifying Bacteria ...

    EPA Pesticide Factsheets

    With the inclusion of engineered nanomaterials in industrial processes and consumer products, wastewater treatments plants (WWTPs) will serve as a major sink for these emerging contaminants. Previous research has demonstrated that nanomaterials are potentially toxic to microbial communities utilized in biological wastewater treatment (BWT). Copper-based nanoparticles (CuNPs) are of particular interest based on their increasing use in wood treatment, paints, household products, coatings, and byproducts of semiconductor manufacturing. A critical step in BWT is nutrient removal via denitrification. This study examined the potential toxicity of bare and polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) coated CuO, and Cu2O nanoparticles, as well as Cu ions to microbial communities responsible for nitrogen removal in BWT. Inhibition was inferred from changes to the specific oxygen uptake rate (sOUR) in the absence and presence of Cu ions and CuNPs. X-ray absorption fine structure spectroscopy, with Linear Combination Fitting (LCF), was utilized to track changes to Cu speciation throughout exposure. Results indicate that the dissolution of Cu ions from CuNPs drive microbial inhibition. The presence of a PVP coating on CuNPs has little effect on inhibition. LCF fitting of the biomass combined with metal partitioning analysis supports the current hypothesis that Cu-induced cytotoxicity is primarily caused by reactive oxygen species formed from ionic Cu in solution via catalytic reaction inter

  3. Copper nanoparticles mediated by chitosan: synthesis and characterization via chemical methods.

    PubMed

    Usman, Muhammad Sani; Ibrahim, Nor Azowa; Shameli, Kamyar; Zainuddin, Norhazlin; Yunus, Wan Md Zin Wan

    2012-12-14

    Herein we report a synthesis of copper nanoparticles (Cu-NPs) in chitosan (Cts) media via a chemical reaction method. The nanoparticles were synthesized in an aqueous solution in the presence of Cts as stabilizer and CuSO(4)·5H(2)O precursor. The synthesis proceeded with addition of NaOH as pH moderator, ascorbic acid as antioxidant and hydrazine( )as the reducing agent. The characterization of the prepared NPs was done using ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy, which showed a 593 nm copper band. The Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscope (FESEM) images were also observed, and found to be in agreement with the UV-Vis result, confirming the formation of metallic Cu-NPs. The mean size of the Cu-NPs was estimated to be in the range of 35-75 nm using X-ray diffraction. XRD was also used in analysis of the crystal structure of the NPs. The interaction between the chitosan and the synthesized NPs was studied using Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, which showed the capping of the NPs by Cts.

  4. Composition-Dependent Morphology of Bi- and Trimetallic Phosphides: Construction of Amorphous Pd-Cu-Ni-P Nanoparticles as a Selective and Versatile Catalyst.

    PubMed

    Zhao, Ming; Ji, Yuan; Wang, Mengyue; Zhong, Ning; Kang, Zinan; Asao, Naoki; Jiang, Wen-Jie; Chen, Qiang

    2017-10-11

    Amorphous materials have been widely researched in heterogeneous catalysis and for next-generation batteries. However, the well-defined production of high-quality (e.g., monodisperse and high surface area) amorphous alloy nanomaterials has rarely been reported. In this work, we investigated the correlations among the composition, morphology, and catalysis of various Pd-M-P nanoparticles (NPs) (M = Cu or Ni), which indicated that less Cu (≤20 atom %) was necessary for the formation of an amorphous morphology. The amorphous Pd-Cu-Ni-P NPs were fabricated with a controllable size and characterized carefully, which show excellent selective catalysis in the semihydrogenation of alkynes, hydrogenation of quinoline, and oxidation of primary alcohols. The uniqueness of the catalytic performance was confirmed by control experiments with monometallic Pd, amorphous Pd-Ni-P NPs, crystalline Pd-Cu-P NPs, and a crystalline counterpart of Pd-Cu-Ni-P catalyst. The catalytic selectivity likely arose from improved Pd-M (M = Cu or Ni) synergistic effects in the amorphous phase and the electron deficiency of Pd. The model reactions proceeded under H 2 or O 2 gas without any additives, bases, or metal oxide supports, and the catalyst could be reused several times. This report is expected to shed light on the design of amorphous alloy nanomaterials as green and inexpensive catalysts for atom-economic and selective reactions.

  5. A perspective of mitochondrial dysfunction in rats treated with silver and titanium nanoparticles (AgNPs and TiNPs).

    PubMed

    Pereira, Lilian Cristina; Pazin, Murilo; Franco-Bernardes, Mariana Furio; Martins, Airton da Cunha; Barcelos, Gustavo Rafael Mazzaron; Pereira, Márcio Cesar; Mesquita, João Paulo; Rodrigues, Jairo Lisboa; Barbosa, Fernando; Dorta, Daniel Junqueira

    2018-05-01

    Nanotechnology is a growing branch of science that deals with the development of structural features bearing at least one dimension in the nano range. More specifically, nanomaterials are defined as objects with dimensions that range from 1 to 100 nm, which give rise to interesting properties. In particular, silver and titanium nanoparticles (AgNPs and TiNPs, respectively) are known for their biological and biomedical properties and are often used in consumer products such as cosmetics, food additives, kitchen utensils, and toys. This situation has increased environmental and occupational exposure to AgNPs and TiNPs, which has placed demand for the risk assessment of NPs. Indeed, the same properties that make nanomaterials so attractive could also prove deleterious to biological systems. Of particular concern is the effect of NPs on mitochondria because these organelles play an essential role in cellular homeostasis. In this scenario, this work aimed to study how AgNPs and TiNPs interact with the mitochondrial respiration chain and to analyze how this interaction interferes in the bioenergetics and oxidative state of the organelles after sub-chronic exposure. Mitochondria were exposed to the NPs by gavage treatment for 21 days to check whether co-exposure of the organelles to the two types of NPs elicited any mitochondrion-NP interaction. More specifically, male Wistar rats were randomly assigned to four groups. Groups I, II, III, and IV received mineral oil, TiNPs (100 μg/kg/day), AgNPs (100 μg/kg/day), and TiNPs + AgNPs (100 μg/kg/day), respectively, by gavage. The liver was immediately removed, and the mitochondria were isolated and used within 3 h. Exposure of mitochondria to TiNPs + AgNPs lowered the respiratory control ratio, causing an uncoupling effect in the oxidative phosphorylation system. Moreover, both types of NPs induced mitochondrial swelling. Extended exposure of mitochondria to the NPs maintained increased ROS levels and

  6. Morphological Control of Mesoporosity and Nanoparticles within Co3O4-CuO Electrospun Nanofibers: Quantum Confinement and Visible Light Photocatalysis Performance.

    PubMed

    Pradhan, Amaresh C; Uyar, Tamer

    2017-10-18

    The one-dimensional (1D) mesoporous and interconnected nanoparticles (NPs) enriched composite Co 3 O 4 -CuO nanofibers (NFs) in the ratio Co:Cu = 1/4 (Co 3 O 4 -CuO NFs) composite have been synthesized by electrospinning and calcination of mixed polymeric template. Not merely the mesoporous composite Co 3 O 4 -CuO NFs but also single mesoporous Co 3 O 4 NFs and CuO NFs have been produced for comparison. The choice of mixed polymer templates such as polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) and polyethylene glycol (PEG) for electrospinning is responsible for the formation of 1D mesoporous NFs. The HR-TEM result showed evolution of interconnected nanoparticles (NPs) and creation of mesoporosity in all electrospun NFs. The quantum confinement is due to NPs within NFs and has been proved by the surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) study and the UV-vis-NRI diffuse reflectance spectra (DRS). The high intense photoluminescence (PL) spectra showing blue shift of all NFs also confirmed the quantum confinement phenomena. The lowering of PL spectrum after mixing of CuO in Co 3 O 4 nanofibers framework (Co 3 O 4 -CuO NFs) proved CuO as an efficient visible light response low cost cocatalyst/charge separator. The red shifting of the band gap in composite Co 3 O 4 -CuO NFs is due to the internal charge transfer between Co 2+ to Co 3+ and Cu 2+ , proved by UV-vis absorption spectroscopy. Creation of oxygen vacancies by mixing of CuO and Co 3 O 4 also prevents the electron-hole recombination and enhances the photocatalytic activity in composite Co 3 O 4 -CuO NFs. The photocurrent density, Mott-Schottky (MS), and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) studies of all NFs favor the high photocatalytic performance. The mesoporous composite Co 3 O 4 -CuO NFs exhibits high photocatalytic activity toward phenolic compounds degradation as compared to the other two NFs (Co 3 O 4 NFs and CuO NFs). The kinetic study of phenolic compounds followed first order rate equation. The high photocatalytic

  7. [Sensing of Cu²⁺ Based on Fenton Reaction and Unmodified Gold Nanoparticles].

    PubMed

    Xing, Yun-peng; Liu, Chun; Zhou, Xiao-hong; Zhang, Li-pei; Shi, Han-chang

    2015-11-01

    Heavy metal pollution has received great attentions in recent years. The traditional methods for heavy metal detection rely on the expensive laboratory instruments and need time-consuming preparation steps; therefore, it is urgent to develop quick and highly sensitive new technologies for heavy metal detection. The colorimetric method based on the gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) features with simple operation, high sensitivity and low cost, therefore, enabling it widely concerned and used in the environmental monitoring, food safety and chemical and biological sensing fields. This work developed a simple, rapid and highly sensitive strategy based on the Fenton reaction and unmodified AuNPs for the detection of Cu²⁺ in water samples. The hydroxyl radical ( · OH) generated by the Fenton reaction between the Cu²⁺ and sodium ascorbate (SA) oxidized the single stranded DNA (ssDNA) attached on the AuNPs surface into variable sequence fragments. The cleavage of ssDNA induced the aggregation of AuNPs in a certain salt solution, therefore, resulting in the changes on the absorbance of solution. The assay conditions were optimized to be pH value of 7.9, 11 mg · L⁻¹ ssDNA, 8 mmol · L⁻¹ SA and 70 mmol · L⁻¹ NaCl. Results showed that the absorbance ratio values at the wavelengths of 700 and 525 nm (A₇₀₀/A₅₂₅) were linearly correlated with the Cu²⁺ concentrations. The linear detection range was 0.1-10.0 µmol · L⁻¹ with a detection limit of 24 nmol · L⁻¹ (3σ). Spiked recoveries ranged from 87%-120% in three sorts of water, including drinking water, tap water and lake water, which confirmed that the potentials of the proposed assay for Cu²⁺ detection in reality.

  8. The effect of biologically and chemically synthesized silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) on biofilm formation

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Chojniak, Joanna; Biedroń, Izabela; Mendrek, Barbara; Płaza, Grażyna

    2017-11-01

    Bionanotechnology has emerged up as integration between biotechnology and nanotechnology for developing biosynthetic and environmental-friendly technology for synthesis of nanomaterials. Different types of nanomaterials like copper, zinc, titanium, magnesium, gold, and silver have applied in the various industries but silver nanoparticles have proved to be most effective against bacteria, viruses and eukaryotic microorganisms. The antimicrobial property of silver nanoparticles are widely known. Due to strong antibacterial property silver nanoparticles are used, e.g. in clothing, food industry, sunscreens, cosmetics and many household and environmental appliances. The aim of the study was to compare the effect of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) synthesized biologically and chemically on the biofilm formation. The biofilm was formed by the bacteria isolated from the water supply network. The commonly used crystal violet assay (CV) was applied for biofilm analysis. In this study effect of biologically synthesized Ag-NPs on the biofilm formation was evaluated.

  9. Interaction of copper nanoparticles and an endophytic growth promoter Piriformospora indica with Cajanus cajan.

    PubMed

    Rajak, Jyoti; Bawaskar, Manisha; Rathod, Dnyaneshwar; Agarkar, Gauravi; Nagaonkar, Dipali; Gade, Aniket; Rai, Mahendra

    2017-10-01

    In recent years, agro-bionanotechnology has paved the way towards revolutionizing current practices in the food and agricultural fields. In the present study, the effect of copper nanoparticles (CuNPs) alone and in combination with the growth-promoting fungus Piriformospora indica on 2-week-old seedlings of Cajanus cajan was evaluated. Gelatin-coated stable CuNPs were synthesized by the chemical reduction method using hydrazine hydrate as a reducing agent. CuNPs were characterized by using UV-visible spectroscopy, zeta potential measurement and transmission electron microscopy. The nanoparticles were found to be quite spherical with a diameter within the range 40 ± 10 nm. After the application of CuNPs and P. indica to the host plant C. cajan, the vitality of plants was determined using a Handy-PEA (plant efficiency analyzer) instrument. Handy-PEA analysis (which measures chlorophyll a fluorescence) indicated that seedlings inoculated with a combination of CuNPs and P. indica were the healthiest and also showed maximum vitality as compared to seedlings inoculated with CuNPs or P. indica alone. These results suggest that CuNPs in combination with P. indica can serve as a nanobiofertilizer for enhancement of the growth and productivity of C. cajan. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry.

  10. Magnetoelectric Coupling in CuO Nanoparticles for Spintronics Applications

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kaur, Mandeep; Tovstolytkin, Alexandr; Lotey, Gurmeet Singh

    2018-05-01

    Multiferroic copper oxide (CuO) nanoparticles have been synthesized by colloidal synthesis method. The morphological, structural, magnetic, dielectric and magnetodielectric property has been investigated. The structural study reveals the monoclinic structure of CuO nanoparticles. Transmission electron microscopy images disclose that the size of the CuO nanoparticles is 18 nm and the synthesized nanoparticles are uniform in size and dispersion. Magnetic study tells the weak ferromagnetic character of CuO nanoparticles with coercivity and retentivity value 206 Oe and 0.060 emu/g respectively. Dielectric study confirms that the dielectric constant of CuO nanoparticles is around 1091 at low frequency. The magnetoelectric coupling in the synthesized CuO nanoparticles has been calculated by measuring magnetodielectric coupling coefficient.

  11. Precise localization of metal nanoparticles in dendrimer nanosnakes or inner periphery and consequences in catalysis

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Liu, Xiang; Gregurec, Danijela; Irigoyen, Joseba; Martinez, Angel; Moya, Sergio; Ciganda, Roberto; Hermange, Philippe; Ruiz, Jaime; Astruc, Didier

    2016-10-01

    Understanding the relationship between the location of nanoparticles (NPs) in an organic matrix and their catalytic performances is essential for catalyst design. Here we show that catalytic activities of Au, Ag and CuNPs stabilized by dendrimers using coordination to intradendritic triazoles, galvanic replacement or stabilization outside dendrimers strongly depends on their location. AgNPs are found at the inner click dendrimer periphery, whereas CuNPs and AuNPs are encapsulated in click dendrimer nanosnakes. AuNPs and AgNPs formed by galvanic replacement are larger than precursors and only partly encapsulated. AuNPs are all the better 4-nitrophenol reduction catalysts as they are less sterically inhibited by the dendrimer interior, whereas on the contrary CuNPs are all the better alkyne azide cycloaddition catalysts as they are better protected from aerobic oxidation inside dendrimers. This work highlights the role of the location in macromolecules on the catalytic efficiency of metal nanoparticles and rationalizes optimization in catalyst engineering.

  12. L-cysteine protected copper nanoparticles as colorimetric sensor for mercuric ions.

    PubMed

    Soomro, Razium A; Nafady, Ayman; Sirajuddin; Memon, Najma; Sherazi, Tufail H; Kalwar, Nazar H

    2014-12-01

    This report demonstrates a novel, simple and efficient protocol for the synthesis of copper nanoparticles in aqueous solution using L-cysteine as capping or protecting agent. UV-visible (UV-vis) spectroscopy was employed to monitor the LSPR band of L-cysteine functionalized copper nanoparticles (Cyst-Cu NPs) based on optimizing various reaction parameters. Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy provided information about the surface interaction between L-cysteine and Cu NPs. Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) confirmed the formation of fine spherical, uniformly distributed Cyst-Cu NPs with average size of 34 ± 2.1 nm. X-ray diffractometry (XRD) illustrated the formation of pure metallic phase crystalline Cyst-Cu NPs. As prepared Cyst-Cu NPs were tested as colorimetric sensor for determining mercuric (Hg(2+)) ions in an aqueous system. Cyst-Cu NPs demonstrated very sensitive and selective colorimetric detection of Hg(2+) ions in the range of 0.5 × 10(-6)-3.5 × 10(-6) mol L(-1) based on decrease in LSPR intensity as monitored by a UV-vis spectrophotometer. The developed sensor is simple, economic compared to those based on precious metal nanoparticles and sensitive to detect Hg(2+) ions with detection limit down to 4.3 × 10(-8) mol L(-1). The sensor developed in this work has a high potential for rapid and on-site detection of Hg(2+) ions. The sensor was successfully applied for assessment of Hg(2+) ions in real water samples collected from various locations of the Sindh River. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  13. Electrochemical properties and electrocatalytic activity of conducting polymer/copper nanoparticles supported on reduced graphene oxide composite

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ehsani, Ali; Jaleh, Babak; Nasrollahzadeh, Mahmoud

    2014-07-01

    Reduced graphene oxide (rGO) was used to support Cu nanoparticles. As electro-active electrodes for supercapacitors composites of reduced graphene oxide/Cu nanoparticles (rGO/CuNPs) and polytyramine (PT) with good uniformity are prepared by electropolymerization. Composite of rGO/CuNPs-PT was synthesized by cyclic voltammetry (CV) methods and electrochemical properties of film were investigated by using electrochemical techniques. The results show that, the rGO/CuNPs-PT/G has better capacitance performance. This is mainly because of the really large surface area and the better electronic and ionic conductivity of rGO/CuNPs-PT/G, which lead to greater double-layer capacitance and faradic pseudo capacitance. Modified graphite electrodes (rGO/CuNPs-PT/G) were examined for their redox process and electrocatalytic activities towards the oxidation of methanol in alkaline solutions. The methods of cyclic voltammetry (CV), chronoamperometry (CA) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) were employed. In comparison with a Cu-PT/G (Graphite), rGO/CuNPs-PT/G modified electrode shows a significantly higher response for methanol oxidation. A mechanism based on the electro-chemical generation of Cu(III) active sites and their subsequent consumptions by methanol have been discussed.

  14. Facile Large-scale synthesis of stable CuO nanoparticles

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Nazari, P.; Abdollahi-Nejand, B.; Eskandari, M.; Kohnehpoushi, S.

    2018-04-01

    In this work, a novel approach in synthesizing the CuO nanoparticles was introduced. A sequential corrosion and detaching was proposed in the growth and dispersion of CuO nanoparticles in the optimum pH value of eight. The produced CuO nanoparticles showed six nm (±2 nm) in diameter and spherical feather with a high crystallinity and uniformity in size. In this method, a large-scale production of CuO nanoparticles (120 grams in an experimental batch) from Cu micro-particles was achieved which may met the market criteria for large-scale production of CuO nanoparticles.

  15. Modified pulse laser deposition of Ag nanostructure as intermediate for low temperature Cu-Cu bonding

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Liu, Ziyu; Cai, Jian; Wang, Qian; Liu, Lei; Zou, Guisheng

    2018-07-01

    To lower the Cu-Cu bonding temperature and save the time of the bonding process applied for 3D integration, the Ag nanostructure deposited by pulsed laser deposition (PLD) was designed and decorated on the Cu pads as intermediate. Influences of different PLD process parameters on the designed Ag nanostructure morphology were investigated in this work. The large nanoparticles (NP) defects, NPs coverage rate on the Cu pad, and NPs size distribution were adopted to evaluate the PLD parameters based on the NPs morphology observation and the Cu-Cu bonding quality. The medium laser power of 0.8 W, smaller distance between target and substrate, and protective container should be applied in the optimized PLD to obtain the Ag nanostructure. Then a loose 3D mesh Ag nanostructure consisted of the protrusions and grooves was formed and the morphology observation proved the nanostructure deposition mechanism was contributed to the block of nano-film nucleation and nanoparticles absorption. Finally, the relationship between the bonding temperature and pressure suitable for the Ag nanostructure had been determined based on shear strength and interface observation. The results revealed the combination of higher bonding temperature (250 °C) and lower pressure (20 MPa), or lower bonding temperature (180 °C) and higher pressure (50 MPa) can both achieve the bonding process with the short bonding time of 5 min and annealing at 200 °C for 25 min in vacuum furnace.

  16. Carbon Nanoparticles decorated with cupric oxide Nanoparticles prepared by laser ablation in liquid as an antibacterial therapeutic agent

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Khashan, Khawla S.; Jabir, Majid S.; Abdulameer, Farah A.

    2018-03-01

    Carbon nanoparticles (CNPs) decorated with cupric oxide nanoparticles (CuO NPs) were prepared by laser ablation in water, and their antibacterial activity was examined. X-ray diffraction measurements demonstrated the presence of carbon phases and different CuO phases, and results were confirmed by Fourier transform infrared analysis. Energy- Dispersive spectra showed the presence of C, O, and Cu in the final product. Transmission electron micrographs revealed that the CNPs were 10-80 nm in size and spherical; after being decorated with CuO NPs, particles became 5-50 nm in size and uniform in shape. The absorption spectrum of decorated Nanoparticles indicated the appearance of a new peak at 254-264 nm in addition to the fundamental peak at 228 nm. We then examined the antibacterial activity of the decorated CNPs for both gram-negative and -positive bacteria using the agar-well-diffusion method. The mode of action was determined using acridine orange-ethidium bromide staining to detect reactive oxygen species, and bacterial morphological change was studied by scanning electron microscopy. Results showed that CNPs decorated with 43% CuO NPs had the highest antibacterial activity for gram-positive bacteria. The CNPs acted on the cytoplasmic membrane and nucleic acid of bacteria, which led to a loss of cell-wall integrity, increased cell-wall permeability, and nucleic acid damage. The results offer a novel way to synthesis Carbon nanoparticles decorated with cupric oxide nanoparticles and could use them as novel antibacterial agent in future for pharmaceutical and biomedical applications.

  17. Cytotoxicity of copper (II) oxide nanoparticles in rat and human intestinal cell models

    EPA Science Inventory

    CuO nanoparticles (NPs) have a variety of commercial applications ranging from catalysts to semiconductors. There is a potential for human oral exposure to CuO NPs following accidental or intentional ingestion, hand-to-mouth activity, or mucociliary transport following inhalatio...

  18. Green Adeptness in the Synthesis and Stabilization of Copper Nanoparticles: Catalytic, Antibacterial, Cytotoxicity, and Antioxidant Activities

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Din, Muhammad Imran; Arshad, Farhan; Hussain, Zaib; Mukhtar, Maria

    2017-12-01

    Copper nanoparticles (CuNPs) are of great interest due to their extraordinary properties such as high surface-to-volume ratio, high yield strength, ductility, hardness, flexibility, and rigidity. CuNPs show catalytic, antibacterial, antioxidant, and antifungal activities along with cytotoxicity and anticancer properties in many different applications. Many physical and chemical methods have been used to synthesize nanoparticles including laser ablation, microwave-assisted process, sol-gel, co-precipitation, pulsed wire discharge, vacuum vapor deposition, high-energy irradiation, lithography, mechanical milling, photochemical reduction, electrochemistry, electrospray synthesis, hydrothermal reaction, microemulsion, and chemical reduction. Phytosynthesis of nanoparticles has been suggested as a valuable alternative to physical and chemical methods due to low cytotoxicity, economic prospects, environment-friendly, enhanced biocompatibility, and high antioxidant and antimicrobial activities. The review explains characterization techniques, their main role, limitations, and sensitivity used in the preparation of CuNPs. An overview of techniques used in the synthesis of CuNPs, synthesis procedure, reaction parameters which affect the properties of synthesized CuNPs, and a screening analysis which is used to identify phytochemicals in different plants is presented from the recent published literature which has been reviewed and summarized. Hypothetical mechanisms of reduction of the copper ion by quercetin, stabilization of copper nanoparticles by santin, antimicrobial activity, and reduction of 4-nitrophenol with diagrammatic illustrations are given. The main purpose of this review was to summarize the data of plants used for the synthesis of CuNPs and open a new pathway for researchers to investigate those plants which have not been used in the past.

  19. Monocrystalline solar cells performance coated by silver nanoparticles: Effect of NPs sizes from point of view Mie theory

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Elnoby, Rasha M.; Mourad, M. Hussein; Elnaby, Salah L. Hassab; Abou Kana, Maram T. H.

    2018-05-01

    Solar based cells coated by nanoparticles (NPs) acknowledge potential utilizing as a part of photovoltaic innovation. The acquired silicon solar cells (Si-SCs) coated with different sizes of silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) as well as uncoated were fabricated in our lab. The sizes and optical properties of prepared NPs were characterized by spectroscopic techniques and Mie theory respectively. The reflectivity of Si-SCs showed reduction of this property as the size of NPs increased. Electrical properties as open circuit current, fill factor and output power density were assessed and discussed depending on point of view of Mie theory for the optical properties of NPs. Also, photostabilities of SCs were assessed using diode laser of wavelength 450 nm and power 300 mW. Coated SCs with the largest Ag NPs size showed the highest Photostability due to its highest scattering efficiency according to Mie theory concept.

  20. EFFECT OF COPPER OXIDE NANOPARTICLES TO SHEEPSHEAD MINNOW (CYPRINODON VARIEGATUS) AT DIFFERENT SALINITIES

    PubMed Central

    ATES, M.; DUGO, M.A.; DEMIR, V.; ARSLAN, Z.; TCHOUNWOU, P.B.

    2014-01-01

    Nanotechnologies research has become a significant priority worldwide. Many engineered nano-sized materials have been increasingly used in consumer products. But the adverse effects of these nanoparticles on the environment and organisms have recently drawn much attention. The present study investigated the effects of different concentrations of copper oxide nanoparticles (CuO NPs) on the sheepshead minnow (Cyprinodon variegatus) at different salinity regimes, since it is able to withstand a wide range of salinities. The results indicated that CuO NPs could cause behavioral changes in the fish, such as increased mucus secretion, less general activity and loss of equilibrium. No mortality was observed at the presence of CuO NPs during the experiments. But higher oxidative stress was determined at half strength seawater than seawater exposure medium, which can be associated with the decreasing toxicity of CuO NPs as salinity increases. In addition, Cu contents in the tissues of the fish were significantly higher (p<0.05) in the low salinity. The order of Cu accumulation in the fish's organs was intestine > gills > liver. PMID:25411584

  1. Highly efficient visible light photocatalytic reduction of CO2 to hydrocarbon fuels by Cu-nanoparticle decorated graphene oxide.

    PubMed

    Shown, Indrajit; Hsu, Hsin-Cheng; Chang, Yu-Chung; Lin, Chang-Hui; Roy, Pradip Kumar; Ganguly, Abhijit; Wang, Chen-Hao; Chang, Jan-Kai; Wu, Chih-I; Chen, Li-Chyong; Chen, Kuei-Hsien

    2014-11-12

    The production of renewable solar fuel through CO2 photoreduction, namely artificial photosynthesis, has gained tremendous attention in recent times due to the limited availability of fossil-fuel resources and global climate change caused by rising anthropogenic CO2 in the atmosphere. In this study, graphene oxide (GO) decorated with copper nanoparticles (Cu-NPs), hereafter referred to as Cu/GO, has been used to enhance photocatalytic CO2 reduction under visible-light. A rapid one-pot microwave process was used to prepare the Cu/GO hybrids with various Cu contents. The attributes of metallic copper nanoparticles (∼4-5 nm in size) in the GO hybrid are shown to significantly enhance the photocatalytic activity of GO, primarily through the suppression of electron-hole pair recombination, further reduction of GO's bandgap, and modification of its work function. X-ray photoemission spectroscopy studies indicate a charge transfer from GO to Cu. A strong interaction is observed between the metal content of the Cu/GO hybrids and the rates of formation and selectivity of the products. A factor of greater than 60 times enhancement in CO2 to fuel catalytic efficiency has been demonstrated using Cu/GO-2 (10 wt % Cu) compared with that using pristine GO.

  2. Cissus quadrangularis mediated ecofriendly synthesis of copper oxide nanoparticles and its antifungal studies against Aspergillus niger, Aspergillus flavus.

    PubMed

    Devipriya, Duraipandi; Roopan, Selvaraj Mohana

    2017-11-01

    Recently, non-toxic source mediated synthesis of metal and a metal oxide nanoparticle attains more attention due to key applicational responsibilities. This present report stated that the eco-friendly synthesis of copper oxide nanoparticles (CuO NPs) using Cissus quadrangularis (C. quadrangularis) plant extract. Further the eco-friendly synthesized CuO NPs were characterized using a number of analytical techniques. The observed results stated that the synthesized CuO NPs were spherical in shape with 30±2nm. Then the eco-friendly synthesized CuO NPs were subjected for anti-fungal against two strains namely Aspergillus niger (A. niger) resulted in 83% at 500ppm, 86% of inhibition at 1000ppm and Aspergillus flavus (A. flavus) resulted in 81% at 500ppm, 85% of inhibition at 1000ppm respectively. Despite the fact that compared to standard Carbendazim, eco-friendly synthesized CuO NPs exhibits better results were discussed in this manuscript. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  3. A facile strategy to fabricate plasmonic Cu modified TiO{sub 2} nano-flower films for photocatalytic reduction of CO{sub 2} to methanol

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

    Liu, Enzhou; Qi, Lulu; Bian, Juanjuan

    Graphical abstract: Photoreduction of CO{sub 2} to CH{sub 3}OH over plasmonic Cu/TiO{sub 2} film. - Highlights: • Cu nanoparticles modified TiO{sub 2} nano-flower film was prepared by a facile strategy. • Cu nanoparticles can enhance the light absorption and the Raman scattering of TiO{sub 2}. • Cu nanoparticles can effectively restrain the recombination of the charge carriers. • A synergistic mechanism is proposed for photocatalytic reduction of CO{sub 2} on Cu/TiO{sub 2} film. - Abstract: Cu nanoparticles (NPs) deposited TiO{sub 2} nano-flower films were fabricated using a combination of a hydrothermal method and a microwave-assisted reduction process. The investigations indicatedmore » that Cu NPs and TiO{sub 2} film both exhibit visible light harvesting properties based on localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) of Cu NPs and unique nanostructures of TiO{sub 2} film. Fluorescence quenching was observed because the recombination of charge carriers was effectively suppressed by Cu NPs deposition. The experimental results indicate that Cu/TiO{sub 2} films exhibit better activity for the photocatalytic reduction of CO{sub 2} due to the charge transfer property and LSPR effect of Cu NPs. The CH{sub 3}OH production rate reached 1.8 μmol cm{sup −2} h{sup −1} (energy efficiency was 0.8%) over 0.5 Cu/TiO{sub 2} film under UV and visible light irradiation, which was 6.0 times higher than that observed over pure TiO{sub 2} film. In addition, a tentative photocatalytic mechanism is proposed to understand the experimental results over the Cu modified TiO{sub 2} nano-flower films.« less

  4. Study on antibacterial alginate-stabilized copper nanoparticles by FT-IR and 2D-IR correlation spectroscopy

    PubMed Central

    Díaz-Visurraga, Judith; Daza, Carla; Pozo, Claudio; Becerra, Abraham; von Plessing, Carlos; García, Apolinaria

    2012-01-01

    Background The objective of this study was to clarify the intermolecular interaction between antibacterial copper nanoparticles (Cu NPs) and sodium alginate (NaAlg) by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) and to process the spectra applying two-dimensional infrared (2D-IR) correlation analysis. To our knowledge, the addition of NaAlg as a stabilizer of copper nanoparticles has not been previously reported. It is expected that the obtained results will provide valuable additional information on: (1) the influence of reducing agent ratio on the formation of copper nanoparticles in order to design functional nanomaterials with increased antibacterial activity, and (2) structural changes related to the incorporation of Cu NPs into the polymer matrix. Methods Cu NPs were prepared by microwave heating using ascorbic acid as reducing agent and NaAlg as stabilizing agent. The characterization of synthesized Cu NPs by ultraviolet visible spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), electron diffraction analysis, X-ray diffraction (XRD), and semiquantitative analysis of the weight percentage composition indicated that the average particle sizes of Cu NPs are about 3–10 nm, they are spherical in shape, and consist of zerovalent Cu and Cu2O. Also, crystallite size and relative particle size of stabilized Cu NPs were calculated by XRD using Scherrer’s formula and FT from the X-ray diffraction data. Thermogravimetric analysis, differential thermal analysis, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), FT-IR, second-derivative spectra, and 2D-IR correlation analysis were applied to studying the stabilization mechanism of Cu NPs by NaAlg molecules. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) of stabilized Cu NPs against five bacterial strains (Staphylococccus aureus ATCC 6538P, Escherichia coli ATCC 25922 and O157: H7, and Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium ATCC 13311 and 14028) were evaluated with macrodilution

  5. Inhibition of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) on pathogenic biofilm formation and invasion to host cells.

    PubMed

    Yu, Qilin; Li, Jianrong; Zhang, Yueqi; Wang, Yufan; Liu, Lu; Li, Mingchun

    2016-05-25

    Owing to the growing infectious diseases caused by eukaryotic and prokaryotic pathogens, it is urgent to develop novel antimicrobial agents against clinical pathogenic infections. Biofilm formation and invasion into the host cells are vital processes during pathogenic colonization and infection. In this study, we tested the inhibitory effect of Au nanoparticles (AuNPs) on pathogenic growth, biofilm formation and invasion. Interestingly, although the synthesized AuNPs had no significant toxicity to the tested pathogens, Candida albicans and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, the nanoparticles strongly inhibited pathogenic biofilm formation and invasion to dental pulp stem cells (DPSCs). Further investigations revealed that AuNPs abundantly bound to the pathogen cells, which likely contributed to their inhibitory effect on biofilm formation and invasion. Moreover, treatment of AuNPs led to activation of immune response-related genes in DPSCs, which may enhance the activity of host immune system against the pathogens. Zeta potential analysis and polyethylene glycol (PEG)/polyethyleneimine (PEI) coating tests further showed that the interaction between pathogen cells and AuNPs is associated with electrostatic attractions. Our findings shed novel light on the application of nanomaterials in fighting against clinical pathogens, and imply that the traditional growth inhibition test is not the only way to evaluate the drug effect during the screening of antimicrobial agents.

  6. Physicochemical and antibacterial characterization of ionocity Ag/Cu powder nanoparticles

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

    Nowak, A., E-mail: ana.maria.nowak@gmail.com; Silesian Center for Education and Interdisciplinary Research, 75 Pułku Piechoty 1A, 41-500 Chorzów; Szade, J.

    Metal ion in bimetallic nanoparticles has shown vast potential in a variety of applications. In this paper we show the results of physical and chemical investigations of powder Ag/Cu nanoparticles obtained by chemical synthesis. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) experiment indicated the presence of bimetallic nanoparticles in the agglomerated form. The average size of silver and copper nanoparticles is 17.1(4) nm (Ag) and 28.9(2) nm (Cu) basing on the X-ray diffraction (XRD) data. X-ray photoelectron (XPS) and Raman spectroscopies revealed the existence of metallic silver and copper as well as Cu{sub 2}O and CuO being a part of the nanoparticles. Moreover,more » UV–Vis spectroscopy showed surface alloy of Ag and Cu while Time of Flight Secondary Ion Mass Spectroscopy (ToF-SIMS) and Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (EDX) showed heterogeneously distributed Ag structures placed on spherical Cu nanoparticles. The tests of antibacterial activity show promising killing/inhibiting growth behaviour for Gram positive and Gram negative bacteria. - Highlights: • Ag/Cu nanoparticles were obtained in the powder form. • The average size of nanoparticles is 17.1(4) nm (Ag) and 28.9(2) nm (Cu). • Ag/Cu powder nanoparticle shows promising antibacterial properties.« less

  7. Synthesis of Metal Nanoparticles and Metal Fluoride Nanoparticles from Metal Amidinate Precursors in 1-Butyl-3-Methylimidazolium Ionic Liquids and Propylene Carbonate.

    PubMed

    Schütte, Kai; Barthel, Juri; Endres, Manuel; Siebels, Marvin; Smarsly, Bernd M; Yue, Junpei; Janiak, Christoph

    2017-02-01

    Decomposition of transition-metal amidinates [M{MeC(N i Pr) 2 } n ] [M(AMD) n ; M=Mn II , Fe II , Co II , Ni II , n= 2; Cu I , n= 1) induced by microwave heating in the ionic liquids (ILs) 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate ([BMIm][BF 4 ]), 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium hexafluorophosphate ([BMIm][PF 6 ]), 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium trifluoromethanesulfonate (triflate) ([BMIm][TfO]), and 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium tosylate ([BMIm][Tos]) or in propylene carbonate (PC) gives transition-metal nanoparticles (M-NPs) in non-fluorous media (e.g. [BMIm][Tos] and PC) or metal fluoride nanoparticles (MF 2 -NPs) for M=Mn, Fe, and Co in [BMIm][BF 4 ]. FeF 2 -NPs can be prepared upon Fe(AMD) 2 decomposition in [BMIm][BF 4 ], [BMIm][PF 6 ], and [BMIm][TfO]. The nanoparticles are stable in the absence of capping ligands (surfactants) for more than 6 weeks. The crystalline phases of the metal or metal fluoride synthesized in [BMIm][BF 4 ] were identified by powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD) to exclusively Ni- and Cu-NPs or to solely MF 2 -NPs for M=Mn, Fe, and Co. The size and size dispersion of the nanoparticles were determined by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) to an average diameter of 2(±2) to 14(±4) nm for the M-NPs, except for the Cu-NPs in PC, which were 51(±8) nm. The MF 2 -NPs from [BMIm][BF 4 ] were 15(±4) to 65(±18) nm. The average diameter from TEM is in fair agreement with the size evaluated from PXRD with the Scherrer equation. The characterization was complemented by energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX). Electrochemical investigations of the CoF 2 -NPs as cathode materials for lithium-ion batteries were simply evaluated by galvanostatic charge/discharge profiles, and the results indicated that the reversible capacity of the CoF 2 -NPs was much lower than the theoretical value, which may have originated from the complex conversion reaction mechanism and residue on the surface of the nanoparticles.

  8. The importance of extracellular speciation and corrosion of copper nanoparticles on lung cell membrane integrity.

    PubMed

    Hedberg, Jonas; Karlsson, Hanna L; Hedberg, Yolanda; Blomberg, Eva; Odnevall Wallinder, Inger

    2016-05-01

    Copper nanoparticles (Cu NPs) are increasingly used in various biologically relevant applications and products, e.g., due to their antimicrobial and catalytic properties. This inevitably demands for an improved understanding on their interactions and potential toxic effects on humans. The aim of this study was to investigate the corrosion of copper nanoparticles in various biological media and to elucidate the speciation of released copper in solution. Furthermore, reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation and lung cell (A549 type II) membrane damage induced by Cu NPs in the various media were studied. The used biological media of different complexity are of relevance for nanotoxicological studies: Dulbecco's modified eagle medium (DMEM), DMEM(+) (includes fetal bovine serum), phosphate buffered saline (PBS), and PBS+histidine. The results show that both copper release and corrosion are enhanced in DMEM(+), DMEM, and PBS+histidine compared with PBS alone. Speciation results show that essentially no free copper ions are present in the released fraction of Cu NPs in neither DMEM(+), DMEM nor histidine, while labile Cu complexes form in PBS. The Cu NPs were substantially more membrane reactive in PBS compared to the other media and the NPs caused larger effects compared to the same mass of Cu ions. Similarly, the Cu NPs caused much more ROS generation compared to the released fraction only. Taken together, the results suggest that membrane damage and ROS formation are stronger induced by Cu NPs and by free or labile Cu ions/complexes compared with Cu bound to biomolecules. Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  9. Colorimetric detection of trace copper ions based on catalytic leaching of silver-coated gold nanoparticles.

    PubMed

    Lou, Tingting; Chen, Lingxin; Chen, Zhaopeng; Wang, Yunqing; Chen, Ling; Li, Jinhua

    2011-11-01

    A colorimetric, label-free, and nonaggregation-based silver coated gold nanoparticles (Ag/Au NPs) probe has been developed for detection of trace Cu(2+) in aqueous solution, based on the fact that Cu(2+) can accelerate the leaching rate of Ag/Au NPs by thiosulfate (S(2)O(3)(2-)). The leaching of Ag/Au NPs would lead to dramatic decrease in the surface plasmon resonance (SPR) absorption as the size of Ag/Au NPs decreased. This colorimetric strategy based on size-dependence of nanoparticles during their leaching process provided a highly sensitive (1.0 nM) and selective detection toward Cu(2+), with a wide linear detection range (5-800 nM) over nearly 3 orders of magnitude. The cost-effective probe allows rapid and sensitive detection of trace Cu(2+) ions in water samples, indicating its potential applicability for the determination of copper in real samples.

  10. Alteration of intracellular protein expressions as a key mechanism of the deterioration of bacterial denitrification caused by copper oxide nanoparticles.

    PubMed

    Su, Yinglong; Zheng, Xiong; Chen, Yinguang; Li, Mu; Liu, Kun

    2015-10-28

    The increasing production and utilization of copper oxide nanoparticles (CuO NPs) result in the releases into the environment. However, the influence of CuO NPs on bacterial denitrification, one of the most important pathways to transform nitrate to dinitrogen in environment, has seldom been studied. Here we reported that CuO NPs caused a significant alteration of key protein expressions of a model denitrifier, Paracoccus denitrificans, leading to severe inhibition to denitrification. Total nitrogen removal efficiency was decreased from 98.3% to 62.1% with the increase of CuO NPs from 0.05 to 0.25 mg/L. Cellular morphology and integrity studies indicated that nanoparticles entered the cells. The proteomic bioinformatics analysis showed that CuO NPs caused regulation of proteins involved in nitrogen metabolism, electron transfer and substance transport. The down-regulation of GtsB protein (responsible for glucose transport) decreased the production of NADH (electron donor for denitrification). Also, the expressions of key electron-transfer proteins (including NADH dehydrogenase and cytochrome) were suppressed by CuO NPs, which adversely affected electrons transfer for denitrification. Further investigation revealed that CuO NPs significantly inhibited the expressions and catalytic activities of nitrate reductase and nitrite reductase. These results provided a fundamental understanding of the negative influences of CuO NPs on bacterial denitrification.

  11. Alteration of intracellular protein expressions as a key mechanism of the deterioration of bacterial denitrification caused by copper oxide nanoparticles

    PubMed Central

    Su, Yinglong; Zheng, Xiong; Chen, Yinguang; Li, Mu; Liu, Kun

    2015-01-01

    The increasing production and utilization of copper oxide nanoparticles (CuO NPs) result in the releases into the environment. However, the influence of CuO NPs on bacterial denitrification, one of the most important pathways to transform nitrate to dinitrogen in environment, has seldom been studied. Here we reported that CuO NPs caused a significant alteration of key protein expressions of a model denitrifier, Paracoccus denitrificans, leading to severe inhibition to denitrification. Total nitrogen removal efficiency was decreased from 98.3% to 62.1% with the increase of CuO NPs from 0.05 to 0.25 mg/L. Cellular morphology and integrity studies indicated that nanoparticles entered the cells. The proteomic bioinformatics analysis showed that CuO NPs caused regulation of proteins involved in nitrogen metabolism, electron transfer and substance transport. The down-regulation of GtsB protein (responsible for glucose transport) decreased the production of NADH (electron donor for denitrification). Also, the expressions of key electron-transfer proteins (including NADH dehydrogenase and cytochrome) were suppressed by CuO NPs, which adversely affected electrons transfer for denitrification. Further investigation revealed that CuO NPs significantly inhibited the expressions and catalytic activities of nitrate reductase and nitrite reductase. These results provided a fundamental understanding of the negative influences of CuO NPs on bacterial denitrification. PMID:26508362

  12. The Impact of Nanoparticle Surface Chemistry on Biological Systems

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Thorn, Angie Sue Morris

    The unique properties of nanomaterials, such as their small size and large surface area-to-volume ratios, have attracted tremendous interest in the scientific community over the last few decades. Thus, the synthesis and characterization of many different types of nanoparticles has been well defined and reported on in the literature. Current research efforts have redirected from the basic study of nanomaterial synthesis and their properties to more application-based studies where the development of functionally active materials is necessary. Today such nanoparticle-based systems exist for a range of biomedical applications including imaging, drug delivery and sensors. The inherent properties of the nanomaterial, although important, aren't always ideal for specific applications. In order to optimize nanoparticles for biomedical applications it is often desirable to tune their surface properties. Researchers have shown that these surface properties (such as charge, hydrophobicity, or reactivity) play a direct role in the interactions between nanoparticles and biological systems can be altered by attaching molecules to the surface of nanoparticles. In this work, the effects of physicochemical properties of a wide variety of nanoparticles was investigated using in vitro and in vivo models. For example, copper oxide (CuO) nanoparticles were of interest due to their instability in biological media. These nanoparticles undergo dissolution when in an aqueous environment and tend to aggregate. Therefore, the cytotoxicity of two sizes of CuO NPs was evaluated in cultured cells to develop a better understanding of how these propertied effect toxicity outcomes in biological systems. From these studies, it was determined that CuO NPs are cytotoxic to lung cells in a size-dependent manner and that dissolved copper ions contribute to the cytotoxicity however it is not solely responsible for cell death. Moreover, silica nanoparticles are one of the most commonly used nanomaterials

  13. Femtosecond Laser Fabricated Ag@Au and Cu@Au Alloy Nanoparticles for Surface Enhaned Raman Spectrosocpy Based Trace Explosives Detection

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sree Satya Bharati, Moram; Byram, Chandu; Soma, Venugopal R.

    2018-03-01

    Herein we present results from our detailed studies on the fabrication of Ag@Au and Cu@Au alloy nanoparticles (NPs) using the femtosecond laser ablation in liquid technique. The NPs were obtained by ablating the pure Ag, Cu targets (bulk) in HAuCl4 (5 mM) solution. The absorption properties of the obtained NPs colloids were characterized using UV-Visible absorption spectrometer and their size, shape, and crystallinity were investigated using the XRD, FESEM and TEM techniques. The fabricated NPs were utilized for sensing of explosive molecules such as 2, 4, 6-trinitrophenol (PA), 2, 4-dinitrotoluene (DNT) and a common dye methylene blue (MB) using the surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) technique. The detection limit in terms of weight was as low as few nano-grams in the case of nitroaromatic explosive compounds (PA, DNT) and few picograms in the case of a common dye molecule (MB). Typical enhancement factors achieved were estimated to be 104, 105 and 107, respectively, for PA, DNT, and MB. The significance of the present work lies in exploring the performance of the prepared NPs being used as SERS substrates for explosives detection using a portable Raman instrument. Such capability enables one to carry the spectrometer to the point of interest in the field and evaluate any hazardous samples within a short period of time.

  14. Gold nanoparticle plasmon resonance in near-field coupled Au NPs layer/Al film nanostructure: Dependence on metal film thickness

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Yeshchenko, Oleg A.; Kozachenko, Viktor V.; Naumenko, Antonina P.; Berezovska, Nataliya I.; Kutsevol, Nataliya V.; Chumachenko, Vasyl A.; Haftel, Michael; Pinchuk, Anatoliy O.

    2018-05-01

    We study the effects of coupling between plasmonic metal nanoparticles and a thin metal film by using light extinction spectroscopy. A planar monolayer of gold nanoparticles located near an aluminum thin film (thicknesses within the range of 0-62 nm) was used to analyze the coupling between the monolayer and the thin metal film. SPR peak area increase for polymer coated Au NPs, non-monotonical behavior of the peak area for bare Au NPs, as well as red shift and broadening of SPR at the increase of the Al film thickness have been observed. These effects are rationalized as a result of coupling of the layer of Au NPs with Al film through the field of localized surface plasmons in Au NPs that causes the excitation of collective plasmonic gap mode in the nanostructure. An additional mechanism for bare Au NPs is the non-radiative damping of SPR that is caused by the electrical contact between metal NPs and film.

  15. Cytotoxicity of cuprous oxide nanoparticles to fish blood cells: hemolysis and internalization

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Chen, Li Qiang; Kang, Bin; Ling, Jian

    2013-03-01

    Cuprous oxide nanoparticles (Cu2O NPs) possess unique physical and chemical properties which are employed in a broad variety of applications. However, little is known about the adverse effects of Cu2O NPs on organisms. In the current study, in vitro cytotoxicity of Cu2O NPs (ca. 60 nm in diameter) to the blood cells of freshwater fish Carassius auratus was evaluated. A concentration-dependent hemolytic activity of Cu2O NPs to red blood cells (RBCs) and the phagocytosis of Cu2O NPs by leukocytes were revealed. The results showed that dosages of Cu2O NPs greater than 40 μg/mL were toxic to blood cells, and could cause serious membrane damage to RBCs. The EC50 value of Cu2O NPs as obtained from RBCs and whole blood exposure was 26 and 63 μg/mL, respectively. The generation of reactive oxygen species and the direct interaction between Cu2O NPs and the cell membrane were suggested as the possible mechanism for cytotoxicity, and the intrinsic hemolytic active of Cu2O NPs was the main contributor to the toxicity rather than solubilized copper ions. The adsorption of plasma proteins on the surfaces of Cu2O NPs led to their aggregation in whole blood, and aggregate formation can significantly alleviate the hemolytic effect and subsequently mediate the phagocytosis of Cu2O NPs by leukocytes.

  16. Exploring the Behavior and Metabolic Transformations of SeNPs in Exposed Lactic Acid Bacteria. Effect of Nanoparticles Coating Agent

    PubMed Central

    Palomo-Siguero, Maria; Madrid, Yolanda

    2017-01-01

    The behavior and transformation of selenium nanoparticles (SeNPs) in living systems such as microorganisms is largely unknown. To address this knowledge gap, we examined the effect of three types of SeNP suspensions toward Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus LB-12 using a variety of techniques. SeNPs were synthesized using three types of coating agents (chitosan (CS-SeNPs), hydroxyethyl cellulose (HEC-SeNPs) and a non-ionic surfactant, surfynol (ethoxylated-SeNPs)). Morphologies of SeNPs were all spherical. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) was used to locate SeNPs in the bacteria. High performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) on line coupled to inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) was applied to evaluate SeNP transformation by bacteria. Finally, flow cytometry employing the live/dead test and optical density measurements at 600 nm (OD600) were used for evaluating the percentages of bacteria viability when supplementing with SeNPs. Negligible damage was detected by flow cytometry when bacteria were exposed to HEC-SeNPs or CS-SeNPs at a level of 10 μg Se mL−1. In contrast, ethoxylated-SeNPs were found to be the most harmful nanoparticles toward bacteria. CS-SeNPs passed through the membrane without causing damage. Once inside, SeNPs were metabolically transformed to organic selenium compounds. Results evidenced the importance of capping agents when establishing the true behavior of NPs. PMID:28783048

  17. Synthesis and characterization of ZnO nanoparticles: effect of solvent and antifungal capacity of NPs obtained in ethylene glycol

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    López, Cenayda; Rodríguez-Páez, Jorge E.

    2017-12-01

    In this work, nanoparticles of zinc oxide (ZnO-NPs) were synthesized using acetic acid, ethanol and ethylene glycol as solvents. To determine the physicochemical and structural characteristics of the synthesized nanoparticles, IR spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, UV-Vis spectroscopy and transmission electron microscopy were used. The characterization results indicated that the particles obtained were of nanometers size (< 100 nm) with different morphologies: needle-type when using acetic acid, nanoribbons using ethanol, and spheroidal using ethylene glycol. The results of this work show that on using solvents with a lower dielectric constant value a preferential direction of nanoparticle growth would be favored, leading to the formation of nanoribbons, in ethanol ( ɛ r = 24.3), and needles in acetic acid ( ɛ r = 6.2). The band gap of ZnO-Nps depends of synthesis solvent used: 3.37 eV for acetic acid, 3.3 eV to ethanol and 3.28 eV to ethylene glycol, indicating that the optical properties of these nanoparticles are affected by the synthesis medium. Based on the information from the characterization of the ZnO-NPs synthesized, the spheroidal nanoparticles were selected, to determine their antifungal capacity on cultures of Aspergillus niger strains. The concentrations of ZnO-NPs that showed the greatest antifungal effect were those from 9 mmol L-1.

  18. Photoacoustic molecular imaging of angiogenesis using theranostic ανβ3-targeted copper nanoparticles incorporating a sn-2 lipase-labile fumagillin prodrug

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zhang, Ruiying; Cai, Xin; Yang, Xiaoxia; Senpan, Angana; Allen, John S.; Pan, Dipanjan; Lanza, Gregory M.; Wang, Lihong V.

    2014-03-01

    Photoacoustic (PA) tomography imaging is an emerging, versatile, and noninvasive imaging modality, which combines the advantages of both optical imaging and ultrasound imaging. It opens up opportunities for noninvasive imaging of angiogenesis, a feature of skin pathologies including cancers and psoriasis. In this study, high-density copper oleate encapsulated within a phospholipid surfactant (CuNPs) generated a soft nanoparticle with PA contrast comparable to gold. Within the near-infrared window, the copper nanoparticles can provide a signal more than 7 times higher that of blood. ανβ3-targeted of CuNPs in a Matrigel mouse model demonstrated prominent PA contrast enhancement of the neovasculature compared to mice given nontargeted or competitively inhibited CuNPs. Incorporation of a sn-2 lipase-labile fumagillin prodrug into the CuNPs produced marked antiangiogenesis in the same model, demonstrating the theranostic potential of a PA agent for the first time in vivo. With a PA signal comparable to gold-based nanoparticles yet a lower cost and demonstrated drug delivery potential, ανβ3-targeted CuNPs hold great promise for the management of skin pathologies with neovascular features.

  19. Effect of nanoparticle metal composition: mono- and bimetallic gold/copper dendrimer stabilized nanoparticles as solvent-free styrene oxidation catalysts

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Blanckenberg, A.; Kotze, G.; Swarts, A. J.; Malgas-Enus, R.

    2018-02-01

    A range of mono- and bimetallic AumCun nanoparticles (NPs), with varying metal compositions, was prepared by using a third-generation diaminobutane poly(propylene imine) (G3 DAB-PPI) dendrimer, modified with alkyl chains, as a stabilizer. It was found that the length of the peripheral alkyl chain, ( M1 (C15), M2 (C11), and M3 (C5)), had a direct influence on the average nanoparticle size obtained, confirming the importance of the nanoparticle stabilizer during synthesis. The Au NPs showed the highest degree of agglomeration and polydispersity, whereas the Cu NPs were the smallest and most monodisperse of the NPs. The bimetallic NPs sizes were found to vary between those of the monometallic NPs, depending on the metal composition. Interestingly, the bimetallic NPs were found to be the most stable, showing very little variation in size over time, even up to 9 months. The DSNs were evaluated in the catalytic oxidation of styrene, using either H2O2 or TBHP as oxidant. Here, we show that the bimetallic DSNs are indeed the superior catalysts when compared to their monometallic analogues, under the same reaction conditions, since a good compromise between stability and activity can be achieved where the Au provides catalytic activity and the Cu serves as a stabilizer. These AumCun bimetallic DSNs present a less expensive and more stable catalyst with negligible loss of activity, opening the door to green catalysis.

  20. Poly (vinyl alcohol)/gum karaya electrospun plasma treated membrane for the removal of nanoparticles (Au, Ag, Pt, CuO and Fe3O4) from aqueous solutions.

    PubMed

    Padil, Vinod Vellora Thekkae; Černík, Miroslav

    2015-04-28

    In the present work, nanofibre membranes composed of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) and a natural gum karaya (GK) hydrocolloid were prepared using electrospinning. The electrospun membranes of PVA/GK were cross-linked with heat treatment and later methane plasma was used to obtain a hydrophobic membrane. The morphology, characterization and adsorption ability of P-NFM was assessed using scanning electron microscopy, UV-vis spectroscopy, ATR-FTIR techniques, water contact angle and ICP-MS analytical methods. The membrane was employed for the extraction of nanoparticles (Ag, Au, Pt, CuO and Fe3O4) from water. The nanoparticle extraction kinetic and adsorption isotherm perform the pseudo-second-order model and Langmuir isotherm model, respectively. The adsorption capacities of the membrane for the removal of NPs from water diverge in the order Pt>Au>Ag>CuO>Fe3O4. The high adsorption efficiency for the removal of NPs from water was compared with an untreated membrane. Physisorption, functional group interactions, complexation reactions between metal/metal oxide nanoparticles with various functional groups present in NFM and modified surface properties such as the balance of hydrophilicity/hydrophobicity, surface free energy, and the high surface area of the plasma treated membrane were possible mechanisms of NPs adsorption onto NFM. The regeneration and reusability were tested in five consecutive adsorption/desorption cycles. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  1. Production of Oxidation-Resistant Cu-Based Nanoparticles by Wire Explosion

    PubMed Central

    Kawamura, Go; Alvarez, Samuel; Stewart, Ian E.; Catenacci, Matthew; Chen, Zuofeng; Ha, Yoon-Cheol

    2015-01-01

    The low performance or high cost of commercially available conductive inks limits the advancement of printed electronics. This article studies the explosion of metal wires in aqueous solutions as a simple, low-cost, and environmentally friendly method to prepare metallic nanoparticles consisting of Cu and Cu alloys for use in affordable, highly conductive inks. Addition of 0.2 M ascorbic acid to an aqueous explosion medium prevented the formation of Cu2O shells around Cu nanoparticles, and allowed for the printing of conductive lines directly from these nanoparticles with no post-treatment. Cu alloy nanoparticles were generated from metal wires that were alloyed as purchased, or from two wires of different metals that were twisted together. Cu nanoparticles alloyed with 1% Sn, 5% Ag, 5% Ni and 30% Ni had electrical conductivities similar to Cu but unlike Cu, remained conductive after 24 hrs at 85 °C and 85% RH. PMID:26669447

  2. Genotoxic potential of copper oxide nanoparticles in the bivalve mollusk Mytilus trossulus

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Chelomin, Victor P.; Slobodskova, Valentina V.; Zakhartsev, Maksim; Kukla, Sergey

    2017-04-01

    Copper oxide nanoparticles (CuO-NPs) are among the most widely used metal oxide nanoparticles, which increases the chance of their being released into the marine environment. As the applications of these particles have increased in recent years, their potential impact on the health of marine biota has also increased. However, the toxicological effects of these NPs in the marine environment are poorly known. In the present study, the DNA damaging potential of CuO-NPs in the marine eastern mussel Mytilus trossulus was evaluated and compared to that of dissolved copper exposures. Genotoxicity was assessed by the single cell gel electrophoresis (comet) assay in mussel gill and digestive gland cells. The results showed that copper in both forms (CuO-NPs and dissolved copper) was accumulated to different extents in mussel tissues. The mussel exposed to the dissolved copper attained higher concentrations of copper in the gills than in the digestive gland. In contrast to these results, it was found that CuO-NPs could induce much higher copper accumulation in the digestive gland than in the gills. A clear and statistically significant increase in DNA damage was found in both tissues of the Cu-exposed group compared to the control mussels. Our results indicated that the CuO-NP exposure produced remarkable effects and increased DNA damage significantly in mussel gill cells only. It should be noted that the digestive gland cells were prone to accumulation following CuO-NPs when compared to the gill cells, while the gill cells were more sensitive to the genotoxic effects of CuO-NPs. These results also suggested the need for a complete risk assessment of engineered particles before its arrival in the consumer market.

  3. CuNi NPs supported on MIL-101 as highly active catalysts for the hydrolysis of ammonia borane

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Gao, Doudou; Zhang, Yuhong; Zhou, Liqun; Yang, Kunzhou

    2018-01-01

    The catalysts containing Cu, Ni bi-metallic nanoparticles were successfully synthesized by in-situ reduction of Cu2+ and Ni2+ salts into the highly porous and hydrothermally stable metal-organic framework MIL-101 via a simple liquid impregnation method. When the total amount of loading metal is 3 × 10-4 mol, Cu2Ni1@MIL-101 catalyst shows higher catalytic activity comparing to CuxNiy@MIL-101 with different molar ratio of Cu and Ni (x, y = 0, 0.5, 1.5, 2, 2.5, 3). Cu2Ni1@MIL-101 catalyst has the highest catalytic activity comparing to mono-metallic Cu and Ni counterparts and pure bi-metallic CuNi nanoparticles in hydrolytic dehydrogeneration of ammonia borane (AB) at room temperature. Additionally, in the hydrolysis reaction, the Cu2Ni1@MIL- 101 catalyst possesses excellent catalytic performances, which exhibit highly catalytic activity with turn over frequency (TOF) value of 20.9 mol H2 min-1 Cu mol-1 and a very low activation energy value of 32.2 kJ mol-1. The excellent catalytic activity has been successfully achieved thanks to the strong bi-metallic synergistic effects, uniform distribution of nanoparticles and the bi-functional effects between CuNi nanoparticles and the host of MIL-101. Moreover, the catalyst also displays satisfied durable stability after five cycles for the hydrolytically releasing H2 from AB. The non-noble metal catalysts have broad prospects for commercial applications in the field of hydrogen-stored materials due to the low prices and excellent catalytic activity.

  4. Relative contributions of copper oxide nanoparticles and dissolved copper to Cu uptake kinetics of Gulf killifish (Fundulus grandis) embryos

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Jiang, Chuanjia; Castellon, Benjamin T.; Matson, Cole W.; Aiken, George R.; Hsu-Kim, Heileen

    2017-01-01

    The toxicity of soluble metal-based nanomaterials may be due to the uptake of metals in both dissolved and nanoparticulate forms, but the relative contributions of these different forms to overall metal uptake rates under environmental conditions are not quantitatively defined. Here, we investigated the linkage between the dissolution rates of copper(II) oxide (CuO) nanoparticles (NPs) and their bioavailability to Gulf killifish (Fundulus grandis) embryos, with the aim of quantitatively delineating the relative contributions of nanoparticulate and dissolved species for Cu uptake. Gulf killifish embryos were exposed to dissolved Cu and CuO NP mixtures comprising a range of pH values (6.3–7.5) and three types of natural organic matter (NOM) isolates at various concentrations (0.1–10 mg-C L–1), resulting in a wide range of CuO NP dissolution rates that subsequently influenced Cu uptake. First-order dissolution rate constants of CuO NPs increased with increasing NOM concentration and for NOM isolates with higher aromaticity, as indicated by specific ultraviolet absorbance (SUVA), while Cu uptake rate constants of both dissolved Cu and CuO NP decreased with NOM concentration and aromaticity. As a result, the relative contribution of dissolved Cu and nanoparticulate CuO species for the overall Cu uptake rate was insensitive to NOM type or concentration but largely determined by the percentage of CuO that dissolved. These findings highlight SUVA and aromaticity as key NOM properties affecting the dissolution kinetics and bioavailability of soluble metal-based nanomaterials in organic-rich waters. These properties could be used in the incorporation of dissolution kinetics into predictive models for environmental risks of nanomaterials.

  5. Biosynthesis of Copper Oxide nanoparticles from Drypetes sepiaria Leaf extract and their catalytic activity to dye degradation

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Narasaiah, Palajonna; Mandal, Badal Kumar; Sarada, N. C.

    2017-11-01

    The synthesis of metal nanoparticles through a green method is a rapid biogenic and offers few advantages over the common chemical and physical procedures, as it is an easy and fast, eco-friendly and does not involve any costly chemicals as well as hazardous chemicals. In this study, we report synthesis of CuO NPs by using Drypetes sepiaria Leaf extract (DSLE). The synthesized CuO NPs was characterization using different technique such as UV, IR, XRD, and TEM. The formation of CuO NPs was confirmed by Surface Plasmon Resonance (SRP) at 298 nm using UV-Vis spectroscopy. Crystallinity of CuO NPs was confirmed by powder XRD and the characteristic functional groups of synthesised CuO NPs were identified by FTIR spectroscopy. The size and shape of the synthesized CuO NPs was determined by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). In addition, we performed photocatalytic activity to examine the photocatalytic degradation efficiency of CuO NPs to Congo Red. The colloidal solutions of CuO NPs showed good catalytic activity.

  6. Development of polyethersulfone (PES)/silver nanoparticles (AgNPs)/polyethylene glycol (PEG) nanofiltration membrane

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Johary, Fasihah; Jamaluddin, Nur Adibah; Rohani, Rosiah; Hassan, Abdul Rahman; Sharifuddin, Syazrin Syima; Isa, Mohd Hafez Mohd

    2018-06-01

    Nanofiltration is a membrane-based separation process that has been used widely in the separation and purification fields for various applications such as dye desalting, applications of water softening, pharmaceuticals and wastewater treatment. In this research, polyethersulfone (PES), polyethylene glycol (PEG), Pluronic F108 and silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) nanofiltration membrane was prepared using casting solution technique with N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone (NMP) was used as a solvent. The effects of Pluronic F108 and silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) concentrations in the casting solutions on the membrane performance/properties were also studied. The membrane pure water permeation (PWP) and salt rejection tests were carried out for membrane performance analysis. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was used for the membrane morphology characterization. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy was utilized to identify functional groups in the membrane. Membrane with 2.0 wt.% of Pluronic F108 and 0.05 wt.% of AgNPs showed the best performances for both PWP (40.89 L/m2h) as well as permeation flux of salts solution of NaCl (43.95 L/m2h), Na2SO4 (21.16 L/m2h), MgCl2 (26.46 L/m2h) and MgSO4 (20.41 L/m2h). All fabricated membranes with different formulation of dope composition obtained high salts rejection in the range of 79% to 91%. SEM images showed addition of AgNPs has improved fabricated membrane morphology with higher pore density and larger macro-void structure.

  7. Novel synthesis and characterization of pristine Cu nanoparticles for the non-enzymatic glucose biosensor.

    PubMed

    Dayakar, T; Rao, K Venkateswara; Bikshalu, K; Rajendar, V; Park, Si-Hyun

    2017-07-01

    Non enzymatic electrochemical glucose sensing was developed based on pristine Cu Nanopartilces (NPs)/Glassy Carbon Electrode (GCE) which can be accomplished by simple green method via ocimum tenuiflorum leaf extract. Then, the affect of leaf extract addition on improving Structural, Optical and electrochemical properties of pristine cu NPs was investigated. The synthesized Cu NPs were characterized with X-ray diffraction (X-ray), Uv-Visible spectroscopy (Uv-Vis), Fourier transformation infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), Particle size distribution (PSA), Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) for structural optical and morphological studies respectively. The synthesized Cu NPs were coated over glassy carbon electrode (GCE) to study the electrochemical response of glucose by cyclic voltammetry and ampherometer. The results indicates that the modified biosensor shows a remarkable sensitivity (1065.21 μA mM -1  cm -2 ), rapid response time (<3s), wide linear range (1 to 7.2 mM), low detection limit (0.038 μM at S/N = 3). Therefore, the prepared Cu NPs by the Novel Bio-mediated route were exploited to construct a non-enzymatic glucose biosensor for sustainable clinical field applications.

  8. Preparation and characterization of chitosan-clay nanocomposites for the removal of Cu(II) from aqueous solution.

    PubMed

    Azzam, Eid M S; Eshaq, Gh; Rabie, A M; Bakr, A A; Abd-Elaal, Ali A; El Metwally, A E; Tawfik, Salah M

    2016-08-01

    In the present study, chitosan assembled on gold and silver nanoparticles were prepared and characterized by UV-vis, TEM, EDX and DLS techniques. The nanocomposites chitosan (Ch)/clay, chitosan (Ch)/AgNPs/clay and chitosan (Ch)/AuNPs/clay were prepared by solution mixing method and characterized by FTIR, XRD, and SEM techniques. The adsorption of copper(II) ions onto the prepared hybrid composites from an aqueous solution using batch adsorption was examined. The results showed that benefiting from the surface property of clay, the abundant amino and hydroxyl functional groups of chitosan, the adsorbent provides adequate and versatile adsorption for the Cu(II) ions under investigation. The batch adsorption experiments showed that the adsorption of the Cu(II) is considerably dependent on pH of milieu, the amount of adsorbent, and contact time. Batch adsorption studies revealed that the adsorption capacity of Cu(II) increased with increase in initial concentration and contact time with optimum pH in the range around neutral. The maximum uptake of Cu(II) ions by (Ch)/AgNPs/clay composite was found to be 181.5mg/g. The adsorption efficiency of Cu(II) ions by prepared (Ch)/AgNPs/clay and (Ch)/AuNPs/clay is bigger than that the individual chitosan (Ch)/clay composite which clarifies the role of metal nanoparticles in enhancement the adsorption characters. The study suggests that the (Ch)/AgNPs/clay hybrid composite is a promising nano-adsorbent for the removal of Cu(II) ions from aqueous solution. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  9. Facile one-step electrochemical deposition of copper nanoparticles and reduced graphene oxide as nonenzymatic hydrogen peroxide sensor

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Moozarm Nia, Pooria; Woi, Pei Meng; Alias, Yatimah

    2017-08-01

    For several decades, hydrogen peroxide has exhibited to be an extremely significant analyte as an intermediate in several biological devices as well as in many industrial systems. A straightforward and novel one-step technique was employed to develop a sensitive non-enzymatic hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) sensor by simultaneous electrodeposition of copper nanoparticles (CuNPs) and reduced graphene oxide (rGO). The electroreduction performance of the CuNPs-rGO for hydrogen peroxide detection was studied by cyclic voltammetry (CV) and chronoamperometry (AMP) methods The CuNPs-rGO showed a synergistic effect of reduced graphene oxide and copper nanoparticles towards the electroreduction of hydrogen peroxide, indicating high reduction current. At detection potential of -0.2 V, the CuNPs-rGO sensor demonstrated a wide linear range up to 18 mM with a detection limit of 0.601 mM (S/N = 3). Furthermore, with addition of hydrogen peroxide, the sensor responded very quickly (<3 s). The CuNPs-rGO presents high selectivity, sensitivity, stability and fast amperometric sensing towards hydrogen peroxide which makes it favorable for the development of non-enzymatic hydrogen peroxide sensor.

  10. Chitosan film loaded with silver nanoparticles-sorbent for solid phase extraction of Al(III), Cd(II), Cu(II), Co(II), Fe(III), Ni(II), Pb(II) and Zn(II).

    PubMed

    Djerahov, Lubomir; Vasileva, Penka; Karadjova, Irina; Kurakalva, Rama Mohan; Aradhi, Keshav Krishna

    2016-08-20

    The present study describes the ecofriendly method for the preparation of chitosan film loaded with silver nanoparticles (CS-AgNPs) and application of this film as efficient sorbent for separation and enrichment of Al(III), Cd(II), Cu(II), Co(II), Fe(III), Ni(II), Pb(II) and Zn(II). The stable CS-AgNPs colloid was prepared by dispersing the AgNPs sol in chitosan solution at appropriate ratio and further used to obtain a cast film with very good stability under storage and good mechanical strength for easy handling in aqueous medium. The incorporation of AgNPs in the structure of CS film and interaction between the polymer matrix and nanoparticles were confirmed by UV-vis and FTIR spectroscopy. The homogeneously embedded AgNPs (average diameter 29nm, TEM analysis) were clearly observed throughout the film by SEM. The CS-AgNPs nanocomposite film shows high sorption activity toward trace metals under optimized chemical conditions. The results suggest that the CS-AgNPs nanocomposite film can be feasibly used as a novel sorbent material for solid-phase extraction of metal pollutants from surface waters. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  11. A label-free and enzyme-free system for operating various logic devices using poly(thymine)-templated CuNPs and SYBR Green I as signal transducers

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wu, Changtong; Zhou, Chunyang; Wang, Erkang; Dong, Shaojun

    2016-07-01

    For the first time by integrating fluorescent polyT-templated CuNPs and SYBR Green I, a basic INHIBIT gate and four advanced logic circuits (2-to-1 encoder, 4-to-2 encoder, 1-to-2 decoder and 1-to-2 demultiplexer) have been conceptually realized under label-free and enzyme-free conditions. Taking advantage of the selective formation of CuNPs on ss-DNA, the implementation of these advanced logic devices were achieved without any usage of dye quenching groups or other nanomaterials like graphene oxide or AuNPs since polyA strands not only worked as an input but also acted as effective inhibitors towards polyT templates, meeting the aim of developing bio-computing with cost-effective and operationally simple methods. In short, polyT-templated CuNPs, as promising fluorescent signal reporters, are successfully applied to fabricate advanced logic devices, which may present a potential path for future development of molecular computations.For the first time by integrating fluorescent polyT-templated CuNPs and SYBR Green I, a basic INHIBIT gate and four advanced logic circuits (2-to-1 encoder, 4-to-2 encoder, 1-to-2 decoder and 1-to-2 demultiplexer) have been conceptually realized under label-free and enzyme-free conditions. Taking advantage of the selective formation of CuNPs on ss-DNA, the implementation of these advanced logic devices were achieved without any usage of dye quenching groups or other nanomaterials like graphene oxide or AuNPs since polyA strands not only worked as an input but also acted as effective inhibitors towards polyT templates, meeting the aim of developing bio-computing with cost-effective and operationally simple methods. In short, polyT-templated CuNPs, as promising fluorescent signal reporters, are successfully applied to fabricate advanced logic devices, which may present a potential path for future development of molecular computations. Electronic supplementary information (ESI) available. See DOI: 10.1039/c6nr04069a

  12. Complete transformation of ZnO and CuO nanoparticles in ...

    EPA Pesticide Factsheets

    Here, we present evidence on complete transformation of ZnO and CuO nanoparticles, which are among the most heavily studied metal oxide particles, during 24 h in vitro toxicological testing with human T-lymphocytes. Synchrotron radiation-based X-ray absorption near edge structure (XANES) spectroscopy results revealed that Zn speciation profiles of 30 nm and 80 nm ZnO nanoparticles, and ZnSO4- exposed cells were almost identical with the prevailing species being Zn-cysteine. This suggests that ZnO nanoparticles are rapidly transformed during a standard in vitro toxicological assay, and are sequestered intracellularly, analogously to soluble Zn. Complete transformation of ZnO in the test conditions was further supported by almost identical Zn spectra in medium to which ZnO nanoparticles or ZnSO4 was added. Likewise, Cu XANES spectra for CuO and CuSO4-exposed cells and cell culture media were similar. These results together with our observation on similar toxicological profiles of ZnO and soluble Zn, and CuO and soluble Cu, underline the importance of dissolution and subsequent transformation of ZnO and CuO nanoparticles during toxicological testing and provide evidence that the nano-specific effect of ZnO and CuO nanoparticulates is negligible in this system. We strongly suggest to account for this aspect when interpreting the toxicological results of ZnO and CuO nanoparticles. Although a number of studies have discussed the transformation of nanoparticles during

  13. Properties and characterization of agar/CuNP bionanocomposite films prepared with different copper salts and reducing agents.

    PubMed

    Shankar, Shiv; Teng, Xinnan; Rhim, Jong-Whan

    2014-12-19

    Various types of agar-based bio-nanocomposite (BNC) films were prepared by blending agar and six different copper nanoparticles (CuNPs) with different shapes and sizes obtained from three different sources of copper salts and two different reducing agents. The BNC films were characterized by UV-visible, FE-SEM, FT-IR, and XRD. The thermogravimetric study showed that the melting point of BNC films was increased when ascorbic acid was used as a reducing agent for CuNPs synthesis. Apparent surface color and transmittance of agar film was greatly influenced by the reinforcement of CuNPs. However, mechanical and water vapor barrier properties did not change significantly (p>0.05) by blending with CuNPs. Tensile modulus and tensile strength decreased slightly for all types of CuNPs reinforced while elongation at break slightly increased when CuNPs produced by ascorbic acid were blended. The agar bio-nanocomposite films showed profound antibacterial activity against both Gram-positive and Gram-negative food-borne pathogenic bacteria. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  14. Preparation of sub 3 nm copper nanoparticles by microwave irradiation in the presence of triethylene tetramin

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Tseng, Po-Hao; Wang, Yen-Zen; Hsieh, Tar-Hwa; Ho, Ko-Shan; Tsai, Cheng-Hsien; Chen, Kuan-Ting

    2018-02-01

    The preparation of sub 3 nm copper nanoparticles (CuNPs) in ethylene glycol (EG) using triethylene tetramine (TETA) as chelating and reducing agents via a rapid microwave (MW) irradiation is reported. The sub 3 nm CuNPs after MW irradiation are clearly seen from the electronic micrographs. The firm chelation of Cu2+ by TETA is illustrated by the dark blue color of Cu2+/TETA/EG solution and the redox reaction is confirmed by the appearance of red color of the mixtures. The optimal mole ratio of TETA/Cu 2+ is found to be 2.5/1 for preparing sub 3 nm CuNPs under the MW irradiation, operated at 800 W for 1 min. The plasmonic absorption λ max demonstrated in UV-vis spectra are found to close to 200 nm for sub 3 nm CuNPs, comparing to 500 ˜ 600 nm for regular, larger CuNPs. The extremely low Tm around 30 °C and the fusion/recrystallization sequence of sub 3 nm CuNPs can be directly measured by their differential scanning calorimetry thermograms.

  15. Natural inorganic nanoparticles--formation, fate, and toxicity in the environment.

    PubMed

    Sharma, Virender K; Filip, Jan; Zboril, Radek; Varma, Rajender S

    2015-12-07

    The synthesis, stability, and toxicity of engineered metal nanoparticles (ENPs) have been extensively studied during the past two decades. In contrast, research on the formation, fate, and ecological effects of naturally-occurring nanoparticles (NNPs) has become a focus of attention only recently. The natural existence of metal nanoparticles and their oxides/sulfides in waters, wastewaters, ore deposits, mining regions, and hydrothermal vents, as exemplified by the formation of nanoparticles containing silver and gold (AgNPs and AuNPs), Fe, Mn, pyrite (FeS2), Ag2S, CuS, CdS, and ZnS, is dictated largely by environmental conditions (temperature, pH, oxic/anoxic, light, and concentration and characteristics of natural organic matter (NOM)). Examples include the formation of nanoparticles containing pyrite, Cu and Zn-containing pyrite, and iron in hydrothermal vent black smoker emissions. Metal sulfide nanoparticles can be formed directly from their precursor ions or indirectly by sulfide ion-assisted transformation of the corresponding metal oxides under anaerobic conditions. This tutorial focuses on the formation mechanisms, fate, and toxicity of natural metal nanoparticles. Natural waters containing Ag(I) and Au(III) ions in the presence of NOM generate AgNPs and AuNPs under thermal, non-thermal, and photochemical conditions. These processes are significantly accelerated by existing redox species of iron (Fe(II)/Fe(III)). NOM, metal-NOM complexes, and reactive oxygen species (ROS) such as O2˙(-), ˙OH, and H2O2 are largely responsible for the natural occurrence of nanoparticles. AgNPs and AuNPs emanating from Ag(I)/Au(III)-NOM reactions are stable for several months, thus indicating their potential to be transported over long distances from their point of origin. However, endogenous cations present in natural waters can destabilize the nanoparticles, with divalent cations (e.g., Ca(2+), Mg(2+)) being more influential than their monovalent equivalents (e.g., Na

  16. Molecular Mechanisms of Zinc Oxide Nanoparticle-Induced Genotoxicity Short Running Title: Genotoxicity of ZnO NPs

    PubMed Central

    Scherzad, Agmal; Meyer, Till; Kleinsasser, Norbert

    2017-01-01

    Background: Zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) are among the most frequently applied nanomaterials in consumer products. Evidence exists regarding the cytotoxic effects of ZnO NPs in mammalian cells; however, knowledge about the potential genotoxicity of ZnO NPs is rare, and results presented in the current literature are inconsistent. Objectives: The aim of this review is to summarize the existing data regarding the DNA damage that ZnO NPs induce, and focus on the possible molecular mechanisms underlying genotoxic events. Methods: Electronic literature databases were systematically searched for studies that report on the genotoxicity of ZnO NPs. Results: Several methods and different endpoints demonstrate the genotoxic potential of ZnO NPs. Most publications describe in vitro assessments of the oxidative DNA damage triggered by dissoluted Zn2+ ions. Most genotoxicological investigations of ZnO NPs address acute exposure situations. Conclusion: Existing evidence indicates that ZnO NPs possibly have the potential to damage DNA. However, there is a lack of long-term exposure experiments that clarify the intracellular bioaccumulation of ZnO NPs and the possible mechanisms of DNA repair and cell survival. PMID:29240707

  17. Comparison and distribution of copper oxide nanoparticles and copper ions in activated sludge reactors.

    PubMed

    Zhang, Dongqing; Trzcinski, Antoine P; Oh, Hyun-Suk; Chew, Evelyn; Tan, Soon Keat; Ng, Wun Jern; Liu, Yu

    2017-05-12

    Copper oxide nanoparticles (CuO NPs) are being increasingly applied in the industry which results inevitably in the release of these materials into the hydrosphere. In this study, simulated waste-activated sludge experiments were conducted to investigate the effects of Copper Oxide NPs at concentrations of 0.1, 1, 10 and 50 mg/L and to compare it with its ionic counterpart (CuSO 4 ). It was found that 0.1 mg/L of CuO NPs had negligible effects on Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) and ammonia removal. However, the presence of 1, 10 and 50 mg/L of CuO NPs decreased COD removal from 78.7% to 77%, 52.1% and 39.2%, respectively (P < 0.05). The corresponding effluent ammonium (NH 4 -N) concentration increased from 14.9 mg/L to 18, 25.1 and 30.8 mg/L, respectively. Under equal Cu concentration, copper ions were more toxic towards microorganisms compared to CuO NPs. CuO NPs were removed effectively (72-93.2%) from wastewater due to a greater biosorption capacity of CuO NPs onto activated sludge, compared to the copper ions (55.1-83.4%). The SEM images clearly showed the accumulation and adsorption of CuO NPs onto activated sludge. The decrease in Live/dead ratio after 5 h of exposure of CuO NPs and Cu 2+ indicated the loss of cell viability in sludge flocs.

  18. Influence of particle coating and matrix constituents on the cloud point extraction efficiency of silver nanoparticles (Ag-NPs) and application for monitoring the formation of Ag-NPs from Ag(+).

    PubMed

    Hartmann, Georg; Baumgartner, Tanja; Schuster, Michael

    2014-01-07

    For the quantification of silver nanoparticles (Ag-NPs) in environmental samples using cloud point extraction (CPE) for selective enrichment, surface modification of the Ag-NPs and matrix effects can play a key role. In this work we validate CPE with respect to the influence of different coatings and naturally occurring matrix components. The Ag-NPs tested were functionalized with inorganic and organic compounds as well as with biomolecules. Commercially available NPs and NPs synthesized according to methods published in the literature were used. We found that CPE can extract almost all Ag-NPs tested with very good efficiencies (82-105%). Only Ag-NPs functionalized with BSA (bovine serum albumin), which is a protein with the function to keep colloids in solution, cannot be extracted. No or little effect of environmentally relevant salts, organic matter, and inorganic colloids on the CPE of AgNPs was found. Additionally we used CPE to observe the in situ formation of Ag-NPs produced by the reduction of Ag(+) with natural organic matter (NOM).

  19. Green Synthesis of Ag, Cu and AgCu Nanoparticles using Palm Leaves Extract as the Reducing and Stabilizing Agents

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Mohamad, N. A. N.; Arham, N. A.; Junaidah, J.; Hadi, A.; Idris, S. A.

    2018-05-01

    This paper reports the green synthesis of Ag, Cu and AgCu nanoparticles at room temperature using palm leaves extract. The purpose of this study is to eliminate the use of chemicals in the synthesis of nanoparticles and evaluate the efficiency of the palm leaves extract as the reducing and stabilizing agents. The palm leaves extract was added to metal salt solution and continuously stirred until reaction completed. The produced nanoparticles were analyzed using atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The analyses revealed that palm leaves extract has efficiently reduced the silver ions, but not the copper ions. During synthesis of AgCu nanoparticles, simultaneous reduction was occurred leading to formation of alloyed nanoparticles. Biomolecules from the palm leaves extract adsorbed on the surface of nanoparticles forming a capping layer thus stabilized the nanoparticles. The produced Ag and Cu nanoparticles were predominantly spherical with the particle size of Cu nanoparticles were larger than Ag nanoparticles. The AgCu nanoparticles closely resembled the Ag nanoparticles due to high Ag content with average size of 13nm. Therefore, palm leaves extract has a potential to be a good reducing and stabilizing agents.

  20. Interactions between suspension characteristics and physicochemical properties of silver and copper oxide nanoparticles: a case study for optimizing nanoparticle stock suspensions using a central composite design.

    PubMed

    Son, Jino; Vavra, Janna; Li, Yusong; Seymour, Megan; Forbes, Valery

    2015-04-01

    The preparation of a stable nanoparticle stock suspension is the first step in nanotoxicological studies, but how different preparation methods influence the physicochemical properties of nanoparticles in a solution, even in Milli-Q water, is often under-appreciated. In this study, a systematic approach using a central composite design (CCD) was employed to investigate the effects of sonication time and suspension concentration on the physicochemical properties (i.e. hydrodynamic diameter, zeta potential and ion dissolution) of silver (Ag) and copper oxide (CuO) nanoparticles (NPs) and to identify optimal conditions for suspension preparation in Milli-Q water; defined as giving the smallest particle sizes, highest suspension stability and lowest ion dissolution. Indeed, all the physicochemical properties of AgNPs and CuONPs varied dramatically depending on how the stock suspensions were prepared and differed profoundly between nanoparticle types, indicating the importance of suspension preparation. Moreover, the physicochemical properties of AgNPs and CuONPs, at least in simple media (Milli-Q water), behaved in predictable ways as a function of sonication time and suspension concentration, confirming the validity of our models. Overall, the approach allows systematic assessment of the influence of various factors on key properties of nanoparticle suspensions, which will facilitate optimization of the preparation of nanoparticle stock suspensions and improve the reproducibility of nanotoxicological results. We recommend that further attention be given to details of stock suspension preparation before conducting nanotoxicological studies as these can have an important influence on the behavior and subsequent toxicity of nanoparticles. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  1. Green Synthesis of Metal and Metal Oxide Nanoparticles and Their Effect on the Unicellular Alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Nguyen, Nhung H. A.; Padil, Vinod Vellora Thekkae; Slaveykova, Vera I.; Černík, Miroslav; Ševců, Alena

    2018-05-01

    Recently, the green synthesis of metal nanoparticles has attracted wide attention due to its feasibility and very low environmental impact. This approach was applied in this study to synthesise nanoscale gold (Au), platinum (Pt), palladium (Pd), silver (Ag) and copper oxide (CuO) materials in simple aqueous media using the natural polymer gum karaya as a reducing and stabilising agent. The nanoparticles' (NPs) zeta-potential, stability and size were characterised by Zetasizer Nano, UV-Vis spectroscopy and by electron microscopy. Moreover, the biological effect of the NPs (concentration range 1.0-20.0 mg/L) on a unicellular green alga ( Chlamydomonas reinhardtii) was investigated by assessing algal growth, membrane integrity, oxidative stress, chlorophyll ( Chl) fluorescence and photosystem II photosynthetic efficiency. The resulting NPs had a mean size of 42 (Au), 12 (Pt), 1.5 (Pd), 5 (Ag) and 180 (CuO) nm and showed high stability over 6 months. At concentrations of 5 mg/L, Au and Pt NPs only slightly reduced algal growth, while Pd, Ag and CuO NPs completely inhibited growth. Ag, Pd and CuO NPs showed strong biocidal properties and can be used for algae prevention in swimming pools (CuO) or in other antimicrobial applications (Pd, Ag), whereas Au and Pt lack these properties and can be ranked as harmless to green alga.

  2. Exothermic low temperature sintering of Cu nanoparticles

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

    Mittal, Jagjiwan; Lin, Kwang-Lung, E-mail: matkllin@mail.ncku.edu.tw

    2015-11-15

    Sintering of the Cu nanoparticle at low temperatures resulted in exothermic behavior after its initiation. The calorimetry study of the heating of a 20 nm copper nanoparticles agglomerate revealed the evolution of 41.17 J/g of heat between 170 °C and 270 °C. High resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) images indicated that the heat generation was accompanied by sintering. The surface energy of the 20 nm copper nanoparticles was estimated to be 1.23 × 10{sup 3} erg/cm{sup 2} based on the heat released during sintering. The in situ high resolution transmission electron microscope (HRTEM) investigation showed that vigorous sintering occurred betweenmore » 217 and 234 °C, which took place through the dislocation sintering mechanism. - Highlights: • Calorimetry showed exothermic behavior during heating of Cu nanoparticles between 170 and 270 °C. • Heat released due to the sintering of Cu nanoparticles was demonstrated by HRTEM. • Surface energy of 20 nm copper nanoparticles was estimated to be 1.23 × 10{sup 3} erg/cm{sup 2} during sintering. • Growth in crystallite sizes during sintering is disclosed by X-ray diffraction. • In situ HRTEM heating study showed occurrence of sintering through dislocation mechanism.« less

  3. Copper-promoted circumneutral activation of H2O2 by magnetic CuFe2O4 spinel nanoparticles: Mechanism, stoichiometric efficiency, and pathway of degrading sulfanilamide.

    PubMed

    Feng, Yong; Liao, Changzhong; Shih, Kaimin

    2016-07-01

    To evaluate the heterogeneous degradation of sulfanilamide by external energy-free Fenton-like reactions, magnetic CuFe2O4 spinel nanoparticles (NPs) were synthesized and used as catalysts for activation of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). The physicochemical properties of the CuFe2O4 NPs were characterized with several techniques, including X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and magnetometry. In the catalytic experiments, CuFe2O4 NPs/H2O2 oxidation showed the best degradation performance in the circumneutral conditions that resulted from the presence of Cu(II) on the surface of the CuFe2O4 NPs. The surface area-normalized pseudo-first-order rate constants were calculated as 2.60 × 10(-2) L m(-1) min(-1), 2.58 × 10(-3) L m(-1) min(-1), 1.92 × 10(-3) L m(-1) min(-1), and 7.30 × 10(-4) L m(-1) min(-1) for CuO, CuFe2O4 NPs, Fe3O4, and α-Fe2O3 catalysts, respectively. Thus, solid state Cu(II) was more reactive and efficient than Fe(III) in the circumneutral activation of H2O2; this finding was further supported by the results regarding the stoichiometric efficiency of H2O2. The effects of experimental parameters such as the oxidant dosage and catalyst loading were investigated. The mechanism for H2O2 activation on the spinel surface was explored and could be explained by the solid redox cycles of Fe(II)/Fe(III) and Cu(II)/Cu(I). Based on the products detected, a degradation pathway via the CS bond cleavage is proposed for the degradation of sulfanilamide. The findings of this study suggest that copper can be used as a doping metal to improve the reactivity and expand the effective pH range of iron oxides. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  4. Copper doping enhanced the oxidative stress-mediated cytotoxicity of TiO2 nanoparticles in A549 cells.

    PubMed

    Ahmad, J; Siddiqui, M A; Akhtar, M J; Alhadlaq, H A; Alshamsan, A; Khan, S T; Wahab, R; Al-Khedhairy, A A; Al-Salim, A; Musarrat, J; Saquib, Q; Fareed, M; Ahamed, M

    2018-05-01

    Physicochemical properties of titanium dioxide nanoparticles (TiO 2 NPs) can be tuned by doping with metals or nonmetals. Copper (Cu) doping improved the photocatalytic behavior of TiO 2 NPs that can be applied in various fields such as environmental remediation and nanomedicine. However, interaction of Cu-doped TiO 2 NPs with human cells is scarce. This study was designed to explore the role of Cu doping in cytotoxic response of TiO 2 NPs in human lung epithelial (A549) cells. Characterization data demonstrated the presence of both TiO 2 and Cu in Cu-doped TiO 2 NPs with high-quality lattice fringes without any distortion. The size of Cu-doped TiO 2 NPs (24 nm) was lower than pure TiO 2 NPs (30 nm). Biological results showed that both pure and Cu-doped TiO 2 NPs induced cytotoxicity and oxidative stress in a dose-dependent manner. Low mitochondrial membrane potential and higher caspase-3 enzyme (apoptotic markers) activity were also observed in A549 cells exposed to pure and Cu-doped TiO 2 NPs. We further observed that cytotoxicity caused by Cu-doped TiO 2 NPs was higher than pure TiO 2 NPs. Moreover, antioxidant N-acetyl cysteine effectively prevented the reactive oxygen species generation, glutathione depletion, and cell viability reduction caused by Cu-doped TiO 2 NPs. This is the first report showing that Cu-doped TiO 2 NPs induced cytotoxicity and oxidative stress in A549 cells. This study warranted further research to explore the role of Cu doping in toxicity mechanisms of TiO 2 NPs.

  5. Effect of Copper Oxide Nanoparticles as a barrier for Efficiency Improvement in ZnO Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sonthila, A.; Ruankham, P.; Choopun, S.; Wongratanaphisan, D.; Phadungdhitidhada, S.; Gardchareon, A.

    2017-09-01

    CuO nanoparticles (CuO NPs) were used as a barrier layer in ZnO dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) to obtain high power conversion efficiency. The barrier layer was investigated in terms of the size of CuO NPs by varying power of pulsed Nd:YAG (1064 nm) laser ablation. Morphological and optical properties of CuO NPs were characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), UV-visible spectrophotometry (UV-vis) and dynamic light scattering (DLS). It was found that the CuO NPs are rather spherical in shape with diameter in between 20 - 132 nm. In addition, the energy gap of CuO decreases with the increase of CuO NPs size. The power conversion efficiency of ZnO DSSCs was measured under illumination of simulated sunlight obtained from a solar simulator with the radiant power of 100 mW/cm2. The results showed that the ZnO DSSC with the CuO NPs with size of 37 nm exhibits the optimum power conversion efficiency of 1.01% which is higher than that of one without CuO NPs. Moreover, the power conversion efficiency of the ZnO DSSCs decreases with the increase of CuO NPs size.

  6. Integrated transcriptome, proteome and physiology analysis of Epinephelus coioides after exposure to copper nanoparticles or copper sulfate.

    PubMed

    Wang, Tao; Long, Xiaohua; Chen, Xiaoyan; Liu, Yuanrui; Liu, Zhaopu; Han, Shiqun; Yan, Shaohua

    2017-03-01

    Copper nanoparticles (Cu-NPs) are components in numerous commercial products, but little is known about the mechanisms of their toxicity to marine fish. Here, we investigated physiology, transcriptome and proteome in Epinephelus coioides after exposure to Cu as Cu-NPs or copper sulfate (CuSO 4 ). Aggregation, oxidation and dissolution of Cu-NPs occurred after suspension in seawater within 24 h. Cu-NPs had similar types of the histology and hematological effects as CuSO 4 on E. coioides, but toxicity of Cu-NPs seems more severe than that of CuSO 4 . Venn diagram analyses revealed 1428 and 2239 genes with significantly altered regulation in, respectively, CuSO 4 and Cu-NPs treatments; of these, 911 genes were common to both treatments. A total of 354 and 140 proteins with significantly altered regulation were identified in, respectively, CuSO 4 and Cu-NPs treatments; of these, 75 proteins were common to both treatments. A total of 11,417 transcripts and 3210 proteins were assigned to gene ontology terms, clusters of orthologous groups and Kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes. Correlation analysis of gene and protein expressions revealed that 21 differentially expressed proteins had their regulation changed in the same direction in both Cu-NPs and CuSO 4 treatments. Those genes and proteins could be used as targets for subsequent analysis, regardless of the Cu form. Among those proteins, one of the most notable changes was in proteins related to lipid transport and metabolism. This study provides an enhanced understanding of E. coioides responses to Cu-NPs or CuSO 4 .

  7. DNA Three-Way Junction for Differentiation of Single-Nucleotide Polymorphisms with Fluorescent Copper Nanoparticles.

    PubMed

    Sun, Feifei; You, Ying; Liu, Jie; Song, Quanwei; Shen, Xiaotong; Na, Na; Ouyang, Jin

    2017-05-23

    A label- and enzyme-free fluorescent sensor for the detection of single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) at room temperature is proposed, using new copper nanoparticles (CuNPs) as fluorescent reporters. The CuNPs were constructed by using a DNA three-way junction (3WJ) template. In this assay, two complementary adenine/thymine-rich probes can hybridize with the wild-type target simultaneously to construct a 3WJ structure, serving as an efficient scaffold for the generation of CuNPs. However, the CuNPs produce weak fluorescence when the probes bind with a mutant-type target. SNPs can be identified by the difference in fluorescence intensity of the CuNPs. This SNPs detection strategy is straightforward, cost-effective, and avoids the complicated procedures of labeling or enzymatic reactions. The fluorescent sensor is versatile and can be applied to all types of mutation because the probes are programmable. Moreover, the sensor exhibits good detection performance in biological samples. © 2017 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  8. Copper(ii) oxide nanoparticles penetrate into HepG2 cells, exert cytotoxicity via oxidative stress and induce pro-inflammatory response

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Piret, Jean-Pascal; Jacques, Diane; Audinot, Jean-Nicolas; Mejia, Jorge; Boilan, Emmanuelle; Noël, Florence; Fransolet, Maude; Demazy, Catherine; Lucas, Stéphane; Saout, Christelle; Toussaint, Olivier

    2012-10-01

    The potential toxic effects of two types of copper(ii) oxide (CuO) nanoparticles (NPs) with different specific surface areas, different shapes (rod or spheric), different sizes as raw materials and similar hydrodynamic diameter in suspension were studied on human hepatocarcinoma HepG2 cells. Both CuO NPs were shown to be able to enter into HepG2 cells and induce cellular toxicity by generating reactive oxygen species. CuO NPs increased the abundance of several transcripts coding for pro-inflammatory interleukins and chemokines. Transcriptomic data, siRNA knockdown and DNA binding activities suggested that Nrf2, NF-κB and AP-1 were implicated in the response of HepG2 cells to CuO NPs. CuO NP incubation also induced activation of MAPK pathways, ERKs and JNK/SAPK, playing a major role in the activation of AP-1. In addition, cytotoxicity, inflammatory and antioxidative responses and activation of intracellular transduction pathways induced by rod-shaped CuO NPs were more important than spherical CuO NPs. Measurement of Cu2+ released in cell culture medium suggested that Cu2+ cations released from CuO NPs were involved only to a small extent in the toxicity induced by these NPs on HepG2 cells.The potential toxic effects of two types of copper(ii) oxide (CuO) nanoparticles (NPs) with different specific surface areas, different shapes (rod or spheric), different sizes as raw materials and similar hydrodynamic diameter in suspension were studied on human hepatocarcinoma HepG2 cells. Both CuO NPs were shown to be able to enter into HepG2 cells and induce cellular toxicity by generating reactive oxygen species. CuO NPs increased the abundance of several transcripts coding for pro-inflammatory interleukins and chemokines. Transcriptomic data, siRNA knockdown and DNA binding activities suggested that Nrf2, NF-κB and AP-1 were implicated in the response of HepG2 cells to CuO NPs. CuO NP incubation also induced activation of MAPK pathways, ERKs and JNK/SAPK, playing a major

  9. Copper oxide nanoparticles induce the transcriptional modulation of oxidative stress-related genes in Arbacia lixula embryos.

    PubMed

    Giannetto, Alessia; Cappello, Tiziana; Oliva, Sabrina; Parrino, Vincenzo; De Marco, Giuseppe; Fasulo, Salvatore; Mauceri, Angela; Maisano, Maria

    2018-06-14

    Copper oxide nanoparticles (CuO NPs) are widely used in various industrial applications, i.e. semiconductor devices, batteries, solar energy converter, gas sensor, microelectronics, heat transfer fluids, and have been recently recognized as emerging pollutants of increasing concern for human and marine environmental health. Therefore, the toxicity of CuO NPs needs to be thoroughly understood. In this study, we evaluated the potential role of oxidative stress in CuO NP toxicity by exploring the molecular response of Arbacia lixula embryos to three CuO NP concentrations (0.7, 10, 20 ppb) by investigating the transcriptional patterns of oxidative stress-related genes (catalase and superoxide dismutase) and metallothionein, here cloned and characterized for the first time. Time- and concentration-dependent changes in gene expression were detected in A. lixula embryos exposed to CuO NPs, up to pluteus stage (72 h post-fertilization, hpf), indicating that oxidative stress is one of the toxicity mechanisms for CuO NPs. These findings provide new insights into the comprehension of the molecular mechanisms underlying copper nanoparticle toxicity in A. lixula sea urchin and give new tools for monitoring of aquatic areas, thus corroborating the suitability of this embryotoxicity assay for future evaluation of impacted sites. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  10. Differential Phytotoxic Impact of Plant Mediated Silver Nanoparticles (AgNPs) and Silver Nitrate (AgNO3) on Brassica sp.

    PubMed Central

    Vishwakarma, Kanchan; Shweta; Upadhyay, Neha; Singh, Jaspreet; Liu, Shiliang; Singh, Vijay P.; Prasad, Sheo M.; Chauhan, Devendra K.; Tripathi, Durgesh K.; Sharma, Shivesh

    2017-01-01

    Continuous formation and utilization of nanoparticles (NPs) have resulted into significant discharge of nanosized particles into the environment. NPs find applications in numerous products and agriculture sector, and gaining importance in recent years. In the present study, silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) were biosynthesized from silver nitrate (AgNO3) by green synthesis approach using Aloe vera extract. Mustard (Brassica sp.) seedlings were grown hydroponically and toxicity of both AgNP and AgNO3 (as ionic Ag+) was assessed at various concentrations (1 and 3 mM) by analyzing shoot and root length, fresh mass, protein content, photosynthetic pigments and performance, cell viability, oxidative damage, DNA degradation and enzyme activities. The results revealed that both AgNPs and AgNO3 declined growth of Brassica seedlings due to enhanced accumulation of AgNPs and AgNO3 that subsequently caused severe inhibition in photosynthesis. Further, the results showed that both AgNPs and AgNO3 induced oxidative stress as indicated by histochemical staining of superoxide radical and hydrogen peroxide that was manifested in terms of DNA degradation and cell death. Activities of antioxidants, i.e., ascorbate peroxidase (APX) and catalase (CAT) were inhibited by AgNPs and AgNO3. Interestingly, damaging impact of AgNPs was lesser than AgNO3 on Brassica seedlings which was due to lesser accumulation of AgNPs and better activities of APX and CAT, which resulted in lesser oxidative stress, DNA degradation and cell death. The results of the present study showed differential impact of AgNPs and AgNO3 on Brassica seedlings, their mode of action, and reasons for their differential impact. The results of the present study could be implied in toxicological research for designing strategies to reduce adverse impact of AgNPs and AgNO3 on crop plants. PMID:29075270

  11. TEA controllable preparation of magnetite nanoparticles (Fe3O4 NPs) with excellent magnetic properties

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Han, Chengliang; Zhu, Dejie; Wu, Hanzhao; Li, Yao; Cheng, Lu; Hu, Kunhong

    2016-06-01

    A fast and controllable synthesis method for superparamagnetic magnetite nanoparticles (Fe3O4 NPs) was developed in Fe(III)-triethanolamine (TEA) solution. The phase structure, morphology and particle size of the as-synthesized samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The results showed that the magnetic particles were pure Fe3O4 with mean sizes of approximately 10 nm. The used TEA has key effects on the formation of well dispersing Fe3O4 NPs. Vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM) result indicated that the as-obtained Fe3O4 NPs exhibited superparamagnetic behavior and the saturation magnetization (Ms) was about 70 emu/g, which had potential applications in magnetic science and technology.

  12. Preliminary study of copper oxide nanoparticles acoustic and magnetic properties for medical imaging

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Perlman, Or; Weitz, Iris S.; Azhari, Haim

    2015-03-01

    The implementation of multimodal imaging in medicine is highly beneficial as different physical properties may provide complementary information, augmented detection ability, and diagnosis verification. Nanoparticles have been recently used as contrast agents for various imaging modalities. Their significant advantage over conventional large-scale contrast agents is the ability of detection at early stages of the disease, being less prone to obstacles on their path to the target region, and possible conjunction to therapeutics. Copper ions play essential role in human health. They are used as a cofactor for multiple key enzymes involved in various fundamental biochemistry processes. Extremely small size copper oxide nanoparticles (CuO-NPs) are readily soluble in water with high colloidal stability yielding high bioavailability. The goal of this study was to examine the magnetic and acoustic characteristics of CuO-NPs in order to evaluate their potential to serve as contrast imaging agent for both MRI and ultrasound. CuO-NPs 7nm in diameter were synthesized by hot solution method. The particles were scanned using a 9.4T MRI and demonstrated a concentration dependent T1 relaxation time shortening phenomenon. In addition, it was revealed that CuO-NPs can be detected using the ultrasonic B-scan imaging. Finally, speed of sound based ultrasonic computed tomography was applied and showed that CuO-NPs can be clearly imaged. In conclusion, the preliminary results obtained, positively indicate that CuO-NPs may be imaged by both MRI and ultrasound. The results motivate additional in-vivo studies, in which the clinical utility of fused images derived from both modalities for diagnosis improvement will be studied.

  13. Copper Status of Exposed Microorganisms Influences Susceptibility to Metallic Nanoparticles

    PubMed Central

    Reyes, Vincent C.; Spitzmiller, Melissa R.; Hong-Hermesdorf, Anne; Kropat, Janette; Damoiseaux, Robert D.; Merchant, Sabeeha S.; Mahendra, Shaily

    2017-01-01

    Although interactions of metallic nanoparticles (NP) with various microorganisms have been previously explored, few studies have examined how metal sensitivity impacts NP toxicity. Herein, we investigated the effects of copper nanoparticles’ (Cu-NPs) exposure to the model alga, Chlamydomonas reinhardtii, in the presence and absence of the essential micronutrient copper. The toxic ranges for Cu-NPs and the ionic control, CuCl2, were determined using a high-throughput ATP-based fluorescence assay. Cu-NPs caused similar mortality in copper-replete and copper-deplete cells (IC50: 14–16 mg/L), but were less toxic than the ionic control, CuCl2 (IC50: 7 mg/L). Using this concentration range, we assessed Cu-NP impacts to cell morphology, copper accumulation, chlorophyll content, and expression of stress genes under both copper supply states. Osmotic swelling, membrane damage, and chloroplast and organelle disintegration were observed by transmission electron microscopy at both conditions. Despite these similarities, copper-deplete cells showed greater accumulation of loosely bound and tightly bound copper after exposure to Cu-NPs. Furthermore, copper-replete cells experienced greater loss of chlorophyll content, 19 % for Cu-NPs, compared to only an 11% net decrease in copper-deplete cells. The tightly bound copper was bioavailable as assessed by reverse-transcriptase quantitative PCR analysis of CYC6, a biomarker for Cu-deficiency. The increased resistance of copper-deplete cells to Cu-NPs suggests that these cells potentially metabolize excess Cu-NPs or better manage sudden influxes of ions. Our findings recommend that toxicity assessments must account for the nutritional status of impacted organisms and use toxicity models based on estimations of the bioavailable fractions. PMID:26387648

  14. Copper Oxide Nanoparticle Foliar Uptake, Phytotoxicity, and Consequences for Sustainable Urban Agriculture.

    PubMed

    Xiong, TianTian; Dumat, Camille; Dappe, Vincent; Vezin, Hervé; Schreck, Eva; Shahid, Muhammad; Pierart, Antoine; Sobanska, Sophie

    2017-05-02

    Throughout the world, urban agriculture supplies fresh local vegetables to city populations. However, the increasing anthropogenic uses of metal-containing nanoparticles (NPs) such as CuO-NPs in urban areas may contaminate vegetables through foliar uptake. This study focused on the CuO-NP transfer processes in leafy edible vegetables (i.e., lettuce and cabbage) to assess their potential phytotoxicity. Vegetables were exposed via leaves for 5, 10, or 15 days to various concentrations of CuO-NPs (0, 10, or 250 mg per plant). Biomass and gas exchange values were determined in relation to the Cu uptake rate, localization, and Cu speciation within the plant tissues. High foliar Cu uptake occurred after exposure for 15 days for lettuce [3773 mg (kg of dry weight) -1 ] and cabbage [4448 mg (kg of dry weight) -1 ], along with (i) decreased plant weight, net photosynthesis level, and water content and (ii) necrotic Cu-rich areas near deformed stomata containing CuO-NPs observed by scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive X-ray microanalysis. Analysis of the CuO-NP transfer rate (7.8-242 μg day -1 ), translocation of Cu from leaves to roots and Cu speciation biotransformation in leaf tissues using electron paramagnetic resonance, suggests the involvement of plant Cu regulation processes. Finally, a potential health risk associated with consumption of vegetables contaminated with CuO-NPs was highlighted.

  15. ZnO nanoparticles (ZnO-NPs) and their antifungal activity against coffee fungus Erythricium salmonicolor

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Arciniegas-Grijalba, P. A.; Patiño-Portela, M. C.; Mosquera-Sánchez, L. P.; Guerrero-Vargas, J. A.; Rodríguez-Páez, J. E.

    2017-06-01

    In this work, a methodology of synthesis was designed to obtain ZnO nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) in a controlled and reproducible manner. The nanoparticles obtained were characterized using infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Also, we determined the antifungal capacity in vitro of zinc oxide nanoparticles synthesized, examining their action on Erythricium salmonicolor fungy causal of pink disease. To determine the effect of the quantity of zinc precursor used during ZnO NPs synthesis on the antifungal capacity, 0.1 and 0.15 M concentrations of zinc acetate were examined. To study the inactivation of the mycelial growth of the fungus, different concentrations of ZnO NPs of the two types of synthesized samples were used. The inhibitory effect on the growth of the fungus was determined by measuring the growth area as a function of time. The morphological change was observed with high-resolution optical microscopy (HROM), while TEM was used to observe changes in its ultrastructure. The results showed that a concentration of 9 mmol L-1 for the sample obtained from the 0.15 M and at 12 mmol L-1 for the 0.1 M system significantly inhibited growth of E. salmonicolor. In the HROM images a deformation was observed in the growth pattern: notable thinning of the fibers of the hyphae and a clumping tendency. The TEM images showed a liquefaction of the cytoplasmic content, making it less electron-dense, with the presence of a number of vacuoles and significant detachment of the cell wall.

  16. Impact of labile metal nanoparticles on cellular homeostasis. Current developments in imaging, synthesis and applications.

    PubMed

    Chevallet, Mireille; Veronesi, Giulia; Fuchs, Alexandra; Mintz, Elisabeth; Michaud-Soret, Isabelle; Deniaud, Aurélien

    2017-06-01

    The use of nanomaterials is constantly increasing in electronics, cosmetics, food additives, and is emerging in advanced biomedical applications such as theranostics, bio-imaging and therapeutics. However their safety raises concerns and requires appropriate methods to analyze their fate in vivo. In this review, we describe the current knowledge about the toxicity of labile metal (ZnO, CuO and Ag) nanoparticles (NPs) both at the organism and cellular levels, and describe the pathways that are triggered to maintain cellular homeostasis. We also describe advanced elemental imaging approaches to analyze intracellular NP fate. Finally, we open the discussion by presenting recent developments in terms of synthesis and applications of Ag and CuO NPs. Labile metal nanoparticles (MeNPs) release metal ions that trigger a cellular response involving biomolecules binding to the ions followed by regulation of the redox balance. In addition, specific mechanisms are set up by the cell in response to physiological ions such as Cu(I) and Zn(II). Among all types of NPs, labile MeNPs induce the strongest inflammatory responses which are most probably due to the combined effects of the NPs and of its released ions. Interestingly, recent developments in imaging technologies enable the intracellular visualization of both the NPs and their ions and promise new insights into nanoparticle fate and toxicity. The exponential use of nanotechnologies associated with the difficulties of assessing their impact on health and the environment has prompted scientists to develop novel methodologies to characterize these nanoobjects in a biological context. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  17. Sonochemical synthesis of PVA/PVP blend nanocomposite containing modified CuO nanoparticles with vitamin B1 and their antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli.

    PubMed

    Mallakpour, Shadpour; Mansourzadeh, Soheila

    2018-05-01

    The aim of this paper was to blend the polymers, poly(N-vinyl-2-pyrrolidone) (PVP) and poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) to produce a novel composite materials possessing the benefits of both. CuO nanoparticles (NPs) were used as a suitable filler to fabricate the blend nanocomposites (NCs) with desired properties. First, the surface of NPs, was modified with vitamin B 1 (VB 1 ) as a bio-safe coupling agent. Then, the blend NCs with various ratios of modified CuO (3, 5, and 7 wt%) were fabricated under ultrasonic irradiations followed by casting/solvent evaporation method. These processes are fast and green way to disperse the NPs sufficiently. Several techniques were applied for the characterization of the obtained NCs. morphology examination demonstrated the morphology of NCs and compatibility of NPs with the blend polymer. EDX results indicated the weight and atomic percentage of the achieved materials. TGA analysis verified that the NCs show higher thermal properties than the neat blend polymer. Also embedding the modified NPs into the blend polymer had effected on optical absorbance of the obtained NCs. The contact angle measurements confirmed that the hydrophilicity decreased for different proportions of the modified NPs loaded in the blend polymer. Finally, NCs show better bactericidal effects against gram-positive than gram-negative bacteria. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  18. The effect of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) on proliferation and apoptosis of in ovo cultured glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) cells.

    PubMed

    Urbańska, Kaja; Pająk, Beata; Orzechowski, Arkadiusz; Sokołowska, Justyna; Grodzik, Marta; Sawosz, Ewa; Szmidt, Maciej; Sysa, Paweł

    2015-01-01

    Recently, it has been shown that silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) provide a unique approach to the treatment of tumors, especially those of neuroepithelial origin. Thus, the aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of AgNPs on proliferation and activation of the intrinsic apoptotic pathway of glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) cells cultured in an in ovo model. Human GBM cells, line U-87, were placed on chicken embryo chorioallantoic membrane. After 8 days, the tumors were divided into three groups: control (non-treated), treated with colloidal AgNPs (40 μg/ml), and placebo (tumors supplemented with vehicle only). At the end of the experiment, all tumors were isolated. Assessment of cell proliferation and cell apoptosis was estimated by histological, immunohistochemical, and Western blot analyses. The results show that AgNPs can influence GBM growth. AgNPs inhibit proliferation of GBM cells and seem to have proapoptotic properties. Although there were statistically significant differences between control and AgNP groups in the AI and the levels of active caspase 9 and active caspase 3, the level of these proteins in GBM cells treated with AgNPs seems to be on the border between the spontaneous apoptosis and the induced. Our results indicate that the antiproliferative properties of silver nanoparticles overwhelm proapoptotic ones. Further research focused on the cytotoxic effect of AgNPs on tumor and normal cells should be conducted.

  19. Size-controlled growth and antibacterial mechanism for Cu:C nanocomposite thin films.

    PubMed

    Javid, Amjed; Kumar, Manish; Yoon, Seokyoung; Lee, Jung Heon; Han, Jeon Geon

    2016-12-21

    The interdependence of 'size' and 'volume-fraction' hinders the identification of their individual role in the interface properties of metal nanoparticles (NPs) embedded in a matrix. Here, the case of Cu NPs embedded in a C matrix is presented for their profound antibacterial activity. Cu:C nanocomposite thin films with fixed Cu content (≈12 atomic%) are prepared using a plasma process where plasma energy controls the size of Cu NPs (from 9 nm to 16 nm). An inverse relationship between the size-effect on antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus bacteria is established through the real time monitoring of an aliquot by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry, which confirmed the inverse relationship of Cu ion release from the nanocomposite with varied Cu NP sizes. It was found that enhancing the total power density increases the plasma density as well as effective kinetic energy of the plasma species, which in turn creates a large number of nucleation sites and restricts the island kind of growth of Cu NPs. The mechanism of NP size-control is illustrated on the basis of ion density and nucleation and the growth regime of plasma species. This physical approach to NP size reduction anticipates a contamination-free competitive recipe of size-control to capping based chemical methods.

  20. Facet-Dependent Deposition of Highly Strained Alloyed Shells on Intermetallic Nanoparticles for Enhanced Electrocatalysis

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

    Wang, Chenyu; Sang, Xiahan; Gamler, Jocelyn T. L.

    Compressive surface strains can enhance the performance of platinum-based core@shell electrocatalysts for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR). Bimetallic core@shell nanoparticles (NPs) are widely studied nanocatalysts but often have limited lattice mismatch and surface compositions; investigations of core@shell NPs with greater compositional complexity and lattice misfit are in their infancy. Here, a new class of multimetallic NPs composed of intermetallic cores and random alloy shells is reported. Specifically, face-centered cubic (fcc) Pt- Cu random alloy shells were deposited non-epitaxially on PdCu B2 intermetallic seeds, giving rise to faceted core@shell NPs with highly strained surfaces. In fact, high resolution transmission electron microscopymore » (HRTEM) revealed orientation-dependent surface strains, where the compressive strains were minimal on Pt-Cu {111} facets but greater on {200} facets. These core@shell NPs provide higher specific and mass activities for the ORR when compared to conventional Pt-Cu NPs. Moreover, these intermetallic@random alloy NPs displayed high endurance, undergoing 10,000 cycles with only a slight decay in activity and no apparent structural changes.« less

  1. Facet-Dependent Deposition of Highly Strained Alloyed Shells on Intermetallic Nanoparticles for Enhanced Electrocatalysis

    DOE PAGES

    Wang, Chenyu; Sang, Xiahan; Gamler, Jocelyn T. L.; ...

    2017-08-25

    Compressive surface strains can enhance the performance of platinum-based core@shell electrocatalysts for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR). Bimetallic core@shell nanoparticles (NPs) are widely studied nanocatalysts but often have limited lattice mismatch and surface compositions; investigations of core@shell NPs with greater compositional complexity and lattice misfit are in their infancy. Here, a new class of multimetallic NPs composed of intermetallic cores and random alloy shells is reported. Specifically, face-centered cubic (fcc) Pt- Cu random alloy shells were deposited non-epitaxially on PdCu B2 intermetallic seeds, giving rise to faceted core@shell NPs with highly strained surfaces. In fact, high resolution transmission electron microscopymore » (HRTEM) revealed orientation-dependent surface strains, where the compressive strains were minimal on Pt-Cu {111} facets but greater on {200} facets. These core@shell NPs provide higher specific and mass activities for the ORR when compared to conventional Pt-Cu NPs. Moreover, these intermetallic@random alloy NPs displayed high endurance, undergoing 10,000 cycles with only a slight decay in activity and no apparent structural changes.« less

  2. Promising biocidal activity of thymol loaded chitosan silver nanoparticles (T-C@AgNPs) as anti-infective agents against perilous pathogens.

    PubMed

    Manukumar, H M; Umesha, S; Kumar, H N Naveen

    2017-09-01

    The advent of biodegradable polymer-encapsulated drug nanoparticles has made an exciting area of drug delivery research. The present study investigated novel and simple route for synthesis of thymol loaded chitosan silver nanoparticles (T-C@AgNPs) using chitosan and thymol as reducing, capping agent respectively to understand the therapeutic efficacy. The UV-vis spectroscopy, DLS, FT-IR, SEM, EDS, XRD used for characterization and radical scavenging activity, anti-microbial and biocompatibility was taken to ascertain an efficacy of novel T-C@AgNPs. The T-C@AgNPs intense peak at 490nm indicates the formation of nanoparticles and had average particle size of 28.94nm with spherical shape, monodisperse state in water, also exhibited excellent biocompatibility of cubic shaped pure silver element containing T-C@AgNPs. The antibacterial activity was studied for gram positive and gram negative food-borne pathogens and effective inhibition at 100μgmL -1 to S. aureus, S. epidermidis, S. haemolyticus (10.08, 10.00, 11.23mm) and S. typhimurium, P. aeruginosa and S. flexneri (9.28, 9.33, 12.03mm) compared to antibiotic Streptomycin. This study revealed the efficacy against multiple food-borne pathogens and therapeutic efficacy of T-C@AgNPs offers a valuable contribution in the area of nanotechnology. This proved to be a first-class novel antimicrobial material for the first time in this study. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  3. Cytotoxicity of copper (II) oxide nanoparticles in rat intestinal cells: effect of simulated gastrointestinal fluids and generation of oxidative stress

    EPA Science Inventory

    Metallic oxide nanoparticles (NPs) have a variety of applications in industry, medicine and commercial products. Exposure to NPs can occur by inhalation, dermal contact and oral ingestion. We have previously reported on the dose- and time-dependent cytotoxicity of CuO NPs (size...

  4. Synthesis of Cu-Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4}@graphene composite: A magnetically separable and efficient catalyst for the reduction of 4-nitrophenol

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

    Xu, Ran; Bi, Huiping, E-mail: hpbi@njust.edu.cn; He, Guangyu

    2014-09-15

    Highlights: • The Cu-Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4}@GE composite was prepared by one-step solvent–thermal method. • The Cu-Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4}@GE composite exhibited the highest catalytic activity with excellent stability. • The Cu-Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4}@GE composite was magnetically separable. - Abstract: In this work, the Cu-Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4}@GE composite was prepared easily by a one-step solvent–thermal method, which achieved the formation of Cu nanoparticles (Cu NPs), Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4} nanoparticles (Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4} NPs) and reduction of GO simultaneously. The morphology and structure of the composite was fully characterized by means of X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transformed infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopymore » (TEM). The time-dependent adsorption spectra of the reaction mixture was measured by UV–vis absorption spectroscopy. The results demonstrated that the Cu NPs and Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4} NPs were densely and evenly deposited on the graphene (GE) sheets. It was found that the Cu-Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4}@GE composite exhibited high catalytic activities on the reduction of p-nitrophenol to p-aminophenol. Furthermore, the composite catalyst can be easily recovered due to its magnetic separability and high stability.« less

  5. Antibiofilm and Membrane-Damaging Potential of Cuprous Oxide Nanoparticles against Staphylococcus aureus with Reduced Susceptibility to Vancomycin

    PubMed Central

    Singh, Avinash; Ahmed, Asar; Khanduja, Sonali; Singh, Satyendra K.; Srivastava, Janmejai K.; Gajbhiye, Namdeo S.

    2015-01-01

    The antimicrobial effects of copper ions and salts are well known, but the effects of cuprous oxide nanoparticles (Cu2O-NPs) on staphylococcal biofilms have not yet been clearly revealed. The present study evaluated Cu2O-NPs for their antibacterial and antibiofilm activities against heterogeneous vancomycin-intermediate Staphylococcus aureus (hVISA) and vancomycin-intermediate S. aureus (VISA). Nanoscaled Cu2O, generated by solution phase technology, contained Cu2O octahedral nanoparticles. Field emission electron microscopy demonstrated particles with sizes ranging from 100 to 150 nm. Cu2O-NPs inhibited the growth of S. aureus and showed antibiofilm activity. The MICs and minimum biofilm inhibitory concentrations ranged from 625 μg/ml to 5,000 μg/ml and from 2,500 μg/ml to 10,000 μg/ml, respectively. Exposure of S. aureus to Cu2O-NPs caused leakage of the cellular constituents and increased uptake of ethidium bromide and propidium iodide. Exposure also caused a significant reduction in the overall vancomycin-BODIPY (dipyrromethene boron difluoride [4,4-difluoro-4-bora-3a,4a-diaza-s-indacene] fluorescent dye) binding and a decrease in the viable cell count in the presence of 7.5% sodium chloride. Cu2O-NP toxicity assessment by hemolysis assay showed no cytotoxicity at 625 to 10,000 μg/ml concentrations. The results suggest that Cu2O-NPs exert their action by disruption of the bacterial cell membrane and can be used as effective antistaphylococcal and antibiofilm agents in diverse medical devices. PMID:26303796

  6. Room temperature radiolytic synthesized Cu@CuAlO(2)-Al(2)O(3) nanoparticles.

    PubMed

    Abedini, Alam; Saion, Elias; Larki, Farhad; Zakaria, Azmi; Noroozi, Monir; Soltani, Nayereh

    2012-01-01

    Colloidal Cu@CuAlO(2)-Al(2)O(3) bimetallic nanoparticles were prepared by a gamma irradiation method in an aqueous system in the presence of polyvinyl pyrrolidone (PVP) and isopropanol respectively as a colloidal stabilizer and scavenger of hydrogen and hydroxyl radicals. The gamma irradiation was carried out in a (60)Co gamma source chamber with different doses up to 120 kGy. The formation of Cu@CuAlO(2)-Al(2)O(3) nanoparticles was observed initially by the change in color of the colloidal samples from colorless to brown. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) confirmed the presence of bonds between polymer chains and the metal surface at all radiation doses. Results of transmission electron microscopy (TEM), energy dispersive X-ray spectrometry (EDX), and X-ray diffraction (XRD) showed that Cu@CuAlO(2)-Al(2)O(3) nanoparticles are in a core-shell structure. By controlling the absorbed dose and precursor concentration, nanoclusters with different particle sizes were obtained. The average particle diameter increased with increased precursor concentration and decreased with increased dose. This is due to the competition between nucleation, growth, and aggregation processes in the formation of nanoclusters during irradiation.

  7. A sensitive plasmonic copper(II) sensor based on gold nanoparticles deposited on ITO glass substrate.

    PubMed

    Ding, Lijun; Gao, Yan; Di, Junwei

    2016-09-15

    Gold nanoparticles (Au NPs) based plasmonic probe was developed for sensitive and selective detection of Cu(2+) ion. The Au NPs were self-assembled on transparent indium tin oxide (ITO) film coated glass substrate using poly dimethyl diallyl ammonium chloride (PDDA) as a linker and then calcined at 400°C to obtain pure Au NPs on ITO surface (ITO/Au NPs). The probe was fabricated by functionalizing l-cysteine (Cys) on to gold surface (ITO/Au NPs/Cys). The strong chelation of Cu(2+) with Cys formed a stable Cys-Cu complex, and resulted in the red-shift of localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) peak of the Au NPs. The introduction of bovine serum albumin (BSA) as the second complexant could form complex of Cys-Cu-BAS and further markedly enhanced the red-shift of the LSPR peak. This plasmonic probe provided a highly sensitive and selective detection towards Cu(2+) ions, with a wide linear detection range (10(-11)-10(-5)M) over 6 orders of magnitude. The simple and cost-effective probe was successfully applied to the determination of Cu(2+) in real samples. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  8. Generation of metal nanoparticles from silver and copper objects: nanoparticle dynamics on surfaces and potential sources of nanoparticles in the environment.

    PubMed

    Glover, Richard D; Miller, John M; Hutchison, James E

    2011-11-22

    The use of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) in antimicrobial applications, including a wide range of consumer goods and apparel, has attracted attention because of the unknown health and environmental risks associated with these emerging materials. Of particular concern is whether there are new risks that are a direct consequence of their nanoscale size. Identifying those risks associated with nanoscale structure has been difficult due to the fundamental challenge of detecting and monitoring nanoparticles in products or the environment. Here, we introduce a new strategy to directly monitor nanoparticles and their transformations under a variety of environmental conditions. These studies reveal unprecedented dynamic behavior of AgNPs on surfaces. Most notably, under ambient conditions at relative humidities greater than 50%, new silver nanoparticles form in the vicinity of the parent particles. This humidity-dependent formation of new particles was broadly observed for a variety of AgNPs and substrate surface coatings. We hypothesize that nanoparticle production occurs through a process involving three stages: (i) oxidation and dissolution of silver from the surface of the particle, (ii) diffusion of silver ion across the surface in an adsorbed water layer, and (iii) formation of new, smaller particles by chemical and/or photoreduction. Guided by these findings, we investigated non-nanoscale sources of silver such as wire, jewelry, and eating utensils that are placed in contact with surfaces and found that they also formed new nanoparticles. Copper objects display similar reactivity, suggesting that this phenomenon may be more general. These findings challenge conventional thinking about nanoparticle reactivity and imply that the production of new nanoparticles is an intrinsic property of the material that is not strongly size dependent. The discovery that AgNPs and CuNPs are generated spontaneously from manmade objects implies that humans have long been in direct

  9. Antibacterial and Antimycotic Activity of Cotton Fabrics, Impregnated with Silver and Binary Silver/Copper Nanoparticles

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Eremenko, A. M.; Petrik, I. S.; Smirnova, N. P.; Rudenko, A. V.; Marikvas, Y. S.

    2016-01-01

    Effective method of obtaining of the bactericidal bandage materials by impregnation of cotton fabric by aqueous solutions of silver and copper salts followed by a certain regime of heat treatment is developed. The study of obtained materials by methods of optical spectroscopy, electron microscopy, and X-ray phase analysis showed the formation of crystalline silver nanoparticles (NPs) and bimetallic Ag/Cu composites with the corresponding surface plasmon resonance (SPR) bands in the absorption spectra. High antimicrobial and antimycotic properties of tissues with low concentrations of Ag and Ag/Cu nanoparticles (Ag/Cu NPs) (in the range 0.06-0.25 weight percent (wt%) for Ag and 0.015-0.13 wt% for Ag/Cu) is confirmed in experiments with a wide range of multidrug-resistant bacteria and fungi: Escherichia coli, Enterobacter aerogenes, Proteus mirabilis, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Candida albicans yeasts, and micromycetes . Textile materials with Ag NPs demonstrate high antibacterial activity, while fabrics doped with bimetallic composite Ag/Cu have pronounced antimycotic properties. Bactericidal and antifungal properties of the obtained materials do not change after a washing. Production of such materials is extremely fast, convenient, and cost-effective.

  10. Synthesis of polymer-stabilized monometallic Cu and bimetallic Cu/Ag nanoparticles and their surface-enhanced Raman scattering properties

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zhang, Danhui; Liu, Xiaoheng

    2013-03-01

    The present study demonstrates a facile process for the production of spherical-shaped Cu and Ag nanoparticles synthesized and stabilized by hydrazine and gelatin, respectively. Advantages of the synthetic method include its production of water dispersible copper and copper/silver nanoparticles at room temperature under no inert atmosphere. The resulting nanoparticles (copper or copper/silver) are investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD), UV-vis spectroscopy, and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The nanometallic dispersions were characterized by surface plasmon absorbance measuring at 420 and 572 nm for Ag and Cu nanoparticles, respectively. Transmission electron microscopy showed the formation of nanoparticles in the range of ˜10 nm (silver), and ˜30 nm (copper). The results also demonstrate that the reducing order of Cu2+/Ag+ is important for the formation of the bimetallic nanoparticles. The surface-enhanced Raman scattering effects of copper and copper/silver nanoparticles were also displayed. It was found that the enhancement ability of copper/silver nanoparticles was little higher than the copper nanoparticles.

  11. Room Temperature Radiolytic Synthesized Cu@CuAlO2-Al2O3 Nanoparticles

    PubMed Central

    Abedini, Alam; Saion, Elias; Larki, Farhad; Zakaria, Azmi; Noroozi, Monir; Soltani, Nayereh

    2012-01-01

    Colloidal Cu@CuAlO2-Al2O3 bimetallic nanoparticles were prepared by a gamma irradiation method in an aqueous system in the presence of polyvinyl pyrrolidone (PVP) and isopropanol respectively as a colloidal stabilizer and scavenger of hydrogen and hydroxyl radicals. The gamma irradiation was carried out in a 60Co gamma source chamber with different doses up to 120 kGy. The formation of Cu@CuAlO2-Al2O3 nanoparticles was observed initially by the change in color of the colloidal samples from colorless to brown. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) confirmed the presence of bonds between polymer chains and the metal surface at all radiation doses. Results of transmission electron microscopy (TEM), energy dispersive X-ray spectrometry (EDX), and X-ray diffraction (XRD) showed that Cu@CuAlO2-Al2O3 nanoparticles are in a core-shell structure. By controlling the absorbed dose and precursor concentration, nanoclusters with different particle sizes were obtained. The average particle diameter increased with increased precursor concentration and decreased with increased dose. This is due to the competition between nucleation, growth, and aggregation processes in the formation of nanoclusters during irradiation. PMID:23109893

  12. Micronized copper wood preservatives: an efficiency and potential health risk assessment for copper-based nanoparticles.

    PubMed

    Civardi, Chiara; Schwarze, Francis W M R; Wick, Peter

    2015-05-01

    Copper (Cu) is an essential biocide for wood protection, but fails to protect wood against Cu-tolerant wood-destroying fungi. Recently Cu particles (size range: 1 nm-25 μm) were introduced to the wood preservation market. The new generation of preservatives with Cu-based nanoparticles (Cu-based NPs) is reputedly more efficient against wood-destroying fungi than conventional formulations. Therefore, it has the potential to become one of the largest end uses for wood products worldwide. However, during decomposition of treated wood Cu-based NPs and/or their derivate may accumulate in the mycelium of Cu-tolerant fungi and end up in their spores that are dispersed into the environment. Inhaled Cu-loaded spores can cause harm and could become a potential risk for human health. We collected evidence and discuss the implications of the release of Cu-based NPs by wood-destroying fungi and highlight the exposure pathways and subsequent magnitude of health impact. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  13. Laser synthesis of hybrid nanoparticles for biomedicine

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Avetissian, H. K.; Lalayan, A. A.

    2018-04-01

    The extraordinary properties of size-tunable nanoparticles (NPs) have given rise to their widespread applications in Nanophotonics, Biomedicine, Plasmonics etc. Semiconductor and metal NPs have found a number of significant applications in the modern biomedicine due to ultrasmall sizes (1-10 nm) and the size-dependent flexibility of their optical properties. In the present work passive Q-switched Nd:YAG pulsed laser was used to synthesize NPs by method of laser ablation in different liquids. For cases of hybrid metal NPs we have demonstrated that plasmon resonance can be modified and tuned from the plasmon resonances of pure metal NPs. The shifted plasmon resonance frequency at 437 nm for Au-Ag hybrid NPs, and 545 nm for Au-Cu hybrid NPs have been observed. Effectiveness of biotissue ablation in the case of the tissue sample that colored with metal NPs was approximately on 4-5 times larger than for the sample with non-colored area. Laser welding for deep-located biotissue layers colored by metal NPs has been realized. The luminescence properties of the colloidal hybrid Si-Ni nanoparticles' system fabricated by pulsed laser ablation are also considered. The red-shifted photoluminescence of this system has been registered in the blue range of the spectrum because of the Stark effect in the Coulomb field of the charged Ni nanoparticles. Summarizing, the knowledge of peculiarities of optical properties of hybrid NPs is very important for biomedical applications. More complex nanoassemblies can be easily constructed by the presented technique of laser synthesis of colloidal QDs including complexes of NPs of different materials.

  14. Double-strand DNA-templated formation of copper nanoparticles as fluorescent probe for label-free aptamer sensor.

    PubMed

    Zhou, Zhixue; Du, Yan; Dong, Shaojun

    2011-07-01

    Double-strand DNA (dsDNA) can act as an efficient template for the formation of copper nanoparticles (Cu NPs) at low concentration of CuSO(4), and the formed Cu NPs have excellent fluorescence, whereas a single-strand DNA (ssDNA) template does not support Cu NPs' formation. This property of dsDNA-Cu NPs makes it suitable for DNA sensing. However, exploration of dsDNA-Cu NPs applied in biological analysis is still at an early stage. In this regard, we report herein for the first time a sensitive, cost-effective, and simple aptamer sensor (aptasensor) using dsDNA-Cu NPs as fluorescent probe. The design consists of a dsDNA with reporter DNA (here, aptamer) as template for the formation of Cu NPs, and the formed dsDNA-Cu NPs show high fluorescence. Using adenosine triphosphate (ATP) as a model analyte, the introduction of ATP triggers the structure switching of reporter DNA to form aptamer-ATP complex, causing the destruction of the double helix and thus no formation of the Cu NPs, resulting in low fluorescence. The preferable linear range (0.05-500 μM), sensitivity (LOD 28 nM), and simplicity for the detection of ATP indicate that dsDNA-Cu NPs may have great prospects in the field of biological analysis. We also use this novel fluorescent probe to determine ATP in 1% human serum and human adenocarcinoma HeLa cells. The dsDNA-Cu NPs probes provide recovery of 104-108% in 1% human serum and a prominent fluorescent signal is obtained in cellular ATP assay, revealing the practicality of using dsDNA-Cu NPs for the determination of ATP in real samples. Besides, this design is simply based on nucleic acid hybridization, so it can be generally applied to other aptamers for label-free detection of a broad range of analytes. Successful detection of cocaine with detection limit of 0.1 μM demonstrates its potential to be a general method.

  15. "Click" star-shaped and dendritic PEGylated gold nanoparticle-carborane assemblies.

    PubMed

    Li, Na; Zhao, Pengxiang; Salmon, Lionel; Ruiz, Jaime; Zabawa, Mark; Hosmane, Narayan S; Astruc, Didier

    2013-10-07

    Carboranes that have a high boron content are key materials for boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT), while PEGylated gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) are also most useful in various aspects of nanomedicine including photothermotherapy, imaging and drug vectorization. Therefore, methods to assemble these key components have been investigated for the first time. Strategies and results are delineated in this article, and the nanomaterials have been characterized using transmission electron microscopy (TEM), dynamic light scattering (DLS), UV-vis., mass and multinuclear NMR data. A series of well-defined water-soluble bifunctional AuNPs containing carborane and polyethylene glycol (PEG) were synthesized through either two-step Cu(I)-catalyzed azide-alkyne cycloaddition CuAAC ("click") reactions at the periphery of azido-terminated AuNPs in the presence of the efficient catalyst [Cu(I)tren(CH2Ph)6][Br] or simply by direct stabilization of AuNPs using a tris-carborane thiol dendron or a hybrid dendron containing both PEG and carborane.

  16. Developing multifunctional nanoparticles in a 1-D coordination polymer of Cd(II)

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Agarwal, Rashmi A.; Gupta, Neeraj K.

    2017-11-01

    A simple synthesis for the integration of different nanoparticles (NPs) including Ag, Au, Pd, Cr and mixed (Cu/Fe), has been demonstrated within the nanopores of a non-activated one dimensional porous coordination polymer (PCP) of Cd(II) due to its high flexible structure. There are two different mechanisms (acid formation (HCl/HNO3) and redox activity of the framework) elucidated by electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR). Presence of -NO2 groups of the ligand act as anchoring sites for metal ions of metal precursors leading to NPs growth within the PCP explained by FTIR. High resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) images provided insight of the chemical and physical characteristics of the NPs within the framework. Ag/AgO NPs exhibit excellent antibacterial properties at extremely low concentrations. The polymer shows potential for sequestration and reduction of hexavalent Cr (highly toxic) to elemental, trivalent and tetravalent Cr (non toxic). This framework is also an excellent template for fabrication and dry storage of nanoparticles synthesized by mixed metal precursors. Ferromagnetic properties have been shown by Ag and Au NPs integrated frameworks while Cu/Fe@Cd-PCP behaves as a paramagnet material at room temperature.

  17. Rapid visual detection of quaternary ammonium surfactants using citrate-capped silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) based on hydrophobic effect.

    PubMed

    Zheng, Li-Qing; Yu, Xiao-Dong; Xu, Jing-Juan; Chen, Hong-Yuan

    2014-01-01

    In this work, a rapid, sensitive and low-cost colorimetric method for detection of quaternary ammonium surfactants using citrate-capped silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) was developed. The quaternary ammonium surfactants induce the aggregation of Ag NPs through the hydrophobic effect, which is a novel aggregation mechanism of Ag NPs. The addition of cationic surfactant results in color change of Ag NPs solution from yellow to red and finally to colorless, which is due to the broadening of the surface plasmon band. The color change was monitored using a UV-vis spectrophotometer. The LOD of different cationic surfactants was in the range of 0.5-5 µM. More importantly, this detection method was successfully utilized to the disinfectant residual sample. Crown Copyright © 2013 Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  18. Toxicity assessment of inorganic nanoparticles to acetoclastic and hydrogenotrophic methanogenic activity in anaerobic granular sludge.

    PubMed

    Gonzalez-Estrella, Jorge; Sierra-Alvarez, Reyes; Field, James A

    2013-09-15

    Release of engineered nanoparticles (NPs) to municipal wastewater from industrial and residential sources could impact biological systems in wastewater treatment plants. Methanogenic inhibition can cause failure of anaerobic waste(water) treatment. This study investigated the inhibitory effect of a wide array of inorganic NPs (Ag(0), Al₂O₃, CeO₂, Cu(0), CuO, Fe(0), Fe₂O₃, Mn₂O₃, SiO₂, TiO₂, and ZnO supplied up to 1500 mgL(-1)) to acetoclastic and hydrogenotrophic methanogenic activity of anaerobic granular sludge. Of all the NPs tested, only Cu(0) and ZnO caused severe methanogenic inhibition. The 50% inhibiting concentrations determined towards acetoclastic and hydrogenotrophic methanogens were 62 and 68 mgL(-1) for Cu(0) NP; and 87 and 250 mgL(-1) for ZnO NP, respectively. CuO NPs also caused inhibition of acetoclastic methanogens. Cu(2+) and Zn(2+) salts caused similar levels of inhibition as Cu(0) and ZnO NPs based on equilibrium soluble metal concentrations measured during the assays, suggesting that the toxicity was due to the release of metal ions by NP-corrosion. A commercial dispersant, Dispex, intended to increase NP stability did not affect the inhibitory impact of the NPs. The results taken as a whole suggest that Zn- and Cu-containing NPs can release metal ions that are inhibitory for methanogenesis. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  19. One-step ligand exchange reaction as an efficient way for functionalization of magnetic nanoparticles

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Mrówczyński, Radosław; Rednic, Lidia; Turcu, Rodica; Liebscher, Jürgen

    2012-07-01

    Novel magnetic Fe3O4 nanoparticles (NPs) covered by one layer of functionalized fatty acids, bearing entities (Hayashi catalyst, biotin, quinine, proline, and galactose) of high interest for practical application in nanomedicine or organocatalysis, were synthesized. The functionalized fatty acids were obtained by Cu(I)-catalyzed azide-alkyne cycloaddition (CuAAC) of azido fatty acids with alkynes. All the magnetic NPs show superparamagnetic behavior with high values of magnetization and high colloidal stability in DCM solution.

  20. Visualizing the Cu/Cu2(O) Interface Transition in Nanoparticles with Environmental Scanning Transmission Electron Microscopy.

    PubMed

    LaGrow, Alec P; Ward, Michael R; Lloyd, David C; Gai, Pratibha L; Boyes, Edward D

    2017-01-11

    Understanding the oxidation and reduction mechanisms of catalytically active transition metal nanoparticles is important to improve their application in a variety of chemical processes. In nanocatalysis the nanoparticles can undergo oxidation or reduction in situ, and thus the redox species are not what are observed before and after reactions. We have used the novel environmental scanning transmission electron microscope (ESTEM) with 0.1 nm resolution in systematic studies of complex dynamic oxidation and reduction mechanisms of copper nanoparticles. The oxidation of copper has previously been reported to be dependent on its crystallography and its interaction with the substrate. By following the dynamic oxidation process in situ in real time with high-angle annular dark-field imaging in the ESTEM, we use conditions ideal to track the oxidation front as it progresses across a copper nanoparticle by following the changes in the atomic number (Z) contrast with time. The oxidation occurs via the nucleation of the oxide phase (Cu 2 O) from one area of the nanoparticle which then progresses unidirectionally across the particle, with the Cu-to-Cu 2 O interface having a relationship of Cu{111}//Cu 2 O{111}. The oxidation kinetics are related to the temperature and oxygen pressure. When the process is reversed in hydrogen, the reduction process is observed to be similar to the oxidation, with the same crystallographic relationship between the two phases. The dynamic observations provide unique insights into redox mechanisms which are important to understanding and controlling the oxidation and reduction of copper-based nanoparticles.

  1. A General Method for High-Performance Li-Ion Battery Electrodes from Colloidal Nanoparticles without the Introduction of Binders or Conductive-Carbon Additives: The Cases of MnS, Cu(2-x)S, and Ge.

    PubMed

    Ha, Don-Hyung; Ly, Tiffany; Caron, Joseph M; Zhang, Haitao; Fritz, Kevin E; Robinson, Richard D

    2015-11-18

    In this work, we demonstrate a general lithium-ion battery electrode fabrication method for colloidal nanoparticles (NPs) using electrophoretic deposition (EPD). Our process is capable of forming robust electrodes from copper sulfide, manganese sulfide, and germanium NPs without the use of additives such as polymeric binders and conductive agents. After EPD, we show two postprocessing treatments ((NH4)2S and inert atmosphere heating) to effectively remove surfactant ligands and create a linked network of particles. The NP films fabricated by this simple process exhibit excellent electrochemical performance as lithium-ion battery electrodes. Additive-free Cu(2-x)S and MnS NP films show well-defined plateaus at ∼1.7 V, demonstrating potential for use as cathode electrodes. Because of the absence of additives in the NP film, this additive-free NP film is an ideal template for ex situ analyses of the particles to track particle morphology changes and deterioration as a result of Li ion cycling. To this end, we perform a size-dependent investigation of Cu(2-x)S NPs and demonstrate that there is no significant relationship between size and capacity when comparing small (3.8 nm), medium (22 nm), and large (75 nm) diameter Cu(2-x)S NPs up to 50 cycles; however, the 75 nm NPs show higher Coulombic efficiency. Ex situ TEM analysis suggests that Cu(2-x)S NPs eventually break into smaller particles (<10 nm), explaining a weak correlation between size and performance. We also report for the first time on additive-free Ge NP films, which show stable capacities for up to 50 cycles at 750 mAh/g.

  2. Theoretical insights into the energetics and electronic properties of MPt12 (M = Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, and Pd) nanoparticles supported by N-doped defective graphene

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wang, Qing; Tian, Yu; Chen, Guangju; Zhao, Jingxiang

    2017-03-01

    Enhancing the catalytic activity and decreasing the usage of Pt catalysts has been a major target in widening their applications for developing proton-exchange membrane fuel cells. In this work, the adsorption energetics, structural features, and electronic properties of several MPt12 (M = Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, and Pd) nanoparticles (NPs) deposited on N-doped defective graphene were systemically explored by means of comprehensive density functional theory (DFT) computations. The computations revealed that the defective N-doped graphene substrate can provide anchoring site for these Pt-based alloying NPs due to their strong hybridization with the sp2 dangling bonds at the defect sites of substrate. Especially, these deposited MPt12 NPs exhibit reduced magnetic moment and their average d-band centers are shifted away from the Fermi level, as compared with the freestanding NPs, leading to the reduction of the adsorption energies of the O species. Thus, the defective N-doped graphene substrate not only enhances the stability of the deposited MPt12 NPs, but also endows them higher catalytic performance for the oxygen reduction reaction.

  3. pH-Dependent Antimicrobial Properties of Copper Oxide Nanoparticles in Staphylococcus aureus

    PubMed Central

    Hsueh, Yi-Huang; Tsai, Ping-Han; Lin, Kuen-Song

    2017-01-01

    The antimicrobial properties of CuO nanoparticles have been investigated, but the underlying mechanisms of toxicity remain the subject of debate. Here, we show that CuO nanoparticles exhibit significant toxicity at pH 5 against four different Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) strains, including Newman, SA113, USA300, and ATCC6538. At this pH, but not at pH 6 and 7, 5 mM CuO nanoparticles effectively caused reduction of SA113 and Newman cells and caused at least 2 log reduction, whereas 20 mM killed most strains but not USA300. At 5 mM, the nanoparticles were also found to dramatically decrease reductase activity in SA113, Newman, and ATCC6538 cells, but not USA300 cells. In addition, analysis of X-ray absorption near-edge structure and extended X-ray absorption fine structure confirmed that S. aureus cells exposed to CuO nanoparticles contain CuO, indicating that Cu2+ ions released from nanoparticles penetrate bacterial cells and are subsequently oxidized intracellularly to CuO at mildly acidic pH. The CuO nanoparticles were more soluble at pH 5 than at pH 6 and 7. Taken together, the data conclusively show that the toxicity of CuO nanoparticles in mildly acidic pH is caused by Cu2+ release, and that USA300 is more resistant to CuO nanoparticles (NPs) than the other three strains. PMID:28397766

  4. One Dimensional Coordination Polymer of Zn(II) for Developing Multifunctional Nanoparticles.

    PubMed

    Agarwal, Rashmi A

    2017-10-16

    A variety of nanoparticles (NPs) including Ag, Au, Pd, Cr and mixed Cu/Fe have been synthesized in a non-activated (without solvent removal) one dimensional coordination polymer (CP) of Zn(II) via two different mechanisms, acid formation and redox activity of the framework. Main driving force to grow these NPs within the cavities of CP is the presence of free oxygens of one of the monodentate carboxylate groups of BDC ligand. These free oxygens act as anchoring sites for the metal ions of the metal precursors. Chemical and physical characteristics of the NPs within the framework have been evaluated by the high resolution transmission electron microscopic (HRTEM) images. Excluding Ag(0) and Pd(0) other NPs are present as combinations of their elemental as well as oxide forms (Au/Au 2 O 3 , Cr/Cr 2 O 3 /CrO 2 and Cu/Cu 2 O, Fe/FeO). Synthesized Ag NPs within the framework show remarkable antibacterial efficacy at extremely low concentrations. Ag, Au and Cu/Fe NPs show ferromagnetic properties within the framework at room temperature. This polymer has potential to sequester highly toxic Cr(VI) to non toxic Cr(0), Cr(III) and Cr(IV) species.

  5. Mechanical, structural and thermal properties of Ag-Cu and ZnO reinforced polylactide nanocomposite films.

    PubMed

    Ahmed, Jasim; Arfat, Yasir Ali; Castro-Aguirre, Edgar; Auras, Rafael

    2016-05-01

    Plasticized polylactic acid (PLA) based nanocomposite films were prepared by incorporating polyethylene glycol (PEG) and two selected nanoparticles (NPs) [silver-copper (Ag-Cu) alloy (<100 nm) and zinc oxide (ZnO) (<50 and <100 nm)] through solvent casting method. Incorporation of Ag-Cu alloy into the PLA/PEG matrix increased the glass transition temperature (Tg) significantly. The crystallinity of the nanocomposites (NCs) was significantly influenced by NP incorporation as evidenced from differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis. The PLA nanocomposite reinforced with NPs exhibited much higher tensile strength than that of PLA/PEG blend. Melt rheology of NCs exhibited a shear-thinning behavior. The mechanical property drastically reduced with a loading of NPs, which is associated with degradation of PLA. SEM micrographs exhibited that both Ag-Cu alloy and ZnO NPs were dispersed well in the PLA film matrix. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  6. Magnetic Nanoparticle-Based Imaging of RNA Transcripts in Breast Cancer Cells

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2009-06-01

    iron oxide NPs via thermal decomposition. - Prepared gold-coated iron oxide NPs. - Developed a click chemistry protocol (i.e. Cu-catalyzed terminal...D.L.J., Elias, D.R., Tsourkas, A. (2009) Comparative analysis of nanoparticle-antibody conjugations: carbodiimide versus click chemistry . Submitted...carbodiimide versus click chemistry . Submitted. APPENDICES: 1) Thorek, D.L.J., Tsourkas, A. (2008) Size, charge, and concentration dependent

  7. Melting and solidification behavior of Cu/Al and Ti/Al bimetallic core/shell nanoparticles during additive manufacturing by molecular dynamics simulation

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Rahmani, Farzin; Jeon, Jungmin; Jiang, Shan; Nouranian, Sasan

    2018-05-01

    Molecular dynamics (MD) simulations were performed to investigate the role of core volume fraction and number of fusing nanoparticles (NPs) on the melting and solidification of Cu/Al and Ti/Al bimetallic core/shell NPs during a superfast heating and slow cooling process, roughly mimicking the conditions of selective laser melting (SLM). One recent trend in the SLM process is the rapid prototyping of nanoscopically heterogeneous alloys, wherein the precious core metal maintains its particulate nature in the final manufactured part. With this potential application in focus, the current work reveals the fundamental role of the interface in the two-stage melting of the core/shell alloy NPs. For a two-NP system, the melting zone gets broader as the core volume fraction increases. This effect is more pronounced for the Ti/Al system than the Cu/Al system because of a larger difference between the melting temperatures of the shell and core metals in the former than the latter. In a larger six-NP system (more nanoscopically heterogeneous), the melting and solidification temperatures of the shell Al roughly coincide, irrespective of the heating or cooling rate, implying that in the SLM process, the part manufacturing time can be reduced due to solidification taking place at higher temperatures. The nanostructure evolution during the cooling of six-NP systems is further investigated. [Figure not available: see fulltext.

  8. Unravelling Iron Oxide Nanoparticles (IONPs) interactions in the environment

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Demangeat, E.; Pédrot, M.; Dia, A. N.; Cabello-Hurtado, F.; Le Coz-Bouhnik, M.

    2016-12-01

    Either used as nano-carriers in blood, depolluting agents in groundwaters or nanofertilizers in soils engineered nanoparticles (ENPs) are prone to a growing interest that explains their multiple uses as well as their increasing industrial production. The very small size of ENPs (having at least one space dimension <100nm) gives rise to some exceptional physicochemical properties that ensue from their high reactivity. In environmental and agricultural fields, where iron oxide nanoparticles (IONPs) are particularly used, this reactivity is directly related to their adsorption capacity, which is of prime interest regarding soil contamination and soil recovery issues. Considering the peculiar role of copper (Cu) in soils, we investigated the specific relationships that exist between IONPs and Cu. Most particularly, this study aims at understanding how pH, Cu concentration and Fe3O4-NPs natural coatings drive Cu adsorption to IONPs. In a primary step, eight nm-sized Fe3O4-NPs were synthesized using a co-precipitation method and thoroughly characterized with TEM, XRD, FT-IR and BET while in a second stage Cu-adsorption tests were conducted through ultrafiltrations (<2kDa) and monitored with ICP-MS analyses. In these experiments, four types of IONPs were investigated regarding their mineralogy and the nature of their coating. They were tested with four copper concentrations (0.01, 0.05, 0.1 and 0.5mM) and five different pH values (3.5; 5; 6; 7 and 8). According to the results, un-adsorbed Cu decreases with increasing pH values and about 100% of Cu is adsorbed to IONPs at high pH values. Although the trend looks repeatable regardless NPs' coating and Cu concentrations, each NP-type may have its typical pHpzc value and the amount of Cu adsorbed to IONPs is also likely to be related to the number of available adsorption sites.

  9. Dose-dependent effect of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) on fertility and survival of Drosophila: An in-vivo study

    PubMed Central

    Raj, Akanksha; Shah, Prasanna

    2017-01-01

    Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) containing consumer products have been proliferating in the market due to its unique antimicrobial property, however, lack of in-depth knowledge about their potential effect on human health in a longer run is of great concern. Therefore, we investigated dose-dependent in vivo effect of AgNPs using Drosophila as a model system. Drosophila, a genetically tractable organism with distinct developmental stages, short life cycle and significant homology with human serves as an ideal organism to study nanomaterial-mediated toxicity. Our studies suggest that ingestion of AgNPs in Drosophila during adult stage for short and long duration significantly affects egg laying capability along with impaired growth of ovary. Additionally, dietary intake of AgNPs from larval stage has more deleterious effects that result in reduced survival, longevity, ovary size and egg laying capability at a further lower dosage. Interestingly, the trans-generational effect of AgNPs was also observed without feeding progeny with AgNPs, thereby suggesting its impact from previous generation. Our results strongly imply that higher doses of AgNPs and its administration early during development is detrimental to the reproductive health and survival of Drosophila that follows in generations to come without feeding them to AgNPs. PMID:28542630

  10. Dose-dependent effect of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) on fertility and survival of Drosophila: An in-vivo study.

    PubMed

    Raj, Akanksha; Shah, Prasanna; Agrawal, Namita

    2017-01-01

    Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) containing consumer products have been proliferating in the market due to its unique antimicrobial property, however, lack of in-depth knowledge about their potential effect on human health in a longer run is of great concern. Therefore, we investigated dose-dependent in vivo effect of AgNPs using Drosophila as a model system. Drosophila, a genetically tractable organism with distinct developmental stages, short life cycle and significant homology with human serves as an ideal organism to study nanomaterial-mediated toxicity. Our studies suggest that ingestion of AgNPs in Drosophila during adult stage for short and long duration significantly affects egg laying capability along with impaired growth of ovary. Additionally, dietary intake of AgNPs from larval stage has more deleterious effects that result in reduced survival, longevity, ovary size and egg laying capability at a further lower dosage. Interestingly, the trans-generational effect of AgNPs was also observed without feeding progeny with AgNPs, thereby suggesting its impact from previous generation. Our results strongly imply that higher doses of AgNPs and its administration early during development is detrimental to the reproductive health and survival of Drosophila that follows in generations to come without feeding them to AgNPs.

  11. NaNO3/NaCl Oxidant and Polyethylene Glycol (PEG) Capped Gold Nanoparticles (AuNPs) as a Novel Green Route for AuNPs Detection in Electrochemical Biosensors.

    PubMed

    López-Marzo, Adaris M; Hoyos-de-la-Torre, Raquel; Baldrich, Eva

    2018-03-20

    Gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) have been exploited as signal-producing tags in electrochemical biosensors. However, the electrochemical detection of AuNPs is currently performed using corrosive acid solutions, which may raise health and environmental concerns. Here, oxidant salts, and specifically the environmentally friendly and occupational safe NaNO 3 /NaCl mixture, have been evaluated for the first time as potential alternatives to the acid solutions traditionally used for AuNPs electrooxidation. In addition, a new strategy to improve the sensitivity of the biosensor through PEG-based ligand exchange to produce less compact and easier to oxidize AuNPs immunoconjugates is presented too. As we show, the electrochemical immunosensor using NaNO 3 /NaCl measurement solution for AuNPs electrooxidation and detection, coupled to the employment of PEG-capped nanoimmunoconjugates, produced results comparable to classical HCl detection. The procedure developed was next tested for human matrix metallopeptidase-9 (hMMP9) analysis, exhibiting a 0.18-23 ng/mL linear range, a detection limit of 0.06 ng/mL, and recoveries between 95 and 105% in spiked human plasma. These results show that the procedure developed is applicable to the analysis of protein biomarkers in blood plasma and could contribute to the development of more environmentally friendly AuNP-based electrochemical biosensors.

  12. Toxic effects of copper-based nanoparticles or compounds to lettuce (Lactuca sativa) and alfalfa (Medicago sativa).

    PubMed

    Hong, Jie; Rico, Cyren M; Zhao, Lijuan; Adeleye, Adeyemi S; Keller, Arturo A; Peralta-Videa, Jose R; Gardea-Torresdey, Jorge L

    2015-01-01

    The increased production and use of nanoparticles (NPs) has generated concerns about their impact on living organisms. In this study, nCu, bulk Cu, nCuO, bulk CuO, Cu(OH)2 (CuPRO 2005, Kocide 3000), and CuCl2 were exposed for 15 days to 10 days-old hydroponically grown lettuce (Lactuca sativa) and alfalfa (Medicago sativa). Each compound was applied at 0, 5, 10, and 20 mg L(-1). At harvest, we measured the size of the plants and determined the concentration of Cu, macro and microelements by using ICP-OES. Catalase and ascorbate peroxidase activity was also determined. Results showed that all Cu NPs/compounds reduced the root length by 49% in both plant species. All Cu NPs/compounds increased Cu, P, and S (>100%, >50%, and >20%, respectively) in alfalfa shoots and decreased P and Fe in lettuce shoot (>50% and >50%, respectively, excluding Fe in CuCl2 treatment). Biochemical assays showed reduced catalase activity in alfalfa (root and shoot) and increased ascorbate peroxidase activity in roots of both plant species. Results suggest that Cu NPs/compounds not only reduced the size of the plants but altered nutrient content and enzyme activity in both plant species.

  13. Metallic copper nanoparticles induce apoptosis in a human skin melanoma A-375 cell line

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Chakraborty, Ruchira; Basu, Tarakdas

    2017-03-01

    In two earlier communications (Chatterjee et al 2012 Nanotechnology 23 085103, Chatterjee et al 2014 Nanotechnology 25 135101), we reported the development of a simple and unique method of synthesizing highly stable metallic copper nanoparticles (Cu NPs) with high antibacterial activity. Here we report on the cytotoxic potency of the NPs against cancer cells. The value of the IC50 dose of the Cu NPs against human skin cancer cell A-375 was found to be 1.71 μg ml-1 only, which was much less than values reported so far, and this concentration had no cytotoxic effect on normal white blood cells. The NPs caused (i) lowering of cell membrane rigidity, (ii) DNA degradation, (iii) chromosomal condensation, (iv) cell cycle arrest in the G2/M phase, (v) depolarization of the mitochondrial membrane and (vi) apoptosis of cells. Cellular apoptosis occurred in the caspase-9-mediated intrinsic pathway. This study revealed that our Cu NPs had high anticancer properties by killing tumor cells through the apoptotic pathway. Since this particle has high antibacterial activity, our Cu NPs might be developed in future as a dual action drug—anticancer as well as antibacterial.

  14. Monodispersed spherical shaped selenium nanoparticles (SeNPs) synthesized by Bacillus subtilis and its toxicity evaluation in zebrafish embryos

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Chandramohan, Subburaman; Sundar, Krishnan; Muthukumaran, Azhaguchamy

    2018-02-01

    Selenium is one of the essential elements involved in antioxidative and antiinflammatory effects in human body. By naturally, selenium ions are metabolised and converted into nano selenium. Now a days there is an increasing attention on applications of nanoparticles in therapeutic field. In the present study Bacillus subtilis was used to convert sodium selenite to SeNPs. The synthesized SeNPs were characterized by Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), X Ray Diffraction (XRD) and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) coupled with Energy Dispersive X ray spectroscopy (EDX). The presence of SeNPs was confirmed by the formation of red colour. The bands were sharp with broad absorption peaks at 3562 cm-1 and 1678-1 cm in FTIR which showed that the bacterial proteins were responsible for the reduction of sodium selenite to SeNPs. The average size of the SeNPs was 334 nm and were spherical in shape with uniform distribution. The XRD data confirmed that SeNPs were of amorphous in nature. The zeta potential of SeNPs was negative in charge which indicated high stability. In the present study zebrafish embryos were used to study the toxicity of SeNPs and the results showed that the concentration beyond 10 μg ml-1 leads to toxic effects in embryos/hatchlings. The lesser concentration of SeNPs can be useful in various biomedical applications.

  15. Polymethacrylic acid as a new precursor of CuO nanoparticles

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hosny, Nasser Mohammed; Zoromba, Mohamed Shafick

    2012-11-01

    Polymethacrylic acid and its copper complexes have been synthesized and characterized. These complexes have been used as precursors to produce CuO nanoparticles by thermal decomposition in air. The stages of decompositions and the calcination temperature of the precursors have been determined from thermal analyses (TGA). The obtained CuO nanoparticles have been characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). XRD showed a monoclinic structure with particle size 8-20 nm for the synthesized copper oxide nanoparticles. These nanoparticles are catalytically active in decomposing hydrogen peroxide and a mechanism of decomposition has been suggested.

  16. Multifunctional nanocomposites of chitosan, silver nanoparticles, copper nanoparticles and carbon nanotubes for water treatment: Antimicrobial characteristics.

    PubMed

    Morsi, Rania E; Alsabagh, Ahmed M; Nasr, Shimaa A; Zaki, Manal M

    2017-04-01

    Multifunctional nanocomposites of chitosan with silver nanoparticles, copper nanoparticles and carbon nanotubes either as bi- or multifunctional nanocomposites were prepared. Change in the overall morphology of the prepared nanocomposites was observed; carbon nanotubes, Ag NPs and Cu NPs are distributed homogeneously inside the polymer matrix individually in the case of the bi-nanocomposites while a combination of different dimensional shapes; spherical NPs and nanotubes was observed in the multifunctional nanocomposite. Multifunctional nanocomposites has a higher antimicrobial activity, in relative short contact times, against both Gram negative and Gram positive bacteria; E. coli, Staphylococcus aureus; respectively in addition to the fungal strain; Aspergillus flavus isolated from local wastewater sample. The nanocomposites are highly differentiable at the low contact time and low concentration; 1% concentration of the multifunctional nanocomposite is very effective against the tested microbes at contact time of only 10min. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  17. Fabrication and Characterizations of Ethanol Sensor Based on CuO Nanoparticles.

    PubMed

    Al-Hadeethi, Yas; Umar, Ahmad; Kumar, Rajesh; Al-Heniti, Saleh H; Raffah, Bahaaudin M

    2018-04-01

    In this paper, we report the synthesis, characterization and ethanol sensing applications of CuO nanoparticles. The CuO nanoparticles were prepared by a facile, low-temperature hydrothermal method and characterized in detail in terms of their structural, morphological, compositional and crystalline properties, through different characterization techniques including X-ray diffraction (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) attached with energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. The detailed studies revealed that the synthesized CuO nanoparticles were well-crystalline and possessed monoclinic crystal structure. The synthesized CuO nanoparticles were utilized for the fabrication of highly sensitive ethanol gas sensor. At an optimized temperature of 320 °C, high sensitivity (Ra/Rg) of 39.29 was observed for 200 ppm of ethanol gas. Additionally, very low response (τres = 14 s) and recovery (τrec = 30 s) times were observed for 100 ppm of ethanol.

  18. Three-dimensional scanning near field optical microscopy (3D-SNOM) imaging of random arrays of copper nanoparticles: implications for plasmonic solar cell enhancement.

    PubMed

    Ezugwu, Sabastine; Ye, Hanyang; Fanchini, Giovanni

    2015-01-07

    In order to investigate the suitability of random arrays of nanoparticles for plasmonic enhancement in the visible-near infrared range, we introduced three-dimensional scanning near-field optical microscopy (3D-SNOM) imaging as a useful technique to probe the intensity of near-field radiation scattered by random systems of nanoparticles at heights up to several hundred nm from their surface. We demonstrated our technique using random arrays of copper nanoparticles (Cu-NPs) at different particle diameter and concentration. Bright regions in the 3D-SNOM images, corresponding to constructive interference of forward-scattered plasmonic waves, were obtained at heights Δz ≥ 220 nm from the surface for random arrays of Cu-NPs of ∼ 60-100 nm in diameter. These heights are too large to use Cu-NPs in contact of the active layer for light harvesting in thin organic solar cells, which are typically no thicker than 200 nm. Using a 200 nm transparent spacer between the system of Cu-NPs and the solar cell active layer, we demonstrate that forward-scattered light can be conveyed in 200 nm thin film solar cells. This architecture increases the solar cell photoconversion efficiency by a factor of 3. Our 3D-SNOM technique is general enough to be suitable for a large number of other applications in nanoplasmonics.

  19. Robust one pot synthesis of colloidal silver nanoparticles by simple redox method and absorbance recovered sensing.

    PubMed

    Salman, Muhammad; Iqbal, Mahwish; El Ashry, El Sayed H; Kanwal, Shamsa

    2012-01-01

    Conventional synthesis of silver nanoparticles employs a reducing agent and a capping agent. In this report water-soluble silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) were prepared facilely by chemical reduction of Ag(I) ions. 4-Amino-3-(d-gluco-pentitol-1-yl)-4,5-dihydro-1,2,4-triazole-5-thione (AGTT) was used both as reducing and stabilizing agent. Direct heating methodology was found to be more suitable for achieving particles with a hydrodynamic diameter of ~20 nm. AGTT exists as tautomer in solution form and our studies indicate that -NH(2) group is involved in the reduction and stabilization of Ag(+) and thione (Δ=S) group of AGTT is possibly involved in stabilizing the nanoparticles via coordinate covalent linkage. Characterization of synthesized silver nanoparticles was performed by UV-vis, FT-IR and by FESEM. Based on the absorption properties of synthesized AgNPs, we used AgNPs to detect bovine serum albumin (BSA) and AgNPs-BSA composite nanoprobe was further applied to detect Cu(2+) based on absorbance recovery. The proposed method has advantages over existing methods in terms of rapid synthesis and stability of AgNPs and their applications. Analysis is reproducible, cost effective and highly sensitive. The lowest detectable concentration of BSA in this approach is 3 nM, and for Cu(2+) it can detect upto 200 pM. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  20. Green synthesis and characterization of cuprous oxide nanoparticles in presence of a bio-surfactant

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Behera, M.; Giri, G.

    2014-12-01

    Herein, we report a facile green synthesis of Cu2O nanoparticles (NPs) using copper sulfate as precursor salt and hydrazine hydrate as reducing agent in presence of bio-surfactant (i.e. leaves extract of arka — a perennial shrub) at 60 to 70 °C in an aqueous medium. A broad band centered at 460 nm in absorption spectrum reveals the formation of surfactant stabilized Cu2O NPs. X-ray diffraction pattern of the surfactant stabilized NPs suggests the formation of only Cu2O phase in assistance of a bio-surfactant with the crystallite size of ˜8 nm. A negative zeta potential of -12 mV at 8.0 pH in surfactant stabilized Cu2O NPs hints non-bonding electron transfer from O-atom of saponin to the surface of NP. Red-shift in the vibrational band (Cu-O stretching) of Cu2O from 637 cm-1 to 640 cm-1 in presence of bio-surfactant suggests an interfacial interaction between NPs and O-atoms of -OH groups of saponin present in the plant (i.e. Calotropis gigantean) extract. From X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy spectra, a decrease in binding energy of both 2p3/2 and 2p1/2 bands in Cu2O with saponin molecules as compared to bulk Cu atom reveals a charge transfer interaction between NP and saponin surfactant molecules. Transmission electron microscopy images show crystalline nature of Cu2O NPs with an fcc lattice.

  1. Nonlinear absorption enhancement of AuNPs based polymer nanocomposites

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zulina, Natalia A.; Baranov, Mikhail A.; Kniazev, Kirill I.; Kaliabin, Viacheslav O.; Denisyuk, Igor Yu.; Achor, Susan U.; Sitnikova, Vera E.

    2018-07-01

    Au nanoparticles (AuNPs) based polymer nanocomposites with high nonlinear absorption coefficient were synthesized by UV-photocuring. AuNPs were synthesized by laser ablation method in liquid monomer isodecyl acrylate (IDA). In this research, two colloids with 70 nm and 20 nm nanoparticles average sizes were studied. Size control was performed with SEM and STEM. Prepared nanomaterials exhibit strong third-order nonlinear optical responses under CW laser irradiation at 532 nm, which was estimated by using z-scan technique performed with open aperture. It was found experimentally that nonlinear absorption β is almost twice higher for nanocomposites with smaller AuNPs.

  2. Pulse laser ablation of Au, Ag, and Cu metal targets in liquid for nanoparticle production

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Herbani, Y.; Irmaniar; Nasution, R. S.; Mujtahid, F.; Masse, S.

    2018-03-01

    We have fabricated metal and oxide nanoparticles using pulse laser ablation of Au, Ag, and Cu metal targets immersed in water. While laser ablation of Au and Ag targets in water produced metal nanoparticles which were stable for a month even without any dispersant, we found CuO nanoparticles for Cu target due to rapid oxidation of Cu in water resulted in its poor stability. Au, Ag, and CuO nanoparticles production were barely identified by naked eyes for their distinctive colour of red, yellow, and dark green colloidal suspensions, respectively. It was also verified using UV-Vis spectrometer that Au, Ag, and CuO colloidal nanoparticles have their respective surface plasmon resonance at 520, 400, and 620 nm. TEM observation showed that particle sizes for all the fabricated nanoparticles were in the range of 20 – 40 nm with crystalline structures.

  3. The impact of anticancer activity upon Beta vulgaris extract mediated biosynthesized silver nanoparticles (ag-NPs) against human breast (MCF-7), lung (A549) and pharynx (Hep-2) cancer cell lines.

    PubMed

    Venugopal, K; Ahmad, H; Manikandan, E; Thanigai Arul, K; Kavitha, K; Moodley, M K; Rajagopal, K; Balabhaskar, R; Bhaskar, M

    2017-08-01

    The present study tried for a phyto-synthetic method of producing silver nanoparticles (Ag-NPs) with size controlled as and eco-friendly route that can lead to their advanced production with decorative tranquil morphology. By inducing temperature fluctuation of the reaction mixture from 25 to 80°C the plasmon resonance band raised slowly which had an ultimate effect on size and shape of Ag-NPs as shown by UV-visible spectroscopy and TEM results. The biosynthesized nanoparticles showed good cytotoxic impact against MCF-7, A549 and Hep2 cells compared to normal cell lines. Compared to control plates, the percentage of cell growth inhibition was found to be high with as concentrations of Ag-NPs becomes more as determined by MTT assay. The AO/EtBr staining observations demonstrated that the mechanism of cell death induced by Ag-NPs was due to apoptosis in cancer cells. These present results propose that the silver nanoparticles (Ag-NPs) may be utilized as anticancer agents for the treatment of various cancer types. However, there is a need for study of in vivo examination of these nanoparticles to find their role and mechanism inside human body. Further, studies we plan to do biomarker fabrication from the green synthesized plant extract nanoparticles like silver, gold and copper nanoparticles with optimized shape and sizes and their enhancement of these noble nanoparticles. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  4. Functionalization of Mechanochemically Passivated Germanium Nanoparticles via "Click" Chemistry

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Purkait, Tapas Kumar

    Germanium nanoparticles (Ge NPs) may be fascinating for their electronic and optoelectronic properties, as the band gap of Ge NPs can be tuned from the infrared into the visible range of solar spectru. Further functionalization of those nanoparticles may potentially lead to numerous applications ranging from surface attachment, bioimaging, drug delivery and nanoparticles based devices. Blue luminescent germanium nanoparticles were synthesized from a novel top-down mechanochemical process using high energy ball milling (HEBM) of bulk germanium. Various reactive organic molecules (such as, alkynes, nitriles, azides) were used in this process to react with fresh surface and passivate the surface through Ge-C or Ge-N bond. Various purification process, such as gel permeation chromatography (GPC), Soxhlet dailysis etc. were introduced to purify nanoparticles from molecular impurities. A size separation technique was developed using GPC. The size separated Ge NPs were characterize by TEM, small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS), UV-vis absorption and photoluminescence (PL) emission spectroscopy to investigate their size selective properties. Germanium nanoparticles with alkyne termini group were prepared by HEBM of germanium with a mixture of n-alkynes and alpha, o-diynes. Additional functionalization of those nanoparticles was achieved by copper(I) catalyzed azide-alkyne "click" reaction. A variety of organic and organometallic azides including biologically important glucals have been reacted in this manner resulting in nanopartilces adorned with ferrocenyl, trimethylsilyl, and glucal groups. Additional functionalization of those nanoparticles was achieved by reactions with various azides via a Cu(I) catalyzed azide-alkyne "click" reaction. Various azides, including PEG derivatives and cylcodextrin moiety, were grafted to the initially formed surface. Globular nanoparticle arrays were formed through interparticle linking via "click" chemistry or "host-guest" chemistry

  5. Bi2O3 nanoparticles encapsulated in surface mounted metal-organic framework thin films

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Guo, Wei; Chen, Zhi; Yang, Chengwu; Neumann, Tobias; Kübel, Christian; Wenzel, Wolfgang; Welle, Alexander; Pfleging, Wilhelm; Shekhah, Osama; Wöll, Christof; Redel, Engelbert

    2016-03-01

    We describe a novel procedure to fabricate a recyclable hybrid-photocatalyst based on Bi2O3@HKUST-1 MOF porous thin films. Bi2O3 nanoparticles (NPs) were synthesized within HKUST-1 (or Cu3(BTC)2) surface-mounted metal-organic frame-works (SURMOFs) and characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD), a quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The Bi2O3 semiconductor NPs (diameter 1-3 nm)/SURMOF heterostructures exhibit superior photo-efficiencies compared to NPs synthesized using conventional routes, as demonstrated via the photodegradation of the nuclear fast red (NFR) dye.We describe a novel procedure to fabricate a recyclable hybrid-photocatalyst based on Bi2O3@HKUST-1 MOF porous thin films. Bi2O3 nanoparticles (NPs) were synthesized within HKUST-1 (or Cu3(BTC)2) surface-mounted metal-organic frame-works (SURMOFs) and characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD), a quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The Bi2O3 semiconductor NPs (diameter 1-3 nm)/SURMOF heterostructures exhibit superior photo-efficiencies compared to NPs synthesized using conventional routes, as demonstrated via the photodegradation of the nuclear fast red (NFR) dye. Electronic supplementary information (ESI) available. See DOI: 10.1039/c6nr00532b

  6. Size tunable elemental copper nanoparticles: extracellular synthesis by thermoanaerobic bacteria and capping molecules

    DOE PAGES

    Jang, Gyoung Gug; Jacobs, Christopher B.; Gresback, Ryan G.; ...

    2014-11-10

    Bimodal sized elemental copper (Cu) nanoparticles (NPs) were synthesized from inexpensive oxidized copper salts by an extracellular metal-reduction process using anaerobic Thermoanaerobacter sp. X513 bacteria in aqueous solution. The bacteria nucleate NPs outside of the cell, and they control the Cu2+ reduction rate to form uniform crystallites with an average diameter of 1.75 0.46 m after 3-day incubation. To control the size and enhance air stability of Cu NPs, the reaction mixtures were supplemented with nitrilotriacetic acid as a chelator, and the surfactant capping agents oleic acid, oleylamine, ascorbic acid, or L-cysteine. Time-dependent UV-visible absorption measurements and XPS studies indicatedmore » well-suspended, bimodal colloidal Cu NPs (70 150 and 5 10 nm) with extended air-stability up to 300 min and stable Cu NP films surfaces with 14% oxidation after 20 days. FTIR spectroscopy suggested that these capping agents were effectively adsorbed on the NP surface providing oxidation resistance in aqueous and dry conditions. Compared to previously reported Cu NP syntheses, this biological process substantially reduced the requirement for hazardous organic solvents and chemical reducing agents, while reducing the levels of Cu oxide impurities in the product. This process was highly reproducible and scalable from 0.01 to 1-L batches.« less

  7. Relative evaluation of micronutrients (MN) and its respective nanoparticles (NPs) as additives for the enhanced methane generation.

    PubMed

    Juntupally, Sudharshan; Begum, Sameena; Allu, Sarat Kumar; Nakkasunchi, Shalini; Madugula, Mrudula; Anupoju, Gangagni Rao

    2017-08-01

    In the present work, effect of micro nutrients (MN) (NiCl 2 , Fe 2 O 3 , CoCl 2 , (NH 4 ) 6 Mo 7 O 24 ) was compared with nanoparticles (NPs) of respective MN with cattle manure (CM) slurry in single and bi-phasic anaerobic digestion (AD) at a hydraulic residence time (HRT) of 20days at a mesophilic temperature of 37±2°C for the generation of biogas with enhanced methane (70-80%). Experiments were also carried out with CM slurry as control. During single phase AD, highest biogas production of 0.16L/(gVS reduced) and 0.14L/(gVS reduced) was obtained from Fe 3 O 4 NPs and CoCl 2 MN respectively whereas in bi-phasic AD 0.3L/(gVS reduced) and 0.2L/(gVS reduced) was obtained from NiO NPs and NiCl 2 MN correspondingly. The results elucidated that NiCl 2 (either as MN or NPs) yielded highest biogas in comparison with either control or other MN and NPs. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  8. Transport of Nanoparticles of Zerovalent Copper, Zinc Oxide, and Titanium Dioxide in Saturated Porous Media

    EPA Science Inventory

    Column tests show nanoparticles (NPs) of Cu(0) and ZnO were immobile at neutral pH in saturated sand.They became mobile in the presence of trizma, humic/fulvic, and citric/oxalic/formic acids. Copper NPs were mobile at pH 9. The deposition rates of TiO2 NP aggregates in both KCl ...

  9. Application of liquid chromatography/electrospray ionization ion trap tandem mass spectrometry for the evaluation of global nucleic acids: methylation in garden cress under exposure to CuO nanoparticles.

    PubMed

    Alcazar Magana, Armando; Wrobel, Kazimierz; Corrales Escobosa, Alma Rosa; Wrobel, Katarzyna

    2016-01-15

    A full understanding of the biological impact of nanomaterials demands analytical procedures suitable for the detection/quantification of epigenetic changes that occur in the exposed organisms. Here, the effect of CuO nanoparticles (NPs) on global methylation of nucleic acids in Lepidium sativum was evaluated by liquid chromatography/ion trap mass spectrometry. Enhanced selectivity toward cytosine-containing nucleosides was achieved by using their proton-bound dimers formed in positive electrospray ionization (ESI(+)) as precursor ions for multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) quantification based on one or two ion transitions. Plants were exposed to CuO NPs (0-1000 mg L(-1)); nucleic acid extracts were washed with bathocuproine disulfate; nucleosides were separated on a Luna C18 column coupled via ESI(+) to an AmaZon SL mass spectrometer (Bruker Daltonics). Cytidine, 2´-deoxycytidine, 5-methylcytidine, 5-methyl-2´-deoxycytidine and 5-hydroxymethyl-2´-deoxycytidine were quantified by MRM based on MS(3) ([2M+H](+)/[M+H](+)/[M+H-132](+) or [M+H-116](+)) and MS(2) ([2M+H](+)/[M+H](+) ). Bathocuproine disulfate, added as Cu(I) complexing agent, allowed for elimination of [2M+Cu](+) adducts from the mass spectra. Poorer instrumental detection limits were obtained for MS(3) (20-120 fmol) as compared to MS(2) (9.0-41 fmol); however, two ion transitions helped to eliminate matrix effects in plant extracts. The procedure was tested by analyzing salmon sperm DNA (Sigma) and applied for the evaluation of DNA and RNA methylation in plants; in the absence of NPs, 13.03% and 0.92% methylated cytosines were found in DNA and RNA, respectively; for NPs concentration >50 mg L(-1), DNA hypomethylation was observed with respect to unexposed plants. RNA methylation did not present significant changes upon plant exposure; 5-hydroxymethyl-2´-deoxycytidine was not detected in any sample. The MRM quantification proposed here of cytosine-containing nucleosides using their proton-bound homo

  10. Biokinetics of different-shaped copper oxide nanoparticles in the freshwater gastropod, Potamopyrgus antipodarum

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Ramskov, Tina; Croteau, Marie-Noele; Forbes, Valery E.; Selck, Henriette

    2015-01-01

    Sediment is recognized as a major environmental sink for contaminants, including engineered nanoparticles (NPs). Consequently, sediment-living organisms are likely to be exposed to NPs. There is evidence that both accumulation and toxicity of metal NPs to sediment-dwellers increase with decreasing particle size, although NP size does not always predict effects. In contrast, not much is known about the influence of particle shape on bioaccumulation and toxicity. Here, we examined the influence of copper oxide (CuO) NP shape (rods, spheres, and platelets) on their bioaccumulation kinetics and toxicity to the sediment-dwelling gastropod, Potamopyrgus antipodarum. The influence of Cu added as CuCl2 (i.e., aqueous Cu treatment) was also examined. Exposure to sediment mixed with aqueous Cu or with different-shaped CuO NPs at an average measured exposure concentration of 207 μg Cu per g dry weight sediment for 14 days did not significantly affect snail mortality. However, growth decreased for snails exposed to sediment amended with CuO NP spheres and platelets. P. antipodarum accumulated Cu from all Cu forms/shapes in significant amounts compared to control snails. In addition, once accumulated, Cu was efficiently retained (i.e., elimination rate constants were generally not significantly different from zero). Consequently, snails are likely to concentrate Cu over time, from both aqueous and NP sources, resulting in a high potential for toxicity.

  11. Copper nanoparticle-induced ovarian injury, follicular atresia, apoptosis, and gene expression alterations in female rats

    PubMed Central

    Rao, Meng; Hu, Lixia; Lei, Hui; Wu, Yanqing; Wang, Yingying; Ke, Dandan; Xia, Wei; Zhu, Chang-hong

    2017-01-01

    Numerous studies have reported the accumulation of copper nanoparticles (Cu NPs) in organs and the corresponding damage, although whether Cu NPs can be translocated to the ovaries and their ovarian toxicity are still unknown. In this study, three groups of female rats were injected with 3.12, 6.25, or 12.5 mg/kg Cu NPs for 14 consecutive days. The pathological changes, hormone levels, apoptosis and apoptotic proteins, oxidative stress, and gene expression characteristics in the ovaries were then investigated. The results demonstrated that the Cu NPs exhibited obvious accumulation in the rat ovaries, leading to ovarian injury, an imbalance of sex hormones, and ovarian cell apoptosis. Cu NP exposure activated caspase 3, caspase 8, caspase 9, and tBid, decreased the protein levels of Bcl-2, increased the expression levels of the proteins Bax and cytochrome c, and promoted malondialdehyde (MDA) accumulation and superoxide dismutase (SOD) reduction. Furthermore, gene microarray analysis showed that Cu NPs (12.5 mg/kg/d) caused 321 differentially expressed genes. Of these, 180 and 141 genes were upregulated and downregulated, respectively. Hsd17b1, Hsd3b1, Hsd3b6, and Hsd3b were involved in steroid and hormone metabolism, whereas Mt3 and Cebpb were associated with apoptosis. Overall, these findings provide strong evidence that Cu NPs trigger both intrinsic and extrinsic apoptotic pathways and regulate key ovarian genes in oxidative stress-mediated ovarian dysfunction. PMID:28860760

  12. The optoelectronic properties and role of Cu concentration on the structural and electrical properties of Cu doped ZnO nanoparticles

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Omri, K.; Bettaibi, A.; Khirouni, K.; El Mir, L.

    2018-05-01

    In the current study, we synthesized a Cu-doped ZnO (CZO) nanoparticles material using a sol-gel method with different doping concentrations of Cu (0, 2, 3 and 4 at.%). The control of the Cu concentration on structural, electrical and optical properties of CZO nanoparticles was investigated in detail. The XRD analysis of the CZO nanoparticles reveals the formation of ZnO hexagonal wurtzite structure for all samples which confirm the incorporation of Cu2+ ions into the ZnO lattice by substitution. Furthermore, CZO nanoparticles showed a small red shift of absorption band with the incorporation of Cu from 0 to 4 at.%; i.e. a decreased band gap value from 3.34 eV to 3.27 eV with increasing of Cu doping content. The frequency dispersion of the electric conductivity were studied using the Jonscher universal power law, according to relation σ(ω) = σDC + A ωs(T). Alternative current conductivity increases with increasing Cu content in spite of the decrease the activation energy with copper loading. It was found that the conductivity reached its maximum value for critical Cu concentration of 3 at.%. The frequency relaxation phenomenon was also investigated and all results were discussed in term of the copper doping concentration.

  13. Synthesis and characterization of Ce, Cu co-doped ZnS nanoparticles

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Harish, G. S.; Sreedhara Reddy, P.

    2015-09-01

    Ce, Cu co-doped ZnS nanoparticles were prepared at room temperature using a chemical co-precipitation method. The prepared nanoparticles were characterized by X- ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), energy dispersive analysis of X-rays (EDAX), diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS), photoluminescence (PL) and high resolution Raman spectroscopic techniques. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and X-ray diffraction studies showed that the diameter of the particles was around 2-3 nm. Broadened XRD peaks revealed the formation of nanoparticles with a face centered cubic (fcc) structure. DRS studies confirmed that the band gap increased with an increase in the dopant concentration. The Raman spectra of undoped and Ce, Cu ions co-doped ZnS nanoparticles showed longitudinal optical mode and transverse optical mode. Compared with the Raman modes (276 and 351 cm-1) of undoped ZnS nanoparticles, the Raman modes of Ce, Cu co- doped ZnS nanoparticles were slightly shifted towards lower frequency. PL spectra of the samples showed remarkable enhancement in the intensity upon doping.

  14. Poly(thymine)-Templated Copper Nanoparticles as a Fluorescent Indicator for Hydrogen Peroxide and Oxidase-Based Biosensing.

    PubMed

    Mao, Zhengui; Qing, Zhihe; Qing, Taiping; Xu, Fengzhou; Wen, Li; He, Xiaoxiao; He, Dinggeng; Shi, Hui; Wang, Kemin

    2015-07-21

    Biomineralized fluorescent metal nanoparticles have attracted considerable interest in many fields by virtue of their excellent properties in synthesis and application. Poly(thymine)-templated fluorescent copper nanoparticles (T-CuNPs) as a promising nanomaterial has been exploited by us recently and displays great potential for signal transducing in biochemical analysis. However, the application of T-CuNPs is rare and still at an early stage. Here, a new fluorescent analytical strategy has been developed for H2O2 and oxidase-based biosensing by exploiting T-CuNPs as an effective signal indicator. The mechanism is mainly based on the poly(thymine) length-dependent formation of T-CuNPs and the probe's oxidative cleavage. In this assay, the probe T40 can effectively template the formation of T-CuNPs by a fast in situ manner in the absence of H2O2, with high fluorescent signal, while the probe is cleaved into short-oligonucleotide fragments by hydroxyl radical (·OH) which is formed from the Fenton reaction in the presence of H2O2, leading to the decline of fluorescence intensity. By taking advantage of H2O2 as a mediator, this strategy is further exploited for oxidase-based biosensing. As the proof-of-concept, glucose in human serum has been chosen as the model system and has been detected, and its practical applicability has been investigated by assay of real clinical blood samples. Results demonstrate that the proposed strategy has not only good detection capability but also eminent detection performance, such as simplicity and low-cost, holding great potential for constructing effective sensors for biochemical and clinical applications.

  15. Integrated analytical techniques with high sensitivity for studying brain translocation and potential impairment induced by intranasally instilled copper nanoparticles.

    PubMed

    Bai, Ru; Zhang, Lili; Liu, Ying; Li, Bai; Wang, Liming; Wang, Peng; Autrup, Herman; Beer, Christiane; Chen, Chunying

    2014-04-07

    Health impacts of inhalation exposure to engineered nanomaterials have attracted increasing attention. In this paper, integrated analytical techniques with high sensitivity were used to study the brain translocation and potential impairment induced by intranasally instilled copper nanoparticles (CuNPs). Mice were exposed to CuNPs in three doses (1, 10, 40 mg/kg bw). The body weight of mice decreased significantly in the 10 and 40 mg/kg group (p<0.05) but recovered slightly within exposure duration. Inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) analysis showed that CuNPs could enter the brain. Altered distribution of some important metal elements was observed by synchrotron radiation X-ray fluorescence (SRXRF). H&E staining and immunohistochemical analysis showed that CuNPs produced damages to nerve cells and astrocyte might be the one of the potential targets of CuNPs. The changes of neurotransmitter levels in different brain regions demonstrate that the dysfunction occurred in exposed groups. These data indicated that CuNPs could enter the brain after nasal inhalation and induced damages to the central nervous system (CNS). Integration of effective analytical techniques for systematic investigations is a promising direction to better understand the biological activities of nanomaterials. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  16. Planktonic and biofilm-grown nitrogen-cycling bacteria exhibit different susceptibilities to copper nanoparticles.

    PubMed

    Reyes, Vincent C; Opot, Stephen O; Mahendra, Shaily

    2015-04-01

    Proper characterization of nanoparticle (NP) interactions with environmentally relevant bacteria under representative conditions is necessary to enable their sustainable manufacture, use, and disposal. Previous nanotoxicology research based on planktonic growth has not adequately explored biofilms, which serve as the predominant mode of bacterial growth in natural and engineered environments. Copper nanoparticle (Cu-NP) impacts on biofilms were compared with respective planktonic cultures of the ammonium-oxidizing Nitrosomonas europaea, nitrogen-fixing Azotobacter vinelandii, and denitrifying Paracoccus denitrificans using a suite of independent toxicity diagnostics. Median inhibitory concentration (IC50) values derived from adenosine triphosphate (ATP) for Cu-NPs were lower in N. europaea biofilms (19.6 ± 15.3 mg/L) than in planktonic cells (49.0 ± 8.0 mg/L). However, in absorbance-based growth assays, compared with unexposed controls, N. europaea growth rates in biofilms were twice as resilient to inhibition than those in planktonic cultures. Similarly, relative to unexposed controls, growth rates and yields of P. denitrificans in biofilms exposed to Cu-NPs were 40-fold to 50-fold less inhibited than those in planktonic cells. Physiological evaluation of ammonium oxidation and nitrate reduction suggested that biofilms were also less inhibited by Cu-NPs than planktonic cells. Furthermore, functional gene expression for ammonium oxidation (amoA) and nitrite reduction (nirK) showed lower inhibition by NPs in biofilms relative to planktonic-grown cells. These results suggest that biofilms mitigate NP impacts, and that nitrogen-cycling bacteria in wastewater, wetlands, and soils might be more resilient to NPs than planktonic-based assessments suggest. © 2014 SETAC.

  17. Green fabricated CuO nanobullets via Olea europaea leaf extract shows auspicious antimicrobial potential.

    PubMed

    Maqbool, Qaisar; Iftikhar, Sidra; Nazar, Mudassar; Abbas, Fazal; Saleem, Asif; Hussain, Talib; Kausar, Rizwan; Anwaar, Sadaf; Jabeen, Nyla

    2017-06-01

    In present investigation, copper oxide (CuO) nanostructures have been prepared via green chemistry. Olea europaea leaf extract act as strong chelating agent for tailoring physical as well as bio-medical characteristics of CuO at the nano-size. Physical characterisation such as scanning electron microscope analysis depicts the formation of homogenised spherical shape nanoparticles (NPs) with average size of 42 nm. X-ray diffraction and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy further confirmed the crystalline pure phase and monoclinic structure. High performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) testing is performed to evaluate the relative concentration of bioactive molecules in the O. europaea leaf extract. From HPLC results capping action of organic molecules around CuO-NPs is hypothesised. The antimicrobial potency of biosynthesised CuO-NPs have been evaluated using colony forming unit (CFU) counting assay and disc diffusion method which shows a significant zone of inhibition against bacterial and fungal strains may be highly potential for future antimicrobial pharmaceutics. Furthermore, reduction of various precursors by plant extract will reduce environmental impact over chemical synthesis.

  18. A simple robust method for synthesis of metallic copper nanoparticles of high antibacterial potency against E. coli

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Chatterjee, Arijit Kumar; Sarkar, Raj Kumar; Prasun Chattopadhyay, Asoke; Aich, Pulakesh; Chakraborty, Ruchira; Basu, Tarakdas

    2012-03-01

    A method for preparation of copper nanoparticles (Cu-NPs) was developed by simple reduction of CuCl2 in the presence of gelatin as a stabilizer and without applying stringent conditions like purging with nitrogen. The NPs were characterized by spectrophotometry, dynamic light scattering, x-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The particles were about 50-60 nm in size and highly stable. The antibacterial activity of this Cu-NP on Gram-negative Escherichia coli was demonstrated by the methods of agar plating, flow cytometry and phase contrast microscopy. The minimum inhibitory concentration (3.0 µg ml-1), minimum bactericidal concentration (7.5 µg ml-1) and susceptibility constant (0.92) showed that this Cu-NP is highly effective against E. coli at a much lower concentration than that reported previously. Treatment with Cu-NPs made E. coli cells filamentous. The higher the concentration of Cu-NPs, the greater the population of filamentous cells; average filament size varied from 7 to 20 µm compared to the normal cell size of ˜2.5 µm. Both filamentation and killing of cells by Cu-NPs (7.5 µg ml-1) also occurred in an E. coli strain resistant to multiple antibiotics. Moreover, an antibacterial effect of Cu-NPs was also observed in Gram-positive Bacillus subtilis and Staphylococcus aureus, for which the values of minimum inhibitory concentration and minimum bactericidal concentration were close to that for E. coli.

  19. Cytotoxicity, permeability, and inflammation of metal oxide nanoparticles in human cardiac microvascular endothelial cells: cytotoxicity, permeability, and inflammation of metal oxide nanoparticles.

    PubMed

    Sun, Jing; Wang, Shaochuang; Zhao, Dong; Hun, Fei Han; Weng, Lei; Liu, Hui

    2011-10-01

    Wide applications and extreme potential of metal oxide nanoparticles (NPs) increase occupational and public exposure and may yield extraordinary hazards for human health. Exposure to NPs has a risk for dysfunction of the vascular endothelial cells. The objective of this study was to assess the cytotoxicity of six metal oxide NPs to human cardiac microvascular endothelial cells (HCMECs) in vitro. Metal oxide NPs used in this study included zinc oxide (ZnO), iron(III) oxide (Fe(2)O(3)), iron(II,III) oxide (Fe(3)O(4)), magnesium oxide (MgO), aluminum oxide (Al(2)O(3)), and copper(II) oxide (CuO). The cell viability, membrane leakage of lactate dehydrogenase, intracellular reactive oxygen species, permeability of plasma membrane, and expression of inflammatory markers vascular cell adhesion molecule-1, intercellular adhesion molecule-1, macrophage cationic peptide-1, and interleukin-8 in HCMECs were assessed under controlled and exposed conditions (12-24 h and 0.001-100 μg/ml of exposure). The results indicated that Fe(2)O(3), Fe(3)O(4), and Al(2)O(3) NPs did not have significant effects on cytotoxicity, permeability, and inflammation response in HCMECs at any of the concentrations tested. ZnO, CuO, and MgO NPs produced the cytotoxicity at the concentration-dependent and time-dependent manner, and elicited the permeability and inflammation response in HCMECs. These results demonstrated that cytotoxicity, permeability, and inflammation in vascular endothelial cells following exposure to metal oxide nanoparticles depended on particle composition, concentration, and exposure time. © Springer Science+Business Media B.V. 2011

  20. Biochar alleviates the toxicity of imidacloprid and silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) to Enchytraeus albidus (Oligochaeta).

    PubMed

    Nyoka, Ngitheni Winnie-Kate; Kanyile, Sthandiwe Nomthandazo; Bredenhand, Emile; Prinsloo, Godfried Jacob; Voua Otomo, Patricks

    2018-04-01

    The present study investigated the use of biochar for the alleviation of the toxic effects of a nanosilver colloidal dispersion and a chloronicotinyl insecticide. The survival and reproduction of the potworm Enchytraeus albidus were assessed after exposure to imidacloprid and silver nanoparticles (AgNPs). E. albidus was exposed to 0, 25, 50, 100, 200, and 400 mg imidacloprid/kg and 0, 5, 25, 125, and 625 mg Ag/kg for 21 days in 10% biochar amended and non-biochar amended OECD artificial soil. In both exposure substrates, the effects of imidacloprid on survival were significant in the two highest treatments (p < 0.01). No biochar effect was observed as survival was statistically similar in both soils after exposure to imidacloprid. In the case of AgNPs, significant mortality was only observed in the highest AgNP treatments in both the amended and non-amended soils (p < 0.05). Nevertheless, statistically greater survival occurred in the biochar-amended treatment (p < 0.05). Reproduction results showed a more pronounced biochar effect with an EC 50  = 22.27 mg imidacloprid/kg in the non-amended soil and a higher EC 50  = 46.23 mg imidacloprid/kg in the biochar-amended soil. This indicated a 2-fold decrease in imidacloprid toxicity due to biochar amendment. A similar observation was made in the case of AgNPs where a reproduction EC 50  = 166.70 mg Ag/kg soil in the non-amended soil increased to an EC 50  > 625 mg Ag/kg soil (the highest AgNP treatment) in the amended soil. This indicated at least a 3.7-fold decrease in AgNPs toxicity due to biochar amendment. Although more studies may be needed to optimize the easing effects of biochar on the toxicity of these chemicals, the present results show that biochar could be useful for the alleviation of the toxic effects of imidacloprid and silver nanoparticles in the soil.

  1. Spectroscopic studies on the interaction of cysteine capped CuS nanoparticles with tyrosine

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

    Prasanth, S.; Raj, D. Rithesh; Kumar, T. V. Vineesh

    2015-06-24

    Biocompatible cysteine coated CuS nanoparticles were synthesized by a simple aqueous solution method. Hexagonal phase of the samples were confirmed from X-ray diffraction and particle size found to be 9 nm. The possible interaction between the bioactive cysteine capped CuS nanoparticles and tyrosine were investigated using spectroscopic techniques such as UV-Visible absorption and fluorescence spectroscopy. It is observed that the luminescence intensity of tyrosine molecule enhanced by the addition CuS nanoparticles.

  2. Facile synthesis and photocatalytic activity of bi-phase dispersible Cu-ZnO hybrid nanoparticles

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Liu, Xiao; Liu, HongLing; Zhang, WenXing; Li, XueMei; Fang, Ning; Wang, XianHong; Wu, JunHua

    2015-04-01

    Bi-phase dispersible Cu-ZnO hybrid nanoparticles were synthesized by one-pot non-aqueous nanoemulsion with the use of poly(ethylene glycol)-block-poly(propylene glycol)-block-poly(ethylene glycol) (PEO-PPO-PEO) as the surfactant. The transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) show high crystallinity of the Cu-ZnO hybrid nanoparticles and an average particle size of ~19.4 nm. The ultraviolet-visible light absorbance spectrometry (UV-vis) and photoluminescence spectrophotometry (PL) demonstrate well dispersibility and excellent optical performance of Cu-ZnO hybrid nanoparticles both in organic and aqueous solvent. The X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) confirms Cu1+ and Cu2+ in ZnO. The observation using Sudan red (III) as probe molecule reveals that the Cu-ZnO hybrid nanoparticles possess enhanced photocatalytic activity and stability which are promising for potential applications in photocatalysis.

  3. Room-Temperature and Solution-Processable Cu-Doped Nickel Oxide Nanoparticles for Efficient Hole-Transport Layers of Flexible Large-Area Perovskite Solar Cells.

    PubMed

    He, Qiqi; Yao, Kai; Wang, Xiaofeng; Xia, Xuefeng; Leng, Shifeng; Li, Fan

    2017-12-06

    Flexible perovskite solar cells (PSCs) using plastic substrates have become one of the most attractive points in the field of thin-film solar cells. Low-temperature and solution-processable nanoparticles (NPs) enable the fabrication of semiconductor thin films in a simple and low-cost approach to function as charge-selective layers in flexible PSCs. Here, we synthesized phase-pure p-type Cu-doped NiO x NPs with good electrical properties, which can be processed to smooth, pinhole-free, and efficient hole transport layers (HTLs) with large-area uniformity over a wide range of film thickness using a room-temperature solution-processing technique. Such a high-quality inorganic HTL allows for the fabrication of flexible PSCs with an active area >1 cm 2 , which have a power conversion efficiency over 15.01% without hysteresis. Moreover, the Cu/NiO x NP-based flexible devices also demonstrate excellent air stability and mechanical stability compared to their counterpart fabricated on the pristine NiO x films. This work will contribute to the evolution of upscaling flexible PSCs with a simple fabrication process and high device performances.

  4. Effects of copper-oxide nanoparticles, dissolved copper and ultraviolet radiation on copper bioaccumulation, photosynthesis and oxidative stress in the aquatic macrophyte Elodea nuttallii.

    PubMed

    Regier, Nicole; Cosio, Claudia; von Moos, Nadia; Slaveykova, Vera I

    2015-06-01

    In this study, the uptake and sub-toxic effects of CuO nanoparticles (CuO-NPs), dissolved Cu(II) alone or in combination with UV radiation on the aquatic macrophyte Elodea nuttallii were studied. Emphasis was on Cu accumulation, growth, photosynthesis and the oxidative stress related enzymes peroxidase (POD) and superoxide dismutase (SOD). The results showed stronger Cu accumulation in plants exposed to 10 mg L(-1) CuO-NPs, corresponding to 1.4-2 mg L(-1) dissolved Cu(II), than to 256 μg L(-1) Cu(II). However, the ratio between the accumulated Cu and dissolved Cu in CuO treatments was lower than in Cu(II) treatments. Additional UV exposure increased accumulation in both treatments, with the effect being stronger for Cu accumulation from CuO-NPs than for dissolved Cu(II). Photosynthetic capacity was strongly reduced by UV treatment, whereas remained unaffected by Cu(II) or CuO-NP treatments. Similarly, the increase of SOD activity was more pronounced in the UV treatments. On the other hand, POD activity enhancement was strongest in the plants exposed to CuO-NPs for 24 h. Expression of the copper transporter COPT1 as revealed by RT-qPCR was inhibited by Cu(II) and CuO-NP treatment, limiting the uptake of excess Cu into the cells. Overall, the combined exposure of E. nuttallii to UV radiation with CuO-NPs or Cu(II) has a higher impact than exposure to CuO-NPs or Cu(II) alone. The results imply that heavy pollution of natural water with CuO-NPs or dissolved Cu might have stronger effects in combination with natural UV irradiation on organisms in situ. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  5. Enhanced non-enzymatic glucose sensing based on copper nanoparticles decorated nitrogen-doped graphene.

    PubMed

    Jiang, Ding; Liu, Qian; Wang, Kun; Qian, Jing; Dong, Xiaoya; Yang, Zhenting; Du, Xiaojiao; Qiu, Baijing

    2014-04-15

    Copper nanoparticles (NPs) decorated nitrogen-doped graphene (Cu-N-G) was prepared by a facile thermal treatment, and further employed as a novel sensing material for fabricating the sensitive non-enzymatic glucose sensor. Compared with pure Cu NPs, the Cu-N-G showed enhanced electrocatalytic activity to glucose oxidation due to the integration of N-G, which exhibited the oxidation peak current of glucose ca. 23-fold higher than that of pure Cu NPs. The presented sensor showed excellent performances for glucose detection including wide linear range of 0.004-4.5 mM, low detection limit (1.3 μM, S/N=3), high sensitivity (48.13 μA mM(-1)), fast response time (<5 s), good selectivity to the general coexisted interferences, etc. Such properties would promote the potential application of the nitrogen-doped graphene as enhanced materials in fabricating sensors for chemical and biochemical analysis. © 2013 Published by Elsevier B.V.

  6. Single Agent Nanoparticle for Radiotherapy and Radio-Photothermal Therapy in Anaplastic Thyroid Cancer

    PubMed Central

    Zhou, Min; Chen, Yunyun; Adachi, Makoto; Wen, Xiaoxia; Erwin, Bill; Mawlawi, Osama; Lai, Stephen Y.; Li, Chun

    2015-01-01

    Anaplastic thyroid carcinoma (ATC) is one of the most aggressive human malignancies. The aggressive behavior of ATC and its resistance to traditional treatment limit the efficacy of radiotherapy, chemotherapy, and surgery. The purpose of this study is aimed at enhancing the therapeutic efficacy of radiotherapy (RT) combined with photothermal therapy (PTT) in murine orthotopic model of ATC, based on our developed single radioactive copper sulfide (CuS) nanoparticle platform. We prepare a new dual-modality therapy for ATC consisting of a single-compartment nanoplatform, polyethylene glycol-coated [64Cu]CuS NPs, in which the radiotherapeutic property of 64Cu is combined with the plasmonic properties of CuS NPs. Mice with Hth83 ATC were treated with PEG[64Cu]CuS NPs and/or near infrared laser. Antitumor effects were assessed by tumor growth and animal survival. We found that in mice bearing orthotopic human Hth83 ATC tumors, micro-PET/CT imaging and biodistribution studies showed that about 50% of the injected dose of PEG-[64Cu]CuS NPs was retained in tumor 48 h after intratumoral injection. Human absorbed doses were calculated from biodistribution data. In antitumor experiments, tumor growth was delayed by PEG-[64Cu]CuS NP-mediated RT, PTT, and combined RT/PTT, with combined RT/PTT being most effective. In addition, combined RT/PTT significantly prolonged the survival of Hth83 tumor-bearing mice compared to no treatment, laser treatment alone, or NP treatment alone without producing acute toxic effects. These findings indicate that this single-compartment multifunctional NPs platform merits further development as a novel therapeutic agent for ATC. PMID:25913249

  7. Transport, fate, and long-term impacts of metal oxide nanoparticles on the stability of an anaerobic methanogenic system with anaerobic granular sludge.

    PubMed

    Li, Huiting; Cui, Fuyi; Liu, Zhiquan; Li, Dapeng

    2017-06-01

    The fate and long-term effect of different metal oxide (TiO 2 , CuO and ZnO) nanoparticles (NPs) on anaerobic granular sludge (AGS) was evaluated in an anaerobic methanogenic system. Operation stability and structural characteristics of the granules were compared, the metabolism changes in the microbial community were quantified, and NPs fate were investigated. CuO NPs had greatest toxic effect on AGS after extended exposure, whereas ZnO NPs benefited methanogenesis temporarily (no more than 5d). The inhibition on AGS caused by NPs varied due to the unique structure of AGS and different toxic mechanism. Structural changes of AGS provided new evidence that tested NPs have different toxicity. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  8. Low-cost mercury (II) ion sensor by biosynthesized gold nanoparticles (AuNPs)

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Guerrero, Jet G.; Candano, Gabrielle Jackie; Mendoza, Aileen Nicole; Paderanga, Marciella; Cardino, Krenz John; Locsin, Alessandro; Bibon, Cherilou

    2017-11-01

    Biosynthesis of gold nanoparticles has attracted the curiosity of scientists over the past few decades. Nanoparticles have been proven to exhibit enhanced properties and offer a variety of applications in different fields of study. Utilizing nanoparticles instead of bulky equipment and noxious chemicals has become more convenient; reagents needed for synthesis have been proven to be benign (mostly aqueous solutions) and are cost-effective. In this study, gold nanoparticles were biosynthesized using guyabano (Annonamuricata) peel samples as the source of reducing agents. The optimum concentration ratio of gold chloride to guyabano extract was determined to be 1:7. Characterization studies were accomplished using UV Vis Spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Electron Microscopy (FTIR) and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). Spectroscopic maximum absorbance was found to be at 532 nm thereby confirming the presence of gold nanoparticles. Hydroxyl (O-H stretching), carbonyl (C=O stretching), and amide (N-H stretching) functional groups shown in the FTIR spectra are present on possible reducing agents such as phenols, alkaloids, and saponins found in the plant extract. SEM images revealed spherical shaped nanoparticles with mean diameter of 23.18 nm. It was observed that the bio-synthesized AuNPs were selective to mercury ions through uniform color change from wine red to yellow. A novel smartphone-based mercury (II) ions assay was developed using the gold nanoparticles. A calibration curve correlated the analytical response (Red intensity) to the concentrations of Hg 2+ ions. Around 94% of the variations in the intensity is accounted for by the variations in the concentration of mercury (II) ions suggesting a good linear relationship between the two variables. A relative standard deviation (RSD) of less than 1% was achieved at all individual points. The metal sensor displayed a sensitivity of 0.039 R.I./ppm with an LOD of 93.79 ppm. Thus, the bio-fabricated gold nanoparticles

  9. Synthesis of platinum nanoparticles using seaweed Padina gymnospora and their catalytic activity as PVP/PtNPs nanocomposite towards biological applications.

    PubMed

    Ramkumar, V Sri; Pugazhendhi, A; Prakash, S; Ahila, N K; Vinoj, G; Selvam, S; Kumar, G; Kannapiran, E; Rajendran, R Babu

    2017-08-01

    In the recent years, synthesis of nanomaterials using seaweeds and their diverse applications is escalating research in modern era. Among the noble metals, platinum nanoparticles (PtNPs) are of great importance owing to their catalytic property and less toxicity. The significance of this work is a simple one-step synthesis of PtNPs using aqueous extract of Indian brown seaweed Padina gymnospora and their catalytic activity with a polymer Polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) as PVP/PtNPs nanocomposite towards antimicrobial, haemolytic, cytotoxic (Artemia salina) and antioxidant properties. Fourier Transform Infrared (FT-IR) spectrum results showed diversified functional groups (biomoeities such as carbohydrates and proteins) present in the seaweed extract is responsible for the reduction of platinum ions (Pt + ) to PtNPs. The seaweed mediated PtNPs was characterized by UV-vis spectrophotometer, X-ray diffraction (XRD) pattern, Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (FESEM) equipped with Energy Dispersive X-ray (EDX) spectroscopy and High Resolution Transmission Electron Microscopy (HRTEM) analysis. The synthesized PtNPs was found to be truncated octahedral in shape with the range of 5-50nm. Crystalline nature of the nanoparticles was evidenced by Selected Area Electron Diffraction (SAED) pattern with bright circular spots corresponding to (111), (200), (220) and (311) Bragg's reflection planes. The size of the PtNPs was further evidenced by Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS) analysis and it is originate to be stable at -22.5mV through Zeta Potential (ZP) analysis. The present study shows that the catalytic behavior of PtNPs as polymer/metal nanocomposite (PVP/PtNPs) preparation for an antibacterial activity against seven disease causing pathogenic bacterial strains with the maximum activity against Escherichia coli (15.6mm) followed by Lactococcus lactis (14.8mm) and Klebsiella pneumoniae (14.4mm). But no haemolytic activity was seen at their effective bactericidal

  10. Room temperature ferromagnetism in Fe-doped CuO nanoparticles.

    PubMed

    Layek, Samar; Verma, H C

    2013-03-01

    The pure and Fe-doped CuO nanoparticles of the series Cu(1-x)Fe(x)O (x = 0.00, 0.02, 0.04, 0.06 and 0.08) were successfully prepared by a simple low temperature sol-gel method using metal nitrates and citric acid. Rietveld refinement of the X-ray diffraction data showed that all the samples were single phase crystallized in monoclinic structure of space group C2/c with average crystallite size of about 25 nm and unit cell volume decreases with increasing iron doping concentration. TEM micrograph showed nearly spherical shaped agglomerated particles of 4% Fe-doped CuO with average diameter 26 nm. Pure CuO showed weak ferromagnetic behavior at room temperature with coercive field of 67 Oe. The ferromagnetic properties were greatly enhanced with Fe-doping in the CuO matrix. All the doped samples showed ferromagnetism at room temperature with a noticeable coercive field. Saturation magnetization increases with increasing Fe-doping, becomes highest for 4% doping then decreases for further doping which confirms that the ferromagnetism in these nanoparticles are intrinsic and are not resulting from any impurity phases. The ZFC and FC branches of the temperature dependent magnetization (measured in the range of 10-350 K by SQUID magnetometer) look like typical ferromagnetic nanoparticles and indicates that the ferromagnetic Curie temperature is above 350 K.

  11. Study of Dielectric Behavior and Charge Conduction Mechanism of Poly(Vinyl Alcohol) (PVA)-Copper (Cu) and Gold (Au) Nanocomposites as a Bio-resorbable Material for Organic Electronics

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Mahendia, Suman; Goyal, Parveen Kumar; Tomar, Anil Kumar; Chahal, Rishi Pal; Kumar, Shyam

    2016-10-01

    Poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) embedded with varying concentrations of chemically synthesized copper (Cu) and gold (Au) nanoparticles (NPs) were prepared using ex situ sol-gel casting method. The addition of almost the same concentration of CuNPs in PVA improves the conducting properties, while that of AuNPs improves the dielectric nature of composite films. It has been found that addition of AuNPs up to ˜0.4 wt.% concentration enhaneces the capacitive nature due to the formation of small Coulomb tunneling knots as internal capacitors. The dielectric studies suggest the Maxwell-Wagner interfacial polarization as the dominant dielectric relaxation process, whereas the I- V characteristics indicate bulk limited Poole-Frenkel emission at high voltages as the dominant charge transport mechanism operating at room temperature in all specimens. These novel features lead to the conclusion that addition of a small quantity of metal nanoparticles can help tune the properties of PVA for desired applications in bio-compatible polymer-based organic electronic devices.

  12. Facile synthesis of Cu/tetrapod-like ZnO whisker compounds with enhanced photocatalytic properties

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Liu, Hong; Liu, Huarong; Fan, Ximei

    2017-09-01

    Cu/tetrapod-like ZnO whisker (T-ZnOw) compounds were successfully synthesized using N2H4 \\cdot H2O as a reducing agent by a simple reduction method without any insert gas at room temperature. The crystal phase composition and morphology of the as-prepared samples were investigated by XRD, SEM and FESEM tests. The photocatalytic property of the as-prepared samples was detected by the degradation of methyl orange (MO) aqueous solution under UV irradiation. It can be found that Cu nanoparticles (CuNPs) dispersed on the surface of T-ZnOw increased with the increasing of Cu/Zn molar ratios (Cu/Zn MRs), and an octahedral structure of CuNPs was obtained when the sample was prepared with less than and equal to 7.30% Cu/Zn MR, but tended to a spherical or nanorod structure of CuNPs densely arranged on the surface of T-ZnOw, which is prepared by Cu/Zn MRs up to 22.00%. All the compounds exhibited excellent photocatalytic activity in decomposing of MO than T-ZnOw, the photocatalytic property of the samples increased with the increasing of Cu/Zn MRs up to 7.30%, while it decreases when further increasing the Cu/Zn MRs. The Schottky barrier of the Cu/T-ZnOw compound can effectively capture photoinduced electrons from the interface and enhanced the photocatalytic property of T-ZnOw.

  13. Mechanism-based genotoxicity screening of metal oxide nanoparticles using the ToxTracker panel of reporter cell lines.

    PubMed

    Karlsson, Hanna L; Gliga, Anda R; Calléja, Fabienne M G R; Gonçalves, Cátia S A G; Wallinder, Inger Odnevall; Vrieling, Harry; Fadeel, Bengt; Hendriks, Giel

    2014-09-02

    The rapid expansion of manufacturing and use of nano-sized materials fuels the demand for fast and reliable assays to identify their potential hazardous properties and underlying mechanisms. The ToxTracker assay is a recently developed mechanism-based reporter assay based on mouse embryonic stem (mES) cells that uses GFP-tagged biomarkers for detection of DNA damage, oxidative stress and general cellular stress upon exposure. Here, we evaluated the ability of the ToxTracker assay to identify the hazardous properties and underlying mechanisms of a panel of metal oxide- and silver nanoparticles (NPs) as well as additional non-metallic materials (diesel, carbon nanotubes and quartz). The metal oxide- and silver nanoparticles were characterized in terms of agglomeration and ion release in cell medium (using photon cross correlation spectroscopy and inductively coupled plasma with optical emission spectroscopy, respectively) as well as acellular ROS production (DCFH-DA assay). Cellular uptake was investigated by means of transmission electron microscopy. GFP reporter induction and cytotoxicity of the NPs was simultaneously determined using flow cytometry, and genotoxicity was further tested using conventional assays (comet assay, γ-H2AX and RAD51 foci formation). We show that the reporter cells were able to take up nanoparticles and, furthermore, that exposure to CuO, NiO and ZnO nanoparticles as well as to quartz resulted in activation of the oxidative stress reporter, although only at high cytotoxicity for ZnO. NiO NPs activated additionally a p53-associated cellular stress response, indicating additional reactive properties. Conventional assays for genotoxicity assessment confirmed the response observed in the ToxTracker assay. We show for CuO NPs that the induction of oxidative stress is likely the consequence of released Cu ions whereas the effect by NiO was related to the particles per se. The DNA replication stress-induced reporter, which is most strongly

  14. Mimetic Ag nanoparticle/Zn-based MOF nanocomposite (AgNPs@ZnMOF) capped with molecularly imprinted polymer for the selective detection of patulin.

    PubMed

    Bagheri, Nafiseh; Khataee, Alireza; Habibi, Biuck; Hassanzadeh, Javad

    2018-03-01

    Here, Ag nanoparticle/flake-like Zn-based MOF nanocomposite (AgNPs@ZnMOF) with great peroxidase-like activity was applied as an efficient support for molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) and successfully used for selective determination of patulin. AgNPs@ZnMOF was simply synthesized by creating Ag nanoparticles (Ag NPs) inside the nano-pores of flake-like (Zn)MOF. The high surface area of MOF remarkably improved the catalytic activity of Ag NPs which was assessed by fluorometric, colorimetric and electrochemical techniques. Furthermore, it was observed that patulin could strangely reduce the catalytic activity of AgNPs@ZnMOF, probably due to its electron capturing features. This outcome was the motivation to design an assay for patulin detection. In order to make a selective interaction with patulin molecules, MIP layer was created on the surface of AgNPs@ZnMOF by co-polymerization reaction of 3-aminopropyl triethoxysilane (APTES) and tetraethyl orthosilicate (TEOS) monomers wherein patulin was applied as template agent. Combination between the selective identifying feature of MIP and outstanding peroxidase-like activity of novel AgNPs@ZnMOF nanocomposite as well as the sensitive fluorescence detection system was led to the design of a reliable probe for patulin. The prepared MIP-capped AgNPs@ZnMOF catalyzed the H 2 O 2 -terephthalic acid reaction which produced a high florescent product. In the presence of patulin, the fluorescence intensity was decreased proportional to its concentration in the range of 0.1-10µmolL -1 with a detection limit of 0.06µmolL -1 . The proposed method was able to selectively measure patulin in a complex media without significant interfering effects from analogue compounds. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  15. Study of energy transfer between riboflavin (vitamin B2) and AgNPs

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Mokashi, Vidya V.; Walekar, Laxman S.; Anbhule, Prashant V.; Lee, Sang Hak; Patil, Shivajirao R.; Kolekar, Govind B.

    2014-03-01

    Here, we report the studies on the interaction and formation of nanobiocomplex between silver nanoparticle (AgNPs) and vitamin B2, i.e., riboflavin (RF). The binding study of AgNP to RF was studied by fluorescence, UV-Vis, and TEM techniques. AgNPs were prepared by reducing AgNO3 with trisodium citrate. Prepared nanoparticles size obtained at 20 nm having surface Plasmon resonance band at 426 nm. The absorbance band of RF at 264, 374, and 444 nm changes significantly in the presence of AgNPs suggests that there is change in the chemical environment surrounding AgNPs. A fluorescence spectral change for a solution of RF upon the addition of AgNPs and rapid quenching is suggestive of a rapid adsorption of RF on AgNPs.

  16. Anthelmintic Effect of Biocompatible Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) on Gigantocotyle explanatum, a Neglected Parasite of Indian Water Buffalo

    PubMed Central

    Khan, Yasir Akhtar; Singh, Braj Raj; Ullah, Rizwan; Shoeb, Mohd; Naqvi, Alim H.; Abidi, Syed M. A.

    2015-01-01

    Helminth parasites of veterinary importance cause huge revenue losses to agrarian economy worldwide. With the emergence of drug resistance against the current formulations, there is a need to focus on the alternative approaches in order to control this menace. In the present study, biocompatible zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) were used to see their in vitro effect on the biliary amphistomes, Gigantocotyle explanatum, infecting Bubalus bubalis because these nanoparticles are involved in generation of free radicals that induce oxidative stress, resulting in disruption of cellular machinery. The ZnO NPs were synthesized by using egg albumin as a biotemplate and subsequently characterized by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM), X-ray Diffraction and Spectrophotometrical, which showed that ZnO NPs were highly purified wurtzite type polycrystals, with a mean size of 16.7 nm. When the parasites were treated with lower concentrations (0.004% and 0.008%) of the ZnO NPs, the worms mounted a protective response by stimulating the antioxidant system but the treatment of G. explanatum with 0.012% ZnO NPs produced significant inhibition of the antioxidant enzymes like superoxide dismutase (SOD) (p< 0.05) and glutathione S- transferase (GST) (p<0.01), while the level of malondialdehyde (MDA), a lipid peroxidation marker, was significantly (p< 0.01) elevated. SEM and histopathology revealed pronounced tegumental damage showing the disruption of surface papillae and the annulations, particularly in the posterior region near acetabulum. The under expression of a number of polypeptides, loss of worm motility in a time dependent manner, further reflect strong anthelmintic potential of ZnO NPs. It can be concluded that the anthelmintic effect might be due to the production of reactive oxygen species that target a variety of macromolecules such as nucleic acid, protein and lipids which are involved in different cellular processes. PMID:26177503

  17. Anthelmintic Effect of Biocompatible Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) on Gigantocotyle explanatum, a Neglected Parasite of Indian Water Buffalo.

    PubMed

    Khan, Yasir Akhtar; Singh, Braj Raj; Ullah, Rizwan; Shoeb, Mohd; Naqvi, Alim H; Abidi, Syed M A

    2015-01-01

    Helminth parasites of veterinary importance cause huge revenue losses to agrarian economy worldwide. With the emergence of drug resistance against the current formulations, there is a need to focus on the alternative approaches in order to control this menace. In the present study, biocompatible zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) were used to see their in vitro effect on the biliary amphistomes, Gigantocotyle explanatum, infecting Bubalus bubalis because these nanoparticles are involved in generation of free radicals that induce oxidative stress, resulting in disruption of cellular machinery. The ZnO NPs were synthesized by using egg albumin as a biotemplate and subsequently characterized by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM), X-ray Diffraction and Spectrophotometrical, which showed that ZnO NPs were highly purified wurtzite type polycrystals, with a mean size of 16.7 nm. When the parasites were treated with lower concentrations (0.004% and 0.008%) of the ZnO NPs, the worms mounted a protective response by stimulating the antioxidant system but the treatment of G. explanatum with 0.012% ZnO NPs produced significant inhibition of the antioxidant enzymes like superoxide dismutase (SOD) (p< 0.05) and glutathione S- transferase (GST) (p<0.01), while the level of malondialdehyde (MDA), a lipid peroxidation marker, was significantly (p< 0.01) elevated. SEM and histopathology revealed pronounced tegumental damage showing the disruption of surface papillae and the annulations, particularly in the posterior region near acetabulum. The under expression of a number of polypeptides, loss of worm motility in a time dependent manner, further reflect strong anthelmintic potential of ZnO NPs. It can be concluded that the anthelmintic effect might be due to the production of reactive oxygen species that target a variety of macromolecules such as nucleic acid, protein and lipids which are involved in different cellular processes.

  18. Effects of Copper Oxide Nanoparticles on Antioxidant Enzyme Activities and on Tissue Accumulation of Oreochromis niloticus.

    PubMed

    Tunçsoy, Mustafa; Duran, Servet; Ay, Özcan; Cicik, Bedii; Erdem, Cahit

    2017-09-01

    Accumulation of copper oxide nanoparticles (CuO NPs) in gill, liver and muscle tissues of Oreochromis niloticus and its effects on superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) activities in gill and liver tissues were studied after exposing the fish to 20 µg/L Cu over 15 days. Copper levels and enzyme activities in tissues were determined using spectrophotometric (ICP-AES and UV) techniques respectively. No mortality was observed during the experiments. Copper levels increased in gill and liver tissues of O. niloticus compared to control when exposed to CuO NPs whereas exposure to metal had no effect on muscle level at the end of the exposure period. Highest accumulation of copper was observed in liver while no accumulation was detected in muscle tissue. SOD, CAT activities decreased and GPx activity increased in gill and liver tissues when exposed to CuO NPs.

  19. Dual structural transition in small nanoparticles of Cu-Au alloy

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Gafner, Yuri; Gafner, Svetlana; Redel, Larisa; Zamulin, Ivan

    2018-02-01

    Cu-Au alloy nanoparticles are known to be widely used in the catalysis of various chemical reactions as it was experimentally defined that in many cases the partial substitution of copper with gold increases catalytic activity. However, providing the reaction capacity of alloy nanoparticles the surface electronic structure strongly depends on their atomic ordering. Therefore, to theoretically determine catalytic properties, one needs to use a most real structural model complying with Cu-Au nanoparticles under various external influences. So, thermal stability limits were studied for the initial L12 phase in Cu3Au nanoalloy clusters up to 8.0 nm and Cu-Au clusters up to 3.0 nm at various degrees of Au atom concentration, with molecular dynamics method using a modified tight-binding TB-SMA potential. Dual structural transition L12 → FCC and further FCC → Ih is shown to be possible under the thermal factor in Cu3Au and Cu-Au clusters with the diameter up to 3.0 nm. The temperature of the structural transition FCC → Ih is established to decrease for small particles of Cu-Au alloy under the increase of Au atom concentration. For clusters with this structural transition, the melting point is found to be a linear increasing function of concentration, and for clusters without FCC → Ih structural transition, the melting point is a linear decreasing function of Au content. Thus, the article shows that doping Cu nanoclusters with Au atoms allows to control the forming structure as well as the melting point.

  20. Influence of Substrate, Additives, and Pulse Parameters on Electrodeposition of Gold Nanoparticles from Potassium Dicyanoaurate

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Vahdatkhah, Parisa; Sadrnezhaad, Sayed Khatiboleslam

    2015-12-01

    Gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) of less than 50 nm diameter were electrodeposited from cyanide solution by pulsating electric current on modified copper and indium tin oxide (ITO) films coated on glass. Morphology, size, and composition of the deposited AuNPs were studied by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, atomic force microscopy, and field emission scanning electron microscopy. Effects of peak current density, pulse frequency, potassium iodide and cysteine on grain size, and morphology of the AuNPs were determined. Experiments showed that cathode current efficiency increases with the pulse frequency and the iodide ion. Size of the AuNPs increased with the current density. The number of nucleation sites was larger on ITO than on Cu layer; while the average diameter of the crystallites on ITO was smaller than on Cu layer.

  1. Jointed toxicity of TiO2 NPs and Cd to rice seedlings: NPs alleviated Cd toxicity and Cd promoted NPs uptake.

    PubMed

    Ji, Ye; Zhou, Yun; Ma, Chuanxin; Feng, Yan; Hao, Yi; Rui, Yukui; Wu, Wenhao; Gui, Xin; Le, Van Nhan; Han, Yaning; Wang, Yingcai; Xing, Baoshan; Liu, Liming; Cao, Weidong

    2017-01-01

    Previous studies have reported that nanoparticles (NPs) and heavy metals are toxic to the environment. However, the jointed toxicity is not yet well understood. This study was aimed to investigate the combined toxicity of TiO 2 NPs and the heavy metal cadmium (Cd) to plants. Rice (Oryzasativa L.) was selected as the target plant. The rice seedlings were randomly separated into 12 groups and treated with CdCl 2 (0, 10 and 20 mg/L) and TiO 2 NPs (0, 10, 100 and 1000 mg/L). The plant height, biomass and root length indicated significant toxicity of Cd to the growth, but TiO 2 NPs exhibited the potential ability to alleviate the Cd toxicity. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and energy dispersive spectrometer (EDS) confirmed the existence of TiO 2 NPs in plants. Elemental analysis of Ti and Cd suggested that the presences of Cd significantly decreased the Ti accumulation in the rice roots in the co-exposure treatments. Interestingly, TiO 2 NPs could lower the Cd uptake and distribution in rice roots and leaves. The results of antioxidant enzyme activity, lipid peroxide as well as phytohormones varied in the different treatments. Comparing with the Cd alone treatment, the net photosynthetic rate and chlorophyll content were significantly increased in the co-exposure treatments, suggesting that TiO 2 NPs could tremendously reduce the Cd toxicity. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

  2. As-grown graphene/copper nanoparticles hybrid nanostructures for enhanced intensity and stability of surface plasmon resonance

    PubMed Central

    Li, Yun-Fei; Dong, Feng-Xi; Chen, Yang; Zhang, Xu-Lin; Wang, Lei; Bi, Yan-Gang; Tian, Zhen-Nan; Liu, Yue-Feng; Feng, Jing; Sun, Hong-Bo

    2016-01-01

    The transfer-free fabrication of the high quality graphene on the metallic nanostructures, which is highly desirable for device applications, remains a challenge. Here, we develop the transfer-free method by direct chemical vapor deposition of the graphene layers on copper (Cu) nanoparticles (NPs) to realize the hybrid nanostructures. The graphene as-grown on the Cu NPs permits full electric contact and strong interactions, which results in a strong localization of the field at the graphene/copper interface. An enhanced intensity of the localized surface plasmon resonances (LSPRs) supported by the hybrid nanostructures can be obtained, which induces a much enhanced fluorescent intensity from the dye coated hybrid nanostructures. Moreover, the graphene sheets covering completely and uniformly on the Cu NPs act as a passivation layer to protect the underlying metal surface from air oxidation. As a result, the stability of the LSPRs for the hybrid nanostructures is much enhanced compared to that of the bare Cu NPs. The transfer-free hybrid nanostructures with enhanced intensity and stability of the LSPRs will enable their much broader applications in photonics and optoelectronics. PMID:27872494

  3. Silica-Protection-Assisted Encapsulation of Cu2 O Nanocubes into a Metal-Organic Framework (ZIF-8) To Provide a Composite Catalyst.

    PubMed

    Li, Bo; Ma, Jian-Gong; Cheng, Peng

    2018-06-04

    The integration of metal/metal oxide nanoparticles (NPs) into metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) to form composite materials has attracted great interest due to the broad range of applications. However, to date, it has not been possible to encapsulate metastable NPs with high catalytic activity into MOFs, due to their instability during the preparation process. For the first time, we have successfully developed a template protection-sacrifice (TPS) method to encapsulate metastable NPs such as Cu 2 O into MOFs. SiO 2 was used as both a protective shell for Cu 2 O nanocubes and a sacrificial template for forming a yolk-shell structure. The obtained Cu 2 O@ZIF-8 composite exhibits excellent cycle stability in the catalytic hydrogenation of 4-nitrophenol with high activity. This is the first report of a Cu 2 O@MOF-type composite material. The TPS method provides an efficient strategy for encapsulating unstable active metal/metal oxide NPs into MOFs or maybe other porous materials. © 2018 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  4. Impact of bio-palladium nanoparticles (bio-Pd NPs) on the activity and structure of a marine microbial community.

    PubMed

    Nuzzo, Andrea; Hosseinkhani, Baharak; Boon, Nico; Zanaroli, Giulio; Fava, Fabio

    2017-01-01

    Biogenic palladium nanoparticles (bio-Pd NPs) represent a promising catalyst for organohalide remediation in water and sediments. However, the available information regarding their possible impact in case of release into the environment, particularly on the environmental microbiota, is limited. In this study the toxicity of bio-Pd NPs on the model marine bacterium V. fischeri was assessed. The impacts of different concentrations of bio-Pd NPs on the respiratory metabolisms (i.e. organohalide respiration, sulfate reduction and methanogenesis) and the structure of a PCB-dechlorinating microbial community enriched form a marine sediment were also investigated in microcosms mimicking the actual sampling site conditions. Bio-Pd NPs had no toxic effect on V. fischeri. In addition, they had no significant effects on PCB-dehalogenating activity, while showing a partial, dose-dependent inhibitory effect on sulfate reduction as well as on methanogenesis. No toxic effects by bio-Pd NPs could be also observed on the total bacterial community structure, as its biodiversity was increased compared to the not exposed community. In addition, resilience of the microbial community to bio-Pd NPs exposure was observed, being the final community organization (Gini coefficient) of samples exposed to bio-Pd NPs similar to that of the not exposed one. Considering all the factors evaluated, bio-Pd NPs could be deemed as non-toxic to the marine microbiota in the conditions tested. This is the first study in which the impact of bio-Pd NPs is extensively evaluated over a microbial community in relevant environmental conditions, providing important information for the assessment of their environmental safety. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  5. Electrochemical detection of C-reactive protein using Copper nanoparticles and hybridization chain reaction amplifying signal.

    PubMed

    Zhang, Junjun; Zhang, Wenjuan; Guo, Jinjin; Wang, Junchun; Zhang, Yuzhong

    2017-12-15

    In this study, a sandwich-type electrochemical immunosensor for the detection of C-reactive protein (CRP) is described. In design, Copper nanoparticles (Cu NPs) were used for signal tag and hybridization chain reaction (HCR)amplified output signal. The immunosensor fabrication involved three steps: (i) primary antibodies (Ab 1 ) were immobilized on the surface of gold nanoparticles (Au NPs); (ii) the sandwich-type structure formation contained "primary antibodies-antigen-secondary antibodies conjugated with primer (Ab 2 -S 0 )"; and (iii) long DNA concatemers intercalating amounts of Cu NPs was linked to the sandwich-type structure via hybridization reaction. Differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) was used to record the response signal of the immunosensor in phosphate-buffered saline (PBS). Under optimal conditions, the anodic peak currents of Cu NPs at the peak potential of about 0.08V(VS.SCE) were linear with the logarithm of CRP concentration in the range of 1.0 fg mL -1 to 100 ng mL -1 with a detection limit of 0.33 fg mL -1 (at signal/noise [S/N] = 3). In addition, the practical application of immunosensor was evaluated by analyzing CRP in real human serum samples, the recoveries obtained were within 95.3%-103.8%, indicating the immunosensor possessed potential application ability for practical disease diagnosis. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  6. Green synthesis of Copper nanoparticle using ionic liquid-based extraction from Polygonum minus and their applications.

    PubMed

    Ullah, Habib; Wilfred, Cecilia Devi; Shaharun, Maizatul Shima

    2018-06-06

    The present work reports the extraction of phenolic compounds from Polygonum minus using ionic liquid as extracting solvent. In this work, 1-Butyl-3-methylimidazolium hydrogen sulfate [BMIM][HSO 4 ] was used for the extraction of bioactive compounds. Accordingly, ionic liquids based microwave-assisted extraction treatment for separating of bioactive compounds from polygonum minus was first performed in the present study. The results obtained in this work have high extraction yield in comparison with conventional solvent. UV/Vis results showed that microwave synthesis was fast, well dispersed and nanosized copper nanoparticle (CuNPs) in comparison with conventional synthesis. CuNPs was characterized by X-Rays diffractometer (XRD), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), dynamic light scattering (DLS), field emission scanning electron microscopy combined with energy dispersive x-rays (FESEM-EDX), and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). All the instrumental analyses confirmed the particles were nanosized. Furthermore, the antibacterial activity of as-synthesized CuNPs showed effective inhibitory zone against three different bacteria. The photocatalytic degradation of copper nanoparticles was studied using methylene blue (MB) and methyl orange (MO) dyes under UV light and degraded 99.9% within short time 8 and 7 minutes.

  7. Spray- and spin-assisted layer-by-layer assembly of copper nanoparticles on thin-film composite reverse osmosis membrane for biofouling mitigation.

    PubMed

    Ma, Wen; Soroush, Adel; Van Anh Luong, Tran; Brennan, Gregory; Rahaman, Md Saifur; Asadishad, Bahareh; Tufenkji, Nathalie

    2016-08-01

    Copper nanoparticles (CuNPs) have long been considered as highly effective biocides; however, the lack of suitable methods for loading CuNPs onto polymeric membranes is recognized as being one of the primary reasons for the limited research concerning their application in membrane industries. A highly efficient spray- and spin-assisted layer-by-layer (SSLbL) method was developed to functionalize the TFC polyamide RO membranes with controllable loading of CuNPs for biofouling control. The SSLbL method was able to produce a uniform bilayer of polyethyleneimine-coated CuNPs and poly(acrylic) acid in less than 1 min, which is far more efficient than the traditional dipping approach (25-60 min). The successful loading of CuNPs onto the membrane surface was confirmed by XPS analysis. Increasing the number of bilayers from 2 to 10 led to an increased quantity of CuNPs on the membrane surface, from 1.75 to 23.7 μg cm(-2). Multi-layer coating exhibited minor impact on the membrane water permeation flux (13.3% reduction) while retaining the original salt rejection ability. Both static bacterial inactivation and cross-flow filtration tests demonstrated that CuNPs could significantly improve anti-biofouling property of a polyamide membrane and effectively inhibit the permeate flux reduction caused by bacterial deposition on the membrane surface. Once depleted, CuNPs can also be potentially regenerated on the membrane surface via the same SSLbL method. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  8. Position-dependent performance of copper phthalocyanine based field-effect transistors by gold nanoparticles modification.

    PubMed

    Luo, Xiao; Li, Yao; Lv, Wenli; Zhao, Feiyu; Sun, Lei; Peng, Yingquan; Wen, Zhanwei; Zhong, Junkang; Zhang, Jianping

    2015-01-21

    A facile fabrication and characteristics of copper phthalocyanine (CuPc)-based organic field-effect transistor (OFET) using the gold nanoparticles (Au NPs) modification is reported, thereby achieving highly improved performance. The effect of Au NPs located at three different positions, that is, at the SiO2/CuPc interface (device B), embedding in the middle of CuPc layer (device C), and on the top of CuPc layer (device D), is investigated, and the results show that device D has the best performance. Compared with the device without Au NPs (reference device A), device D displays an improvement of field-effect mobility (μ(sat)) from 1.65 × 10(-3) to 5.51 × 10(-3) cm(2) V(-1) s(-1), and threshold voltage decreases from -23.24 to -16.12 V. Therefore, a strategy for the performance improvement of the CuPc-based OFET with large field-effect mobility and saturation drain current is developed, on the basis of the concept of nanoscale Au modification. The model of an additional electron transport channel formation by FET operation at the Au NPs/CuPc interface is therefore proposed to explain the observed performance improvement. Optimum CuPc thickness is confirmed to be about 50 nm in the present study. The device-to-device uniformity and time stability are discussed for future application.

  9. Synthesis of silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) for anticancer activities (MCF 7 breast and A549 lung cell lines) of the crude extract of Syzygium aromaticum.

    PubMed

    Venugopal, K; Rather, H A; Rajagopal, K; Shanthi, M P; Sheriff, K; Illiyas, M; Rather, R A; Manikandan, E; Uvarajan, S; Bhaskar, M; Maaza, M

    2017-02-01

    In the present report, silver nanoparticles were synthesized using Piper nigrum extract for in vitro cytotoxicity efficacy against MCF-7 and HEP-2 cells. The silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) were formed within 20min and after preliminarily confirmation by UV-Visible spectroscopy (strong peak observed at ~441nm), they were characterized by using FT-IR and HR-TEM. The TEM images show spherical shape of biosynthesized AgNPs with particle size in the range 5-40nm while as compositional analysis were observed by EDAX. MTT assays were carried out for cytotoxicity of various concentrations of biosynthesized silver nanoparticles and Piper nigrum extract ranging from 10 to 100μg. The biosynthesized silver nanoparticles showed a significant anticancer activity against both MCF-7 and Hep-2 cells compared to Piper nigrum extract which was dose dependent. Our study thus revealed an excellent application of greenly synthesized silver nanoparticles using Piper nigrum. The study further suggested the potential therapeutic use of these nanoparticles in cancer study. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  10. Deposition of Size-Selected Cu Nanoparticles by Inert Gas Condensation

    PubMed Central

    2010-01-01

    Nanometer size-selected Cu clusters in the size range of 1–5 nm have been produced by a plasma-gas-condensation-type cluster deposition apparatus, which combines a grow-discharge sputtering with an inert gas condensation technique. With this method, by controlling the experimental conditions, it was possible to produce nanoparticles with a strict control in size. The structure and size of Cu nanoparticles were determined by mass spectroscopy and confirmed by atomic force microscopy (AFM) and scanning electron transmission microscopy (STEM) measurements. In order to preserve the structural and morphological properties, the energy of cluster impact was controlled; the energy of acceleration of the nanoparticles was in near values at 0.1 ev/atom for being in soft landing regime. From SEM measurements developed in STEM-HAADF mode, we found that nanoparticles are near sized to those values fixed experimentally also confirmed by AFM observations. The results are relevant, since it demonstrates that proper optimization of operation conditions can lead to desired cluster sizes as well as desired cluster size distributions. It was also demonstrated the efficiency of the method to obtain size-selected Cu clusters films, as a random stacking of nanometer-size crystallites assembly. The deposition of size-selected metal clusters represents a novel method of preparing Cu nanostructures, with high potential in optical and catalytic applications. PMID:20652132

  11. Effect of Bed Temperature on the Laser Energy Required to Sinter Copper Nanoparticles

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Roy, N. K.; Dibua, O. G.; Cullinan, M. A.

    2018-03-01

    Copper nanoparticles (NPs), due to their high electrical conductivity, low cost, and easy availability, provide an excellent alternative to other metal NPs such as gold, silver, and aluminum in applications ranging from direct printing of conductive patterns on metal and flexible substrates for printed electronics applications to making three-dimensional freeform structures for interconnect fabrication for chip-packaging applications. Lack of research on identification of optimum sintering parameters such as fluence/irradiance requirements for sintering of Cu NPs serves as the primary motivation for this study. This article focuses on the identification of a good sintering irradiance window for Cu NPs on an aluminum substrate using a continuous wave (CW) laser. The study also includes the comparison of CW laser sintering irradiance windows obtained with substrates at different initial temperatures. The irradiance requirements for sintering of Cu NPs with the substrate at 150-200°C were found to be 5-17 times smaller than the irradiance requirements for sintering with the substrate at room temperature. These findings were also compared against the results obtained with a nanosecond (ns) laser and a femtosecond (fs) laser.

  12. Green synthesis of Pd/CuO nanoparticles by Theobroma cacao L. seeds extract and their catalytic performance for the reduction of 4-nitrophenol and phosphine-free Heck coupling reaction under aerobic conditions.

    PubMed

    Nasrollahzadeh, Mahmoud; Sajadi, S Mohammad; Rostami-Vartooni, Akbar; Bagherzadeh, Mojtaba

    2015-06-15

    We report the green synthesis of palladium/CuO nanoparticles (Pd/CuO NPs) using Theobroma cacao L. seeds extract and their catalytic activity for the reduction of 4-nitrophenol and Heck coupling reaction under aerobic conditions. The catalyst was characterized using the powder XRD, TEM, EDS, UV-vis and FT-IR. This method has the advantages of high yields, elimination of surfactant, ligand and homogeneous catalysts, simple methodology and easy work up. The catalyst can be recovered from the reaction mixture and reused several times without any significant loss of catalytic activity. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  13. n vivo retention of ingested Au NPs by Daphnia magna: No evidence for trans-epithelial alimentary uptake

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Khan, Farhan R.; Kennaway, Gabrielle M.; Croteau, Marie-Noële; Dybowska, Agnieszka; Smith, Brian D.; Nogueira, António J.A.; Rainbow, Philip S.; Luoma, Samuel N.; Valsami-Jones, Eugenia

    2014-01-01

    In vivo studies with Daphnia magna remain inconclusive as to whether engineered nanoparticles (NPs) are internalized into tissues after ingestion. Here we used a three-pronged approach to study the in vivo retention and efflux kinetics of 20 nm citrate stabilized Au NPs ingested by this key aquatic species. Daphnids were exposed to suspended particles (600 μg L−1) for 5 h after which they were depurated for 24 h in clean water containing algae. Light microscopy was used to follow the passage of Au NPs through the gastrointestinal tract, Au body burdens were determined by ICP-MS (inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) was used to examine the presence and distribution of Au NPs in tissues. Results revealed that the elimination of Au NPs was bi-phasic. The fast elimination phase lasted −1 (±SE) which accounted for ∼75% of the ingested Au. The remaining ∼25% of the ingested Au NPs was eliminated at a 100-fold slower rate. TEM analysis revealed that Au NPs in the midgut were in close proximity to the peritrophic membrane after 1 and 24 h of depuration. There were no observations of Au NP uptake at the microvilli. Thus, although Au NPs were retained in the gut lumen, there was no observable internalization into the gut epithelial cells. Similar to carbon nanotubes and CuO NPs, our findings indicate that in daphnids the in vivo retention of Au NPs does not necessarily result in their internalization.

  14. Multifunctional AgNPs@Wool: colored, UV-protective and antioxidant functional textiles

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Shabbir, Mohd; Mohammad, Faqeer

    2018-02-01

    Nanomaterials have great impact on textile industry for multifunctional and smart clothing as per the need of present, and further, green nanotechnology is the current hotspot of research and industrial developments. Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) are synthesized (in situ) by using natural compounds of plant extracts (naphthoquinones, phenolics/flavonoids, polyphenols) as reducing or stabilizing agents, and simultaneously deposited on wool fabric for coloration, UV protection and antioxidant properties. UV-visible spectroscopy is used to monitor the route of biosynthesis of nanoparticles and transmission electron microscopy for morphological characteristics of synthesized AgNPs. Spherical and almost oval-shaped AgNPs were synthesized by naphthoquinones, polyphenols and flavonoids, respectively. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) coupled with energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction pattern (XRD) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy were used for the AgNPs@Wool fabrics characterization. SEM-EDX analysis and XRD patterns confirmed the successful deposition of silver nanoparticles on wool. Coloration characteristics in terms of color strength (K/S) and CIEL*a*b*c*h° values, UV protection abilities in terms of UV transmittance and UV protection factor, and % antioxidant activity of AgNPs@Wool are suggestive of good-to-excellent results.

  15. Double dielectric barrier (DBD) plasma-assisted deposition of chemical stabilized nanoparticles on polyamide 6,6 and polyester fabrics

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ribeiro, A. I.; Modic, M.; Cvelbar, U.; Dinescu, G.; Mitu, B.; Nikiforov, A.; Leys, C.; Kuchakova, I.; Vanneste, M.; Heyse, P.; De Vrieze, M.; Carneiro, N.; Souto, A. P.; Zille, A.

    2017-10-01

    The development of new multifunctional textiles containing nanoparticles (NPs) has a special interest in several applications for pharmaceutical and medical products. Cu, Zn and Ag are the most promising antimicrobial NPs, exhibiting strong antibacterial activities. However, most of antimicrobial textiles coated with NPs are not able to perform a controlled release of NPs because of the high degree of aggregation. The aim of this study is to assess the effect of NPs stabilizers such as citrate, alginate and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) in Cu, Zn and Ag NPs dispersions. The obtained dispersions were used to develop a new class of antibacterial NPs coatings onto polyamide 6,6 (PA66) and polyester fabrics (PES) by Double Dielectric Barrier (DBD) plasma discharge. Dynamic light scattering (DLS) was used to evaluate the best dispersing agent in terms of size, polydispersity index and zeta potential. Coating efficiency was evaluated by SEM, XPS and FTIR. The washing fastness of the coatings developed was also tested. The results show that the best dispersions were obtained using 2.5% of citrate for ZnO, 5% Alginate for Cu and 2.5% alginate for Ag NPs. SEM, XPS and FTIR analysis shows that DBD is an efficient deposition technique only for Ag and Cu NPs and that better perform in PA66 than PES fabric. The DBD deposition in air display similar results in term of NPS deposition of usually more efficient plasma jets using carrier gas such as N2 and Ar.

  16. Decorating graphene oxide with CuO nanoparticles in a water-isopropanol system.

    PubMed

    Zhu, Junwu; Zeng, Guiyu; Nie, Fude; Xu, Xiaoming; Chen, Sheng; Han, Qiaofeng; Wang, Xin

    2010-06-01

    A facile chemical procedure capable of aligning CuO nanoparticles on graphene oxide (GO) in a water-isopropanol system has been described. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) observations indicate that the exfoliated GO sheets are decorated randomly by spindly or spherical CuO nanoparticle aggregates, forming well-ordered CuO:GO nanocomposites. A formation mechanism of these interesting nanocomposites is proposed as intercalation and adsorption of Cu2+ ions onto the GO sheets, followed by the nucleation and growth of the CuO crystallites, which in return resulted in the exfoliation of GO sheets. Moreover, the obtained nanocomposites exhibit a high catalytic activity for the thermal decomposition of ammonium perchlorate (AP), due to the concerted effect of CuO and GO.

  17. Nata de coco (NDC) hydrogel as nanoreactors for preparation iron nanoparticles (FeNps) from ferrocenium reduction

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

    Andarini, Mellissa; Lazim, Azwan

    This study focuses on hydrogel as nano template to produce iron nanoparticles (FeNps). Radical polymerization was used to synthesize the hydrogel from nata de coco (NDC-g-PAA). Ferrocenium (FcCL) with 1 × 10{sup −4} g/ml has successfully incorporated with NDC-g-PAA hydrogel system and reduce using sodium hydroxide (NaOH) at different concentrations. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) result demonstrates that the size of FeNps produced was about 5 – 20 nm. Morphological analysis of hydrogel is carried out by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), SEM-EDEX is used to determine percentage of iron (Fe) in hydrogel. The results offer a wide range of application inmore » various areas, especially the use of hydrogel system as a responsive template.« less

  18. Cellulose gum and copper nanoparticles based hydrogel as antimicrobial agents against urinary tract infection (UTI) pathogens.

    PubMed

    Al-Enizi, Abdullah M; Ahamad, Tansir; Al-Hajji, Abdullah Baker; Ahmed, Jahangeer; Chaudhary, Anis Ahmad; Alshehri, Saad M

    2018-04-01

    In the present study, stable copper nanoparticles (CuNPs) were successfully prepared in the hydrogel matrix. The prepared nanocomposite (HCuNPs) was characterized via x-ray diffraction (XRD), electron microscopy (TEM), and energy-dispersive (EDX) and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopic (XPS) studies. The wide scan XPS spectra support the presence of C, N and O in neat hydrogel; while, the XPS spectra of HCuNPs demonstrate the presence of Cu along with C, N, and O elements. TEM studies show the formation of spherical shaped CuNPs in the size range from 7 to 12nm. The rheology results reveal that the storage modulus (G') of the HCuNPs was found to be higher than the loss modulus (G"). Additionally, the antibacterial activities and cytotoxic were carried out against urinary tract infection (UTI) microbes and HeLa (cervical) cells respectively. The antibacterial results reveal that HCuNPs composites show higher zone of inhibition against these pathogens then that of corresponding hydrogel matrix. The cytotoxic effects suggest that the prepared nanocomposite could be used as promising candidates for biomedical applications. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  19. Aggregation-based colorimetric sensor for determination of prothioconazole fungicide using colloidal silver nanoparticles (AgNPs)

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ivrigh, Zahra Jafar-Nezhad; Fahimi-Kashani, Nafiseh; Hormozi-Nezhad, M. Reza

    2017-12-01

    There is a growing interest in developing high-performance sensors monitoring fungicides, due to their broadly usage and their adverse effects on humans and wildlife. In the present study, a colorimetric probe has been proposed for detection of prothioconazole based on aggregation of unmodified silver nanoparticles (AgNPs). Under optimized condition, linear relationships between the concentration of prothioconazole and the absorbance ratio of A500/A395 were found over the range of 0.01 μg·mL- 1 to 0.4 μg·mL- 1 with quantification limit as low as 1.7 ng·mL- 1. Furthermore, AgNPs color change from yellow to pink-orange in presence of prothioconazole, indicates highly sensitive naked-eye colorimetric assay for quantifying prothioconazole in real applications. The proposed approach was successfully used for the determination of prothioconazole in wheat flour and paddy water sample.

  20. Effect of Cu Alloying on S Poisoning of Ni Surfaces and Nanoparticle Morphologies Using Ab-Initio Thermodynamics Calculations.

    PubMed

    Kim, Ji-Su; Kim, Byung-Kook; Kim, Yeong-Cheol

    2015-10-01

    We investigated the effect of Cu alloying on S poisoning of Ni surfaces and nanoparticle morphologies using ab-initio thermodynamics calculations. Based on the Cu segregation energy and the S adsorption energy, the surface energy and nanoparticle morphology of pure Ni, pure Cu, and NiCu alloys were evaluated as functions of the chemical potential of S and the surface orientations of (100), (110), and (111). The constructed nanoparticle morphology was varied as a function of chemical potential of S. We find that the Cu added to Ni for NiCu alloys is strongly segregated into the top surface, and increases the S tolerance of the NiCu nanoparticles.

  1. Enhancement of Ag nanoparticles concentration by prior ion implantation

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Mu, Xiaoyu; Wang, Jun; Liu, Changlong

    2017-09-01

    Thermally grown SiO2 layer on Si substrates were singly or sequentially implanted with Zn or Cu and Ag ions at the same fluence of 2 × 1016/cm2. The profiles of implanted species, structure, and spatial distribution of the formed nanoparticles (NPs) have been characterized by the cross-sectional transmission electron microscope (XTEM) and Rutherford backscattering spectrometry (RBS). It is found that pre-implantation of Zn or Cu ions could suppress the self sputtering of Ag atoms during post Ag ion implantation, which gives rise to fabrication of Ag NPs with a high density. Moreover, it has also been demonstrated that the suppressing effect strongly depends on the applied energy and mobility of pre-implanted ions. The possible mechanism for the enhanced Ag NPs concentration has been discussed in combination with SRIM simulations. Both vacancy-like defects acting as the increased nucleation sites for Ag NPs and a high diffusivity of prior implanted ions in SiO2 play key roles in enhancing the deposition of Ag implants.

  2. Microwave-assisted synthesis and critical analysis for YBa2Cu3O6+δ nanoparticles

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Chhaganlal Gandhi, Ashish; Lin, Jauyn Grace

    2018-05-01

    A new cost effective scheme of a microwave-assisted sol–gel route followed by a short annealing time is proposed to synthesize YBCO nanoparticles (NPs) of various sizes. The advanced techniques of synchrotron radiation x-ray diffraction (SRXRD) and electron spin resonance (ESR) are used to analyze the size effects on their magnetic/superconducting properties. The major interesting finding is that the size of YBCO NPs could confine the amount of oxygen content and consequently change the superconducting transition temperature (T C ) of YBCO NPs. The ESR result demonstrates a sensitive probe to characterize surface defects in the oxygen-deficient YBCO NPs.

  3. Investigating nanohybrid material based on 3D CNTs@Cu nanoparticle composite and imprinted polymer for highly selective detection of chloramphenicol.

    PubMed

    Munawar, Anam; Tahir, Muhammad Ali; Shaheen, Ayesha; Lieberzeit, Peter A; Khan, Waheed S; Bajwa, Sadia Z

    2018-01-15

    Nanotechnology holds great promise for the fabrication of versatile materials that can be used as sensor platforms for the highly selective detection of analytes. In this research article we report a new nanohybrid material, where 3D imprinted nanostructures are constructed. First, copper nanoparticles are deposited on carbon nanotubes and then a hybrid structure is formed by coating molecularly imprinted polymer on 3D CNTs@Cu NPs; and a layer by layer assembly is achieved. SEM and AFM revealed the presence of Cu NPs (100-500nm) anchored along the whole length of CNTs, topped with imprinted layer. This material was applied to fabricate an electrochemical sensor to monitor a model veterinary drug, chloramphenicol. The high electron transfer ability and conductivity of the prepared material produced sensitive response, whereas, molecular imprinting produces selectivity towards drug detection. The sensor responses were found concentration dependent and the detection limit was calculated to be 10μM (S/N=3). Finally, we showed how changing the polymer composition, the extent of cross linking, and sensor layer thickness greatly affects the number of binding sites for the recognition of drug. This work paves the way to build variants of 3D imprinted materials for the detection of other kinds of biomolecules and antibiotics. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  4. Starch-based polyurethane/CuO nanocomposite foam: Antibacterial effects for infection control.

    PubMed

    Ashjari, Hamid Reza; Dorraji, Mir Saeed Seyed; Fakhrzadeh, Vahid; Eslami, Hosein; Rasoulifard, Mohammad Hossein; Rastgouy-Houjaghan, Mehrdad; Gholizadeh, Pourya; Kafil, Hossein Samadi

    2018-05-01

    In the present study, a new method for the synthesis of the open cell flexible polyurethane foams (PUFs) was developed by using starch powder and the modification of closed cell foam formulation. Starch is the second largest polymeric carbohydrate as a macromolecule on this planet with a large number of glucose units. Copper oxide nanoparticles (CuO NPs) were synthesized by thermal degradation method at different temperatures of 400, 600 and 800 °C as antimicrobial agents. The antimicrobial activity of CuO NPs and commercial CuO powder against the main causes of hospital infections were tested. CuO 600 was the most effective antimicrobial agent and enhanced polymer matrix tensile strength with starch powder as new polyurethane foams (PUFs) cell opener with high tensile strength. The effects of parameters on tensile strength were optimized using response surface methodology (RSM). CuO NPs and PUF had optimal conditions and were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR). Foam synthesized at the optimal conditions had an open cell structure with high tensile strength and efficient antimicrobial activity that made them suitable to be used as an antimicrobial hospital mattress to control hospital infections. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  5. Well-Dispersed Cu2ZnSnS4 Nanocrystals Synthesized from Alcohols and Their Applications for Polymer Photovoltaics.

    PubMed

    Cheng, Jiang; Dai, Zhongjun; Chen, Bing; Ji, Ran; Yang, Xin; Hu, Rong; Zhu, Jiang; Li, Lu

    2016-12-01

    In this work, we report on a simple non-injection synthesis routine for the preparation of well-dispersed monocrystalline Cu 2 ZnSnS 4 (CZTS) nanoparticles (NPs). The nanocrystal morphology was investigated by scanning and transmission electron microscopy, and its phase composition was studied by X-ray diffraction and Raman analyses. Cu 2 ZnSnS 4 nanoparticles prepared using ethanolamine and diethanolamine as chemical stabilizers showed a high purity and a suitable size for polymer solar cell applications. The fabricated CZTS NPs are shown to be easily dispersed in a polymer/fullerene aromatic solution as well as the hybrid photovoltaic active layer. Thanks to the increment in the light absorption and electrical conductivity of the active layer, solar cells with a small amount of CZTS nanoparticles resulted in a clear enhancement of the photovoltaic performance. The short-circuit current density is increased from 9.90 up to 10.67 mA/cm 2 , corresponding to an improvement in the power conversion efficiency (PCE) from 3.30 to 3.65%.

  6. Synthesis of Metal Nanoparticles and Metal Fluoride Nanoparticles from Metal Amidinate Precursors in 1‐Butyl‐3‐Methylimidazolium Ionic Liquids and Propylene Carbonate

    PubMed Central

    Schütte, Kai; Barthel, Juri; Endres, Manuel; Siebels, Marvin; Smarsly, Bernd M.; Yue, Junpei

    2016-01-01

    Abstract Decomposition of transition‐metal amidinates [M{MeC(NiPr)2}n] [M(AMD)n; M=MnII, FeII, CoII, NiII, n=2; CuI, n=1) induced by microwave heating in the ionic liquids (ILs) 1‐butyl‐3‐methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate ([BMIm][BF4]), 1‐butyl‐3‐methylimidazolium hexafluorophosphate ([BMIm][PF6]), 1‐butyl‐3‐methylimidazolium trifluoromethanesulfonate (triflate) ([BMIm][TfO]), and 1‐butyl‐3‐methylimidazolium tosylate ([BMIm][Tos]) or in propylene carbonate (PC) gives transition‐metal nanoparticles (M‐NPs) in non‐fluorous media (e.g. [BMIm][Tos] and PC) or metal fluoride nanoparticles (MF2‐NPs) for M=Mn, Fe, and Co in [BMIm][BF4]. FeF2‐NPs can be prepared upon Fe(AMD)2 decomposition in [BMIm][BF4], [BMIm][PF6], and [BMIm][TfO]. The nanoparticles are stable in the absence of capping ligands (surfactants) for more than 6 weeks. The crystalline phases of the metal or metal fluoride synthesized in [BMIm][BF4] were identified by powder X‐ray diffraction (PXRD) to exclusively Ni‐ and Cu‐NPs or to solely MF2‐NPs for M=Mn, Fe, and Co. The size and size dispersion of the nanoparticles were determined by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) to an average diameter of 2(±2) to 14(±4) nm for the M‐NPs, except for the Cu‐NPs in PC, which were 51(±8) nm. The MF2‐NPs from [BMIm][BF4] were 15(±4) to 65(±18) nm. The average diameter from TEM is in fair agreement with the size evaluated from PXRD with the Scherrer equation. The characterization was complemented by energy‐dispersive X‐ray spectroscopy (EDX). Electrochemical investigations of the CoF2‐NPs as cathode materials for lithium‐ion batteries were simply evaluated by galvanostatic charge/discharge profiles, and the results indicated that the reversible capacity of the CoF2‐NPs was much lower than the theoretical value, which may have originated from the complex conversion reaction mechanism and residue on the surface of the nanoparticles. PMID:28168159

  7. Fabrication and textural characterization of nanoporous carbon electrodes embedded with CuO nanoparticles for supercapacitors.

    PubMed

    Prasad, Kumaresa P S; Dhawale, Dattatray S; Sivakumar, Thiripuranthagan; Aldeyab, Salem S; Zaidi, Javaid S M; Ariga, Katsuhiko; Vinu, Ajayan

    2011-08-01

    We introduce a novel strategy of fabricating nanoporous carbons loaded with different amounts of CuO nanoparticles via a hard templating approach, using copper-containing mesoporous silica as the template and sucrose as the carbon source. The nature and dispersion of the CuO nanoparticles on the surface of the nanoporous carbons were investigated by x-ray diffraction (XRD), high-resolution scanning electron microscopy (HRSEM) and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM). XRD results reveal that nanoporous carbons with embedded CuO nanoparticles exhibit a well-ordered mesoporous structure, whereas the nitrogen adsorption measurements indicate the presence of excellent textural characteristics such as high surface area, large pore volume and uniform pore size distribution. The amount of CuO nanoparticles in the nanochannels of the nanoporous carbon could be controlled by simply varying the Si/Cu molar ratio of the mesoporous silica template. Morphological characterization by SEM and TEM reveals that high-quality CuO nanoparticles are distributed homogeneously within the nanoporous carbon framework. The supercapacitance behavior of the CuO-loaded nanoporous carbons was investigated. The material with a small amount of CuO in the mesochannels and high surface area affords a maximum specific capacitance of 300 F g -1 at a 20 mV s -1 scan rate in an aqueous electrolyte solution. A supercapacitor containing the CuO-loaded nanoporous carbon is highly stable and exhibits a long cycle life with 91% specific capacitance retained after 1000 cycles.

  8. Fabrication and textural characterization of nanoporous carbon electrodes embedded with CuO nanoparticles for supercapacitors

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Prasad, Kumaresa P. S.; Dhawale, Dattatray S.; Sivakumar, Thiripuranthagan; Aldeyab, Salem S.; Zaidi, Javaid S. M.; Ariga, Katsuhiko; Vinu, Ajayan

    2011-08-01

    We introduce a novel strategy of fabricating nanoporous carbons loaded with different amounts of CuO nanoparticles via a hard templating approach, using copper-containing mesoporous silica as the template and sucrose as the carbon source. The nature and dispersion of the CuO nanoparticles on the surface of the nanoporous carbons were investigated by x-ray diffraction (XRD), high-resolution scanning electron microscopy (HRSEM) and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM). XRD results reveal that nanoporous carbons with embedded CuO nanoparticles exhibit a well-ordered mesoporous structure, whereas the nitrogen adsorption measurements indicate the presence of excellent textural characteristics such as high surface area, large pore volume and uniform pore size distribution. The amount of CuO nanoparticles in the nanochannels of the nanoporous carbon could be controlled by simply varying the Si/Cu molar ratio of the mesoporous silica template. Morphological characterization by SEM and TEM reveals that high-quality CuO nanoparticles are distributed homogeneously within the nanoporous carbon framework. The supercapacitance behavior of the CuO-loaded nanoporous carbons was investigated. The material with a small amount of CuO in the mesochannels and high surface area affords a maximum specific capacitance of 300 F g-1 at a 20 mV s-1 scan rate in an aqueous electrolyte solution. A supercapacitor containing the CuO-loaded nanoporous carbon is highly stable and exhibits a long cycle life with 91% specific capacitance retained after 1000 cycles.

  9. Fabrication and textural characterization of nanoporous carbon electrodes embedded with CuO nanoparticles for supercapacitors

    PubMed Central

    Prasad, Kumaresa P S; Dhawale, Dattatray S; Sivakumar, Thiripuranthagan; Aldeyab, Salem S; Zaidi, Javaid S M; Ariga, Katsuhiko; Vinu, Ajayan

    2011-01-01

    We introduce a novel strategy of fabricating nanoporous carbons loaded with different amounts of CuO nanoparticles via a hard templating approach, using copper-containing mesoporous silica as the template and sucrose as the carbon source. The nature and dispersion of the CuO nanoparticles on the surface of the nanoporous carbons were investigated by x-ray diffraction (XRD), high-resolution scanning electron microscopy (HRSEM) and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM). XRD results reveal that nanoporous carbons with embedded CuO nanoparticles exhibit a well-ordered mesoporous structure, whereas the nitrogen adsorption measurements indicate the presence of excellent textural characteristics such as high surface area, large pore volume and uniform pore size distribution. The amount of CuO nanoparticles in the nanochannels of the nanoporous carbon could be controlled by simply varying the Si/Cu molar ratio of the mesoporous silica template. Morphological characterization by SEM and TEM reveals that high-quality CuO nanoparticles are distributed homogeneously within the nanoporous carbon framework. The supercapacitance behavior of the CuO-loaded nanoporous carbons was investigated. The material with a small amount of CuO in the mesochannels and high surface area affords a maximum specific capacitance of 300 F g-1 at a 20 mV s-1 scan rate in an aqueous electrolyte solution. A supercapacitor containing the CuO-loaded nanoporous carbon is highly stable and exhibits a long cycle life with 91% specific capacitance retained after 1000 cycles. PMID:27877410

  10. Photoconversion of 4-nitrophenol in the presence of hydrazine with AgNPs-TiO2 nanoparticles prepared by the sol-gel method.

    PubMed

    Hernández-Gordillo, Agileo; Arroyo, Missael; Zanella, R; Rodríguez-González, V

    2014-03-15

    The photocatalytic properties of functionalized TiO2 with silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) for the conversion of 4-nitrophenol to 4-aminophenol in the presence of hydrazine were investigated. The TiO2 semiconductor synthesized by the sol-gel method was functionalized with AgNPs at different loadings, and their structural and optical properties were characterized by several techniques. The functionalized TiO2 with 1.5wt% AgNPs presented the highest photocatalytic activity for the conversion of 4-nitrophenol with appropriate hydrazine concentrations (0.5M). The photoefficiency enhancement under UV light irradiation was attributed to the electron transfer from the TiO2 semiconductor surface to the adsorbed acceptor reactant (4-nitrophenol) through the deposited AgNPs. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  11. Surfactant-assisted hollowing of Cu nanoparticles involving halide-induced corrosion-oxidation processes.

    PubMed

    Huang, Chih-Chia; Hwu, Jih Ru; Su, Wu-Chou; Shieh, Dar-Bin; Tzeng, Yonhua; Yeh, Chen-Sheng

    2006-05-03

    We have demonstrated a simple fabrication of hollow nanoparticles by halide-induced corrosion oxidation with the aid of surfactants. Cuprous oxide Cu2O nanoshells can be generated by simply mixing Cu nanoparticles with alkyltrimethylammonium halides at 55 degrees C for 16 min. The hollowing mechanism proposed is that absorption of surfactants onto the Cu surface facilitates the formation of the void interior through an oxidative etching process. Upon extending the reaction up to 4 h, fragmentation, oxidation, and self-assembly were observed and the CuO ellipsoidal structures were formed. The headgroup lengths of the surfactants influenced the degree of CuO ellipsoidal formation, whereby longer surfactants favored the generation of ellipsoids. Optical absorption measured by UV-visible spectroscopy was used to monitor both oxidation courses of Cu-->Cu2O and Cu2O-->CuO and to determine the band-gap energies as 2.4 eV for Cu2O nanoshells and 1.89 eV for CuO ellipsoids. For the contact-angle measurements, the wettability changed from hydrophilicity (18 degrees) to hydrophobicity (140 degrees) as the Cu2O nanoshells shifted to CuO ellipsoids.

  12. Copper Loading of Preformed Nanoparticles for PET-Imaging Applications.

    PubMed

    Lu, Hoang D; Wang, Leon Z; Wilson, Brian K; McManus, Simon A; Jumai'an, Jenny; Padakanti, Prashanth K; Alavi, Abass; Mach, Robert H; Prud'homme, Robert K

    2018-01-31

    Nanoparticles (NP) are promising contrast agents for positron emission tomography (PET) radionuclide imaging that can increase signal intensity by localizing clusters of PET radionuclides together. However, methods to load NPs with PET radionuclides suffer from harsh loading conditions or poor loading efficacies or result in NP surface modifications that alter targeting in vivo. We present the formation of water-dispersible, polyethylene glycol coated NPs that encapsulate phthalocyanines into NP cores at greater than 50 wt % loading, using the self-assembly technique Flash NanoPrecipitation. Particles from 70 to 160 nm are produced. Phthalocyanine NPs rapidly and spontaneously chelate metals under mild conditions and can act as sinks for PET radionuclides such as 64-Cu to produce PET-active NPs. NPs chelate copper(II) with characteristic rates of 1845 M -1 h -1 at pH 6 and 37 °C, which produced >90% radionuclide chelation within 1 h. NP physical properties, such as core composition, core fluidity, and size, can be tuned to modulate chelation kinetics. These NPs retain 64 Cu even in the presence of the strong chelator ethylene diamine tetraacetic acid. The development of these constructs for rapid and facile radionuclide labeling expands the applications of NP-based PET imaging.

  13. Biological Mechanism of Silver Nanoparticle Toxicity

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Armstrong, Najealicka Nicole

    Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs), like almost all nanoparticles, are potentially toxic beyond a certain concentration because the survival of the organism is compromised due to scores of pathophysiological abnormalities above that concentration. However, the mechanism of AgNP toxicity remains undetermined. Instead of applying a toxic dose, these investigations were attempted to monitor the effects of AgNPs at a non-lethal concentration on wild type Drosophila melanogaster by exposing them to nanoparticles throughout their development. All adult flies raised in AgNP doped food indicated that of not more than 50 mg/L had no negative influence on median survival; however, these flies appeared uniformly lighter in body color due to the loss of melanin pigments in their cuticle. Additionally, fertility and vertical movement ability were compromised after AgNP feeding. The determination of the amount of free ionic silver (Ag+) indicated that the observed biological effects had resulted from the AgNPs and not from Ag+. Biochemical analysis suggests that the activity of copper dependent enzymes, namely tyrosinase and Cu-Zn superoxide dismutase, were decreased significantly following the consumption of AgNPs, despite the constant level of copper present in the tissue. Furthermore, copper supplementation restored the loss of AgNP induced demelanization, and the reduction of functional Ctr1 in Ctr1 heterozygous mutants caused the flies to be resistant to demelanization. Consequently, these studies proposed a mechanism whereby consumption of excess AgNPs in association with membrane bound copper transporter proteins cause sequestration of copper, thus creating a condition that resembles copper starvation. This model also explained the cuticular demelanization effect resulting from AgNP since tyrosinase activity is essential for melanin biosynthesis. Finally, these investigations demonstrated that Drosophila, an established genetic model system, can be well utilized for further

  14. In Vivo Tracking of Copper-64 Radiolabeled Nanoparticles in Lactuca sativa.

    PubMed

    Davis, Ryan A; Rippner, Devin A; Hausner, Sven H; Parikh, Sanjai J; McElrone, Andrew J; Sutcliffe, Julie L

    2017-11-07

    Engineered nanoparticles (NPs) are increasingly used in commercial products including automotive lubricants, clothing, deodorants, sunscreens, and cosmetics and can potentially accumulate in our food supply. Given their size it is difficult to detect and visualize the presence of NPs in environmental samples, including crop plants. New analytical tools are needed to fill the void for detection and visualization of NPs in complex biological and environmental matrices. We aimed to determine whether radiolabeled NPs could be used as a noninvasive, highly sensitive analytical tool to quantitatively track and visualize NP transport and accumulation in vivo in lettuce (Lactuca sativa) and to investigate the effect of NP size on transport and distribution over time using a combination of autoradiography, positron emission tomography (PET)/computed tomography (CT), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and transition electron microscopy (TEM). Azide functionalized NPs were radiolabeled via a "click" reaction with copper-64 ( 64 Cu)-1,4,7-triazacyclononane triacetic acid (NOTA) azadibenzocyclooctyne (ADIBO) conjugate ([ 64 Cu]-ADIBO-NOTA) via copper-free Huisgen-1,3-dipolar cycloaddition reaction. This yielded radiolabeled [ 64 Cu]-NPs of uniform shape and size with a high radiochemical purity (>99%), specific activity of  2.2 mCi/mg of NP, and high stability (i.e., no detectable dissolution) over 24 h across a pH range of 5-9. Both PET/CT and autoradiography showed that [ 64 Cu]-NPs entered the lettuce seedling roots and were rapidly transported to the cotyledons with the majority of the accumulation inside the roots. Uptake and transport of intact NPs was size-dependent, and in combination with the accumulation within the roots suggests a filtering effect of the plant cell walls at various points along the water transport pathway.

  15. Targeted thrombolysis of tissue plasminogen activator and streptokinase with extracellular biosynthesis nanoparticles using optimized Streptococcus equi supernatant.

    PubMed

    Tadayon, Ateke; Jamshidi, Reza; Esmaeili, Akbar

    2016-03-30

    Extracellular biosynthesis of nanoparticles have many important advantages such as well dispersed in aqueous solutions, low energy requirements, ecofriendly, non-toxic, low-costs and non-flocculate. This technique have shown significant promise as targeted drug delivery applications. In this investigation, for the first time, we examine the efficacy of targeted therapeutic delivery with t-PA and SK immobilized to biosynthesis of nanoparticles (CuNP) by using Streptococcus equi strains isolated from the horses of Iran and their ability to produce metallic nanoparticles. Also we compared them with their chemical synthesis. The S. equi was screened for its ability to produce MNPs. The minimum size and shapes (23-89 nm) are presented in the formation with good dispersion and high stability. Response Surface methodology was applied for the optimized production of biological CuNPs. The growth factors like pH, temperature and incubation time was changed. The optimum conditions to obtain CuNPs were found with the culture conditions of pH 7.5 in 120 h at 35 °C. To determine some of MNPs structural properties UV-vis absorption spectrophotometer, FTIR, XRD and SEM has characterized. The results provided some parameters may impact on the formation of biological MNPs. Lastly, these MNPs were conjugated with t-PA and SK, as a drug carrier. In addition, effective thrombolysis with magnet-guided SiO2CuNPs-tPA-SK is demonstrated in rat embolism model where 18.6% of the regular t-PA dose and 15.78% of SK dose restored and 15-25 min reductions in blood clot lysis time were observed compared with runs with free t-PA and without magnet-guided and using the same drug dosage. The comparison between CuNPs with MNPs shows that thrombolysis had not been directed to the type of magnetic carrier under the magnetic guide. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  16. Synthesis of Cu{sub 2}ZnSnS{sub 4} nanoparticles and controlling the morphology with polyethylene glycol

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

    Rawat, Kusum; Department of Electronic Science, University of Delhi South Campus, Delhi 110021; Kim, Hee-Joon

    Highlights: • Cu{sub 2}ZnSnS{sub 4} nanoparticles were synthesized by wet chemical technique. • First report on the effect of using polyethylene glycol as a structure directing agent on Cu{sub 2}ZnSnS{sub 4} nanoparticles. • The morphology of Cu{sub 2}ZnSnS{sub 4} nanoparticles changes into nanoflakes and nanorods structures with polyethylene glycol concentration. • Polyethylene glycol assisted Cu{sub 2}ZnSnS{sub 4} nanoparticle film exhibits optical bandgap of 1.5 eV which is suitable for the application in solar cells. - Abstract: Cu{sub 2}ZnSnS{sub 4} nanoparticles were synthesized by wet chemical technique using metal thiourea precursor at 250 °C. The structural and morphological properties of asmore » grown nanoparticles have been characterized by X-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy. The influence of different concentration of polyethylene glycol as structure directing agent on the morphologies of Cu{sub 2}ZnSnS{sub 4} nanoparticles are investigated on thin films deposited by spin coating technique. The mean crystallite size of the Cu{sub 2}ZnSnS{sub 4} nanoparticles was found to improve with polyethylene glycol concentration. Scanning electron microscopy images of Cu{sub 2}ZnSnS{sub 4} revealed aggregated spherical shaped nanoparticles whereas the polyethylene glycol assisted Cu{sub 2}ZnSnS{sub 4} nanoparticle films show nanoflakes and nanorods structures with increasing concentration of polyethylene glycol. Transmission electron microscopy analysis has also been performed to determine the size and structure of nanorods. UV–vis absorption spectroscopy shows the broad band absorption with optical bandgap of 1.50 eV for polyethylene glycol assisted Cu{sub 2}ZnSnS{sub 4} films.« less

  17. Catalytic Activity of Silicon Nanowires Decorated with Gold and Copper Nanoparticles Deposited by Pulsed Laser Ablation

    PubMed Central

    Casiello, Michele; Fusco, Caterina; Irrera, Alessia; Trusso, Sebastiano; Cotugno, Pietro

    2018-01-01

    Silicon nanowires (SiNWs) decorated by pulsed laser ablation with gold or copper nanoparticles (labeled as AuNPs@SiNWs and CuNPs@SiNWs) were investigated for their catalytic properties. Results demonstrated high catalytic performances in the Caryl–N couplings and subsequent carbonylations for gold and copper catalysts, respectively, that have no precedents in the literature. The excellent activity, attested by the very high turn over number (TON) values, was due both to the uniform coverage along the NW length and to the absence of the chemical shell surrounding the metal nanoparticles (MeNPs). A high recyclability was also observed and can be ascribed to the strong covalent interaction at the Me–Si interface by virtue of metal “silicides” formation. PMID:29385761

  18. Catalytic Activity of Silicon Nanowires Decorated with Gold and Copper Nanoparticles Deposited by Pulsed Laser Ablation.

    PubMed

    Casiello, Michele; Picca, Rosaria Anna; Fusco, Caterina; D'Accolti, Lucia; Leonardi, Antonio Alessio; Lo Faro, Maria Josè; Irrera, Alessia; Trusso, Sebastiano; Cotugno, Pietro; Sportelli, Maria Chiara; Cioffi, Nicola; Nacci, Angelo

    2018-01-30

    Silicon nanowires (SiNWs) decorated by pulsed laser ablation with gold or copper nanoparticles (labeled as AuNPs@SiNWs and CuNPs@SiNWs) were investigated for their catalytic properties. Results demonstrated high catalytic performances in the C aryl -N couplings and subsequent carbonylations for gold and copper catalysts, respectively, that have no precedents in the literature. The excellent activity, attested by the very high turn over number (TON) values, was due both to the uniform coverage along the NW length and to the absence of the chemical shell surrounding the metal nanoparticles (MeNPs). A high recyclability was also observed and can be ascribed to the strong covalent interaction at the Me-Si interface by virtue of metal "silicides" formation.

  19. Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) as a contrast agent for imaging of animal tissue using swept-source optical coherence tomography (SSOCT)

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Mondal, Indranil; Raj, Shipra; Roy, Poulomi; Poddar, Raju

    2018-01-01

    We present noninvasive three-dimensional depth-resolved imaging of animal tissue with a swept-source optical coherence tomography system at 1064 nm center wavelength and silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) as a potential contrast agent. A swept-source laser light source is used to enable an imaging rate of 100 kHz (100 000 A-scans s-1). Swept-source optical coherence tomography is a new variant of the optical coherence tomography (OCT) technique, offering unique advantages in terms of sensitivity, reduction of motion artifacts, etc. To enhance the contrast of an OCT image, AgNPs are utilized as an exogeneous contrast agent. AgNPs are synthesized using a modified Tollens method and characterization is done by UV-vis spectroscopy, dynamic light scattering, scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy. In vitro imaging of chicken breast tissue, with and without the application of AgNPs, is performed. The effect of AgNPs is studied with different exposure times. A mathematical model is also built to calculate changes in the local scattering coefficient of tissue from OCT images. A quantitative estimation of scattering coefficient and contrast is performed for tissues with and without application of AgNPs. Significant improvement in contrast and increase in scattering coefficient with time is observed.

  20. Sublethal effects of copper sulphate compared to copper nanoparticles in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) at low pH: physiology and metal accumulation.

    PubMed

    Al-Bairuty, Genan A; Boyle, David; Henry, Theodore B; Handy, Richard D

    2016-05-01

    A few studies have investigated the interaction between copper toxicity and water pH in fishes, but little is known about the effects of acidic pH on the toxicity of copper nanoparticles (Cu-NPs). This study aimed to describe the sub-lethal toxic effects of Cu-NPs compared to CuSO4 at neutral and acidic water pH values in juvenile rainbow trout. Fish were exposed in triplicate (3 tanks/treatment) to control (no added Cu), or 20μgl(-1) of either Cu as CuSO4 or Cu-NPs, at pH 7 and 5 in a semi-static aqueous exposure regime for up to 7 days. Acidification of the water altered the mean primary particle size (at pH 7, 60±2nm and pH 5, 55±1nm) and dialysis experiments to measure dissolution showed an increased release of dissolved Cu from Cu-NPs at pH 5 compared to pH 7. Copper accumulation was observed in the gills of trout exposed to CuSO4 and Cu-NPs at pH 7 and 5, with a greater accumulation from the CuSO4 treatment than Cu-NPs at each pH. The liver also showed Cu accumulation with both Cu treatments at pH 7 only, whereas, the spleen and kidney did not show measurable accumulation of Cu at any of the water pH values. Exposure to acid water caused changes in the ionoregulatory physiology of control fish and also altered the observed effects of Cu exposure; at pH 5, branchial Na(+)/K(+)-ATPase activity was greater than at pH 7 and the inhibition of Na(+)/K(+)-ATPase activity caused by exposure to CuSO4 at pH 7 was also not observed. There were some changes in haematology and depletion of plasma Na(+) at pH 7 and 5 due to Cu exposure, but there were few material-type or pH effects. Overall, the data show that the accumulation of Cu is greater from CuSO4 than Cu-NPs; however, understanding of the effects of low pH on bioavailability of CuSO4 may not be directly transferred to Cu-NPs without further consideration of the physico-chemical behaviour of Cu-NPs in acid water. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  1. Biotransformation of copper oxide nanoparticles by the pathogenic fungus Botrytis cinerea.

    PubMed

    Kovačec, Eva; Regvar, Marjana; van Elteren, Johannes Teun; Arčon, Iztok; Papp, Tamás; Makovec, Darko; Vogel-Mikuš, Katarina

    2017-08-01

    Two plant pathogenic fungi, Botrytis cinerea and Alternaria alternata, isolated from crop plants, were exposed to Cu in ionic (Cu 2+ ), microparticulate (MP, CuO) or nanoparticulate (NP, Cu or CuO) form, in solid and liquid culturing media in order to test fungal response and toxic effects of the mentioned compounds for the potential use as fungicides. B. cinerea has shown pronounced growth and lower levels of lipid peroxidation compared to A. alternata. Its higher resistance/tolerance is attributed mainly to biotransformation of CuO and Cu NPs and CuO MPs into a blue compound at the fungal/culturing media interface, recognized by Cu K-edge EXAFS analysis as Cu-oxalate complex. The pronounced activity of catechol-type siderophores and organic acid secretion in B. cinerea induce leaching and mobilization of Cu ions from the particles and their further complexation with extracellularly secreted oxalic acid. The ability of pathogenic fungus to biotransform CuO MPs and NPs hampers their use as fungicides. However the results show that B. cinerea has a potential to be used in degradation of Cu(O) nanoparticles in environment, copper extraction and purification techniques. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  2. Nitrogen-doped graphene network supported copper nanoparticles encapsulated with graphene shells for surface-enhanced Raman scattering

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zhang, Xiang; Shi, Chunsheng; Liu, Enzuo; Li, Jiajun; Zhao, Naiqin; He, Chunnian

    2015-10-01

    In this study, we demonstrated nitrogen-doped graphene network supported few-layered graphene shell encapsulated Cu nanoparticles (NPs) (Cu@G-NGNs) as a sensing platform, which were constructed by a simple and scalable in situ chemical vapor deposition (CVD) technique with the assistance of a self-assembled three-dimensional (3D) NaCl template. Compared with pure Cu NPs and graphene decorated Cu NPs, the graphene shells can strengthen the plasmonic coupling between graphene and Cu, thereby contributing to an obvious improvement in the local electromagnetic field that was validated by finite element numerical simulations, while the 3D nitrogen-doped graphene walls with a large surface area facilitated molecule adsorption and the doped nitrogen atoms embedded in the graphene lattice can reduce the surface energy of the system. With these merits, a good surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) activity of the 3D Cu@G-NGN painting film on glass was demonstrated using rhodamine 6G and crystal violet as model analytes, exhibiting a satisfactory sensitivity, reproducibility and stability. As far as we know, this is the first report on the in situ synthesis of nitrogen-doped graphene/copper nanocomposites and this facile and low-cost Cu-based strategy tends to be a good supplement to Ag and Au based substrates for SERS applications.In this study, we demonstrated nitrogen-doped graphene network supported few-layered graphene shell encapsulated Cu nanoparticles (NPs) (Cu@G-NGNs) as a sensing platform, which were constructed by a simple and scalable in situ chemical vapor deposition (CVD) technique with the assistance of a self-assembled three-dimensional (3D) NaCl template. Compared with pure Cu NPs and graphene decorated Cu NPs, the graphene shells can strengthen the plasmonic coupling between graphene and Cu, thereby contributing to an obvious improvement in the local electromagnetic field that was validated by finite element numerical simulations, while the 3D nitrogen

  3. Assessing protein oxidation by inorganic nanoparticles with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).

    PubMed

    Sun, Wenjie; Luna-Velasco, Antonia; Sierra-Alvarez, Reyes; Field, Jim A

    2013-03-01

    Growth in the nanotechnology industry is leading to increased production of engineered nanoparticles (NPs). This has given rise to concerns about the potential adverse and toxic effects to biological system and the environment. An important mechanism of NP toxicity is oxidative stress caused by the formation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) or via direct oxidation of biomolecules. In this study, a protein oxidation assay was developed as an indicator of biomolecule oxidation by NPs. The oxidation of the protein, bovine serum albumin (BSA) was evaluated with an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) to measure the protein carbonyl derivatives formed from protein oxidation. The results showed that some NPs such as Cu(0), CuO, Mn(2)O(3), and Fe(0) caused oxidation of BSA; whereas, many of the other NPs tested were not reactive or very slowly reactive with BSA. The mechanisms involved in the oxidation of BSA protein by the reactive NPs could be attributed to the combined effects of ROS-dependent and direct protein oxidation mechanisms. The ELISA assay is a promising method for the assessment of protein oxidation by NPs, which can provide insights on NP toxicity mechanisms. Copyright © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  4. Magneto-transport properties of Co3O4 nanoparticles added (Cu0.5Tl0.5)Ba2Ca2Cu3O10-δ superconducting phase

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Mumtaz, M.; Baig, Mirza Hassan; Waqee-ur-Rehman, M.; Nasir Khan, M.

    2018-05-01

    Solid-state reaction method was used to synthesize Cu0.5Tl0.5Ba2Ca2Cu3O10-δ (CuTl-1223) superconducting phase and sol-gel method was used to prepare cobalt oxide (Co3O4) magnetic nanoparticles. These Co3O4 nanoparticles were added in CuTl-1223 superconducting matrix to get (Co3O4)x/CuTl-1223; x = 0-2.00 wt.% nanoparticles-superconductor composites. The effects of Co3O4 nanoparticles on crystal structure, phase formation, phase purity and infield superconducting transport properties of CuTl-1223 phase were investigated at different operating temperatures and external applied magnetic fields. The crystal structure and phase formation of Co3O4 nanoparticles and CuTl-1223 superconductor were determined by X-ray diffraction (XRD) technique. XRD peaks of Co3O4 nanoparticles were well indexed according to FCC crystal structure and the average particle size of 70 nm was calculated by using Debye-Scherer's formula. The unaltered crystal structure of host CuTl-1223 superconducting phase (i.e. Tetragonal) with the addition of Co3O4 nanoparticles indicated the dispersion of nanoparticles at inter-granular sites. Temperature dependent magneto-transport superconducting properties of (Co3O4)x/CuTl-1223 composites were investigated by zero field cooled (ZFC) and field cooled (FC) magnetic moment versus temperature (M-T) measurements. The onset transition temperatures {TcOnset (K)} was decreased along with the suppression of diamagnetic amplitude of CuTl-1223 superconducting phase with the addition of magnetic Co3O4 nanoparticles. Temperature dependent magnetic hysteresis (M-H loops) measurements of (Co3O4)x/CuTl-1223 composites were carried out at different operating temperatures from 5 K to 150 K. Critical current density (Jc) was calculated from M-H loops measurements by using Bean's model. Like the suppression of TcOnset (K) values, Jc was also decreased with the inclusion of Co3O4 nanoparticles. It was also observed that variation of Jc with H followed the power law Jc =

  5. Properties of CuInS₂ Nano-Particles on TiO₂ by Spray Pyrolysis for CuInS₂/TiO₂ Composite Solar Cell.

    PubMed

    Park, Gye-Choon; Li, Zhen-Yu; Yang, O-Bong

    2017-04-01

    In this letter, for the absorption layer of a CuInS₂/TiO₂ composite solar cell, I–III–VI2 chalcopyrite semiconductor CuInS₂ nano-particles were deposited by using spray pyrolysis method on TiO2 porous film. Their material characteristics including structural and optical properties of CuInS₂ nano-particles on TiO₂ nanorods were analyzed as a function of its composition ratios of Cu:In:S. Crystalline structure, surface morphology and crystalline size were also investigated by X-ray Diffraction (XRD), Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscope (FESEM), and High-Resolution TEM (HRTEM), respectively. On the other hand, optical property was characterized by an UV-Visible Spectrophotometer. As a result, it was found that the size of CuInS₂ nano-particles, which was formed at 300±5 °C, was smaller than 16 nm from HRTEM analyses, and it was identified that the CuInS₂ particle size was increased as increasing the heat-treatment temperature and time. However, as the size of CuInS₂ nano-particle becomes smaller, optical absorption edge of ternary compound film tends to move to the blue wavelength band. It turns out that the optical energy-band gap of the compound films was ranging from 1.48 eV to 1.53 eV.

  6. Radiolabeled, Antibody-Conjugated Manganese Oxide Nanoparticles for Tumor Vasculature Targeted Positron Emission Tomography and Magnetic Resonance Imaging.

    PubMed

    Zhan, Yonghua; Shi, Sixiang; Ehlerding, Emily B; Graves, Stephen A; Goel, Shreya; Engle, Jonathan W; Liang, Jimin; Tian, Jie; Cai, Weibo

    2017-11-08

    Manganese oxide nanoparticles (Mn 3 O 4 NPs) have attracted a great deal of attention in the field of biomedical imaging because of their ability to create an enhanced imaging signal in MRI as novel potent T 1 contrast agents. In this study, we present tumor vasculature-targeted imaging in mice using Mn 3 O 4 NPs through conjugation to the anti-CD105 antibody TRC105 and radionuclide copper-64 ( 64 Cu, t 1/2 : 12.7 h). The Mn 3 O 4 conjugated NPs, 64 Cu-NOTA-Mn 3 O 4 @PEG-TRC105, exhibited sufficient stability in vitro and in vivo. Serial positron emission tomography (PET) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) studies evaluated the pharmacokinetics and demonstrated targeting of 64 Cu-NOTA-Mn 3 O 4 @PEG-TRC105 to 4T1 murine breast tumors in vivo, compared to 64 Cu-NOTA-Mn 3 O 4 @PEG. The specificity of 64 Cu-NOTA-Mn 3 O 4 @PEG-TRC105 for the vascular marker CD105 was confirmed through in vivo, in vitro, and ex vivo experiments. Since Mn 3 O 4 conjugated NPs exhibited desirable properties for T 1 enhanced imaging and low toxicity, the tumor-specific Mn 3 O 4 conjugated NPs reported in this study may serve as promising multifunctional nanoplatforms for precise cancer imaging and diagnosis.

  7. Acute and sub-lethal exposure to copper oxide nanoparticles causes oxidative stress and teratogenicity in zebrafish embryos.

    PubMed

    Ganesan, Santhanamari; Anaimalai Thirumurthi, Naveenkumar; Raghunath, Azhwar; Vijayakumar, Savitha; Perumal, Ekambaram

    2016-04-01

    Nano-copper oxides are a versatile inorganic material. As a result of their versatility, the immense applications and usage end up in the environment causing a concern for the lifespan of various beings. The ambiguities surround globally on the toxic effects of copper oxide nanoparticles (CuO-NPs). Hence, the present study endeavored to study the sub-lethal acute exposure effects on the developing zebrafish embryos. The 48 hpf LC50 value was about 64 ppm. Therefore, we have chosen the sub-lethal dose of 40 and 60 ppm for the study. Accumulation of CuO-NPs was evidenced from the SEM-EDS and AAS analyzes. The alterations in the AChE and Na(+)/K(+)-ATPase activities disrupted the development process. An increment in the levels of oxidants with a concomitant decrease in the antioxidant enzymes confirmed the induction of oxidative stress. Oxidative stress triggered apoptosis in the exposed embryos. Developmental anomalies were observed with CuO-NPs exposure in addition to oxidative stress in the developing embryos. Decreased heart rate and hatching delay hindered the normal developmental processes. Our work has offered valuable data on the connection between oxidative stress and teratogenicity leading to lethality caused by CuO-NPs. A further molecular mechanism unraveling the uncharted connection between oxidative stress and teratogenicity will aid in the safe use of CuO-NPs. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  8. Incorporation of copper nanoparticles into paper for point-of-use water purification

    PubMed Central

    Smith, James A.

    2014-01-01

    As a cost-effective alternative to silver nanoparticles, we have investigated the use of copper nanoparticles in paper filters for point-of-use water purification. This work reports an environmentally benign method for the direct in situ preparation of copper nanoparticles (CuNPs) in paper by reducing sorbed copper ions with ascorbic acid. Copper nanoparticles were quickly formed in less than 10 minutes and were well distributed on the paper fiber surfaces. Paper sheets were characterized by x-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy, and atomic absorption spectroscopy. Antibacterial activity of the CuNP sheets was assessed for by passing Escherichia coli bacteria suspensions through the papers. The effluent was analyzed for viable bacteria and copper release. The CuNP papers with higher copper content showed a high bacteria reduction of log 8.8 for E. coli. The paper sheets containing copper nanoparticles were effective in inactivating the test bacteria as they passed through the paper. The copper levels released in the effluent water were below the recommended limit for copper in drinking water (1 ppm). PMID:25014431

  9. Structural properties of perovskite films on zinc oxide nanoparticles-reduced graphene oxide (ZnO-NPs/rGO) prepared by electrophoretic deposition technique

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bahtiar, Ayi; Nurazizah, Euis Siti; Latiffah, Efa; Risdiana, Furukawa, Yukio

    2018-02-01

    Perovskite solar cells highly believed as next generation solar cells to replace currently available inorganic silicon solar cells due to their high power conversion efficiency and easy processing to thin films using solution processing techniques. Performance and stability, however still need to be improved for mass production and widely used for public electricity generation. Perovskite solar cells are commonly deposited on Titanium Dioxide (TiO2) film as an effective electron transport layer (ETL). We used Zinc Oxide nanoparticles (ZnO-NPs) as ETL in perovskite solar cells due to the low temperature required for crystallization and can be formed into different shapes of nanostructures. However, perovskite film can easily degrade into insulating lead iodide due to deprotonation of the methylammoniumcation at the surface of ZnO-NPs, in particular when it stored in ambient air with high relative humidity. The degradation of perovskite layer is therefore needed to be overcome. Here, we capped ZnO-NPs with reduced graphene oxide (rGO) to overcome the degradation of perovskite film where ZnO-NPs is synthesized by sol-gel method. The average nanoparticle size of ZnO is 15 nm. ZnO-NPs and ZnO-NPs-rGO films are prepared using electrophoretic deposition technique, which can produce large area with good homogeneity and high reproducibility. The stability of perovskite layer can significantly be improved by capping ZnO with rGO, which is indicated by absence of color change of perovskite after storage for 5 (five) days in ambient air with relative humidity above 95%. Moreover, the X-Ray Diffaction peaks of perovskite film are more preserved when deposited on ZnO/rGO film than using only ZnO film. We strongly believe, by capping ZnO film with rGO, both the performance and stability of perovskite solar cells can be improved significantly.

  10. Using thermal energy produced by irradiation of Mn-Zn ferrite magnetic nanoparticles (MZF-NPs) for heat-inducible gene expression.

    PubMed

    Tang, Qiu-sha; Zhang, Dong-sheng; Cong, Xiao-ming; Wan, Mei-ling; Jin, Li-qiang

    2008-06-01

    One of the main advantages of gene therapy over traditional therapy is the potential to target the expression of therapeutic genes in desired cells or tissues. To achieve targeted gene expression, we developed a novel heat-inducible gene expression system in which thermal energy generated by Mn-Zn ferrite magnetic nanoparticles (MZF-NPs) under an alternating magnetic field (AMF) was used to activate gene expression. MZF-NPs, obtained by co-precipitation method, were firstly surface modified with cation poly(ethylenimine) (PEI). Then thermodynamic test of various doses of MZF-NPs was preformed in vivo and in vitro. PEI-MZF-NPs showed good DNA binding ability and high transfection efficiency. In AMF, they could rise to a steady temperature. To analyze the heat-induced gene expression under an AMF, we combined P1730OR vector transfection with hyperthermia produced by irradiation of MZF-NPs. By using LacZ gene as a reporter gene and Hsp70 as a promoter, it was demonstrated that expression of a heterogeneous gene could be elevated to 10 to 500-fold over background by moderate hyperthermia (added 12.24 or 25.81 mg MZF-NPs to growth medium) in tissue cultured cells. When injected with 2.6 or 4.6 mg MZF-NPs, the temperature of tumor-bearing nude mice could rise to 39.5 or 42.8 degrees C, respectively, and the beta-gal concentration could increase up to 3.8 or 8.1 mU/mg proteins accordingly 1 day after hyperthermia treatment. Our results therefore supported hyperthermia produced by irradiation of MZF-NPs under an AMF as a feasible approach for targeted heat-induced gene expression. This novel system made use of the relative low Curie point of MZF-NPs to control the in vivo hyperthermia temperature and therefore acquired safe and effective heat-inducible transgene expression.

  11. CuO nanoparticles encapsulated inside Al-MCM-41 mesoporous materials via direct synthetic route

    PubMed Central

    Huo, Chengli; Ouyang, Jing; Yang, Huaming

    2014-01-01

    Highly ordered aluminum-containing mesoporous silica (Al-MCM-41) was prepared using attapulgite clay mineral as a Si and Al source. Mesoporous complexes embedded with CuO nanoparticles were subsequently prepared using various copper sources and different copper loadings in a direct synthetic route. The resulting CuO/Al-MCM-41 composite possessed p6mm hexagonally symmetry, well-developed mesoporosity, and relatively high BET surface area. In comparison to pure silica, these mesoporous materials embedded with CuO nanoparticles exhibited smaller pore diameter, thicker pore wall, and enhanced thermal stability. Long-range order in the aforementioned samples was observed for copper weight percentages as high as 30%. Furthermore, a significant blue shift of the absorption edge for the samples was observed when compared with that of bulk CuO. H2-TPR measurements showed that the direct-synthesized CuO/Al-MCM-41 exhibited remarkable redox properties compared to the post-synthesized samples, and most of the CuO nanoparticles were encapsulated within the mesoporous structures. The possible interaction between CuO and Al-MCM-41 was also investigated. PMID:24419589

  12. X-ray Spectroscopy Uncovering the Effects of Cu Based Nanoparticle Concentration and Structure on Phaseolus vulgaris Germination and Seedling Development.

    PubMed

    Duran, Nádia M; Savassa, Susilaine M; Lima, Rafael Giovanini de; de Almeida, Eduardo; Linhares, Francisco S; van Gestel, Cornelis A M; Pereira de Carvalho, Hudson W

    2017-09-13

    Nanoparticles properties such as solubility, tunable surface charges, and singular reactivity might be explored to improve the performance of fertilizers. Nevertheless, these unique properties may also bring risks to the environment since the fate of nanoparticles is poorly understood. This study investigated the impact of a range of CuO nanoparticles sizes and concentrations on the germination and seedling development of Phaseolus vulgaris L. Nanoparticles did not affect seed germination, but seedling weight gain was promoted by 100 mg Cu L -1 and inhibited by 1 000 mg Cu L -1 of 25 nm CuO and CuSO 4 . Most of the Cu taken up remained in the seed coat with Cu hotspots in the hilum. X-ray absorption spectroscopy unraveled that most of the Cu remained in its pristine form. The higher surface reactivity of the 25 nm CuO nanoparticles might be responsible for its deleterious effects. The present study therefore highlights the importance of the nanoparticle structure for its physiological impacts.

  13. Effects of copper nanoparticle exposure on host defense in a murine pulmonary infection model

    PubMed Central

    2011-01-01

    Background Human exposure to nanoparticles (NPs) and environmental bacteria can occur simultaneously. NPs induce inflammatory responses and oxidative stress but may also have immune-suppressive effects, impairing macrophage function and altering epithelial barrier functions. The purpose of this study was to assess the potential pulmonary effects of inhalation and instillation exposure to copper (Cu) NPs using a model of lung inflammation and host defense. Methods We used Klebsiella pneumoniae (K.p.) in a murine lung infection model to determine if pulmonary bacterial clearance is enhanced or impaired by Cu NP exposure. Two different exposure modes were tested: sub-acute inhalation (4 hr/day, 5 d/week for 2 weeks, 3.5 mg/m3) and intratracheal instillation (24 hr post-exposure, 3, 35, and 100 μg/mouse). Pulmonary responses were evaluated by lung histopathology plus measurement of differential cell counts, total protein, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) activity, and inflammatory cytokines in bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid. Results Cu NP exposure induced inflammatory responses with increased recruitment of total cells and neutrophils to the lungs as well as increased total protein and LDH activity in BAL fluid. Both inhalation and instillation exposure to Cu NPs significantly decreased the pulmonary clearance of K.p.-exposed mice measured 24 hr after bacterial infection following Cu NP exposure versus sham-exposed mice also challenged with K.p (1.4 × 105 bacteria/mouse). Conclusions Cu NP exposure impaired host defense against bacterial lung infections and induced a dose-dependent decrease in bacterial clearance in which even our lowest dose demonstrated significantly lower clearance than observed in sham-exposed mice. Thus, exposure to Cu NPs may increase the risk of pulmonary infection. PMID:21943386

  14. Gene transcription patterns and energy reserves in Daphnia magna show no nanoparticle specific toxicity when exposed to ZnO and CuO nanoparticles.

    PubMed

    Adam, Nathalie; Vergauwen, Lucia; Blust, Ronny; Knapen, Dries

    2015-04-01

    There is still a lot of contradiction on whether metal ions are solely responsible for the observed toxicity of ZnO and CuO nanoparticles to aquatic species. While most experiments have studied nanoparticle effects at organismal levels (e.g. mortality, reproduction), effects at lower levels of biological organization may clarify the role of metal ions, nanoparticles and nanoparticle aggregates. In this study, the effect of ZnO and CuO nanoparticles was tested at two lower levels: energy reserves and gene transcription and compared with zinc and copper salts. Daphnia magna was exposed during 96h to 10% immobilization concentrations of all chemicals, after which daphnids were sampled for determination of glycogen, lipid and protein concentration and for a differential gene transcription analysis using microarray. The dissolved, nanoparticle and aggregated fraction in the medium was characterized. The results showed that ZnO nanoparticles had largely dissolved directly after addition to the test medium. The CuO nanoparticles mostly formed aggregates, while only a small fraction dissolved. The exposure to zinc (both nano and metal salt) had no effect on the available energy reserves. However, in the copper exposure, the glycogen, lipid and protein concentration in the exposed daphnids was lower than in the unexposed ones. When comparing the nanoparticle (ZnO or CuO) exposed daphnids to the metal salt (zinc or copper salt) exposed daphnids, the microarray results showed no significantly differentially transcribed gene fragments. The results indicate that under the current exposure conditions the toxicity of ZnO and CuO nanoparticles to D. magna is solely caused by toxic metal ions. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  15. Spectral features and antibacterial properties of Cu-doped ZnO nanoparticles prepared by sol-gel method

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Alireza, Samavati; A, F. Ismail; Hadi, Nur; Z, Othaman; M, K. Mustafa

    2016-07-01

    Zn1-x Cu x O (x = 0.00, 0.01, 0.03, and 0.05) nanoparticles are synthesized via the sol-gel technique using gelatin and nitrate precursors. The impact of copper concentration on the structural, optical, and antibacterial properties of these nanoparticles is demonstrated. Powder x-ray diffraction investigations have illustrated the organized Cu doping into ZnO nanoparticles up to Cu concentration of 5% (x = 0.05). However, the peak corresponding to CuO for x = 0.01 is not distinguishable. The images of field emission scanning electron microscopy demonstrate the existence of a nearly spherical shape with a size in the range of 30-52 nm. Doping Cu creates the Cu-O-Zn on the surface and results in a decrease in the crystallite size. Photoluminescence and absorption spectra display that doping Cu causes an increment in the energy band gap. The antibacterial activities of the nanoparticles are examined against Escherichia coli (Gram negative bacteria) cultures using optical density at 600 nm and a comparison of the size of inhibition zone diameter. It is found that both pure and doped ZnO nanoparticles indicate appropriate antibacterial activity which rises with Cu doping. Project supported by the Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) (Grant No. R. J1300000.7809.4F626). Dr. Samavati is thankful to RMC for postdoctoral grants.

  16. Role of Au(NPs) in the enhanced response of Au(NPs)-decorated MWCNT electrochemical biosensor

    PubMed Central

    Mehmood, Shahid; Ciancio, Regina; Carlino, Elvio; Bhatti, Arshad S

    2018-01-01

    Background The combination of Au-metallic-NPs and CNTs are a new class of hybrid nanomaterials for the development of electrochemical biosensor. Concentration of Au(nanoparticles [NPs]) in the electrochemical biosensor is crucial for the efficient charge transfer between the Au-NPs-MWCNTs modified electrode and electrolytic solution. Methods In this work, the charge transfer kinetics in the glassy carbon electrode (GCE) modified with Au(NPs)–multiwalled carbon nanotube (MWCNT) nanohybrid with varied concentrations of Au(NPs) in the range 40–100 nM was studied using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). Field emission scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy confirmed the attachment of Au(NPs) on the surface of MWCNTs. Results The cyclic voltammetry and EIS results showed that the charge transfer mechanism was diffusion controlled and the rate of charge transfer was dependent on the concentration of Au(NPs) in the nanohybrid. The formation of spherical diffusion zone, which was dependent on the concentration of Au(NPs) in nanohybrids, was attributed to result in 3 times the increase in the charge transfer rate ks, 5 times increase in mass transfer, and 5% (9%) increase in Ipa (Ipc) observed in cyclic voltammetry in 80 nM Au(NP) nanohybrid-modified GCE from MWCNT-modified GCE. The work was extended to probe the effect of charge transfer rates at various concentrations of Au(NPs) in the nanohybrid-modified electrodes in the presence of Escherichia coli. The cyclic voltammetry results clearly showed the best results for 80 nM Au(NPs) in nanohybrid electrode. Conclusion The present study suggested that the formation of spherical diffusion zone in nanohybrid-modified electrodes is critical for the enhanced electrochemical biosensing applications. PMID:29713161

  17. Biodynamics of copper oxide nanoparticles and copper ions in an oligochaete - Part II: Subcellular distribution following sediment exposure

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Thit, Amalie; Ramskov, Tina; Croteau, Marie-Noele; Selck, Henriette

    2016-01-01

    The use and likely incidental release of metal nanoparticles (NPs) is steadily increasing. Despite the increasing amount of published literature on metal NP toxicity in the aquatic environment, very little is known about the biological fate of NPs after sediment exposures. Here, we compare the bioavailability and subcellular distribution of copper oxide (CuO) NPs and aqueous Cu (Cu-Aq) in the sediment-dwelling worm Lumbriculus variegatus. Ten days (d) sediment exposure resulted in marginal Cu bioaccumulation in L. variegatus for both forms of Cu. Bioaccumulation was detected because isotopically enriched 65Cu was used as a tracer. Neither burrowing behavior or survival was affected by the exposure. Once incorporated into tissue, Cu loss was negligible over 10 d of elimination in clean sediment (Cu elimination rate constants were not different from zero). With the exception of day 10, differences in bioaccumulation and subcellular distribution between Cu forms were either not detectable or marginal. After 10 d of exposure to Cu-Aq, the accumulated Cu was primarily partitioned in the subcellular fraction containing metallothionein-like proteins (MTLP, ≈40%) and cellular debris (CD, ≈30%). Cu concentrations in these fractions were significantly higher than in controls. For worms exposed to CuO NPs for 10 d, most of the accumulated Cu was partitioned in the CD fraction (≈40%), which was the only subcellular fraction where the Cu concentration was significantly higher than for the control group. Our results indicate that L. variegatus handle the two Cu forms differently. However, longer-term exposures are suggested in order to clearly highlight differences in the subcellular distribution of these two Cu forms.

  18. Complete transformation of ZnO and CuO nanoparticles in culture medium and lymphocyte cells during toxicity testing.

    PubMed

    Ivask, Angela; Scheckel, Kirk G; Kapruwan, Pankaj; Stone, Vicki; Yin, Hong; Voelcker, Nicolas H; Lombi, Enzo

    2017-03-01

    Here, we present evidence on complete transformation of ZnO and CuO nanoparticles, which are among the most heavily studied metal oxide particles, during 24 h in vitro toxicological testing with human T-lymphocytes. Synchrotron radiation-based X-ray absorption near edge structure (XANES) spectroscopy results revealed that Zn speciation profiles of 30 nm and 80 nm ZnO nanoparticles, and ZnSO 4 - exposed cells were almost identical with the prevailing species being Zn-cysteine. This suggests that ZnO nanoparticles are rapidly transformed during a standard in vitro toxicological assay, and are sequestered intracellularly, analogously to soluble Zn. Complete transformation of ZnO in the test conditions was further supported by almost identical Zn spectra in medium to which ZnO nanoparticles or ZnSO 4 was added. Likewise, Cu XANES spectra for CuO and CuSO 4 -exposed cells and cell culture media were similar. These results together with our observation on similar toxicological profiles of ZnO and soluble Zn, and CuO and soluble Cu, underline the importance of dissolution and subsequent transformation of ZnO and CuO nanoparticles during toxicological testing and provide evidence that the nano-specific effect of ZnO and CuO nanoparticles is negligible in this system. We strongly suggest to account for this aspect when interpreting the toxicological results of ZnO and CuO nanoparticles.

  19. Structural, chemical and optical evaluation of Cu-doped ZnO nanoparticles synthesized by an aqueous solution method

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

    Iribarren, A., E-mail: augusto@imre.oc.uh.cu; Hernández-Rodríguez, E.; Maqueira, L.

    Highlights: • Cu-doped ZnO nanoparticles obtained by chemical synthesis. • Substitutional or interstitial Cu into ZnO lead specific structural, chemical, and optical changes. • Incorporation efficiency of Cu atoms in ZnO as a function of the Cu concentration in the precursor dissolution. - Abstract: In this work a study of ZnO and Cu-doped ZnO nanoparticles obtained by chemical synthesis in aqueous media was carried out. Structural analysis gave the dominant presence of wurtzite ZnO phase forming a solid solution Zn{sub 1−x}Cu{sub x}O. For high Cu doping CuO phase is also present. For low Cu concentration the lattice shrinks due tomore » Cu atoms substitute Zn atoms. For high Cu concentration the lattice enlarges due to predominance of interstitial Cu. From elemental analysis we determined and analyzed the incorporation efficiency of Cu atoms in Zn{sub 1−x}Cu{sub x}O as a function of the Cu concentration in the precursor dissolution. Combining structural and chemical results we described the Cu/Zn precursor concentrations r{sub w} in which the solid solution of Cu in ZnO is predominant. In the region located at r{sub w} ≈ 0.2–0.3 it is no longer valid. For Cu/Zn precursor concentration r{sub w} > 0.3 interstitial Cu dominates, and some amount of copper oxide appears. As the Cu concentration increases, the effective size of nanoparticles decreases. Photoluminescence (PL) measurements of the Cu-doped ZnO nanoparticles were carried out and analyzed.« less

  20. Nitrogen-doped graphene network supported copper nanoparticles encapsulated with graphene shells for surface-enhanced Raman scattering.

    PubMed

    Zhang, Xiang; Shi, Chunsheng; Liu, Enzuo; Li, Jiajun; Zhao, Naiqin; He, Chunnian

    2015-10-28

    In this study, we demonstrated nitrogen-doped graphene network supported few-layered graphene shell encapsulated Cu nanoparticles (NPs) (Cu@G-NGNs) as a sensing platform, which were constructed by a simple and scalable in situ chemical vapor deposition (CVD) technique with the assistance of a self-assembled three-dimensional (3D) NaCl template. Compared with pure Cu NPs and graphene decorated Cu NPs, the graphene shells can strengthen the plasmonic coupling between graphene and Cu, thereby contributing to an obvious improvement in the local electromagnetic field that was validated by finite element numerical simulations, while the 3D nitrogen-doped graphene walls with a large surface area facilitated molecule adsorption and the doped nitrogen atoms embedded in the graphene lattice can reduce the surface energy of the system. With these merits, a good surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) activity of the 3D Cu@G-NGN painting film on glass was demonstrated using rhodamine 6G and crystal violet as model analytes, exhibiting a satisfactory sensitivity, reproducibility and stability. As far as we know, this is the first report on the in situ synthesis of nitrogen-doped graphene/copper nanocomposites and this facile and low-cost Cu-based strategy tends to be a good supplement to Ag and Au based substrates for SERS applications.

  1. Determination of ampicillin sodium using the cupric oxide nanoparticles-luminol-H2 O2 chemiluminescence reaction.

    PubMed

    Iranifam, Mortaza; Kharameh, Merhnaz Khabbaz

    2014-09-01

    A simple and sensitive chemiluminescence (CL) method has been developed for the determination of ampicillin sodium at submicromolar levels. The method is based on the inhibitory effect of ampicillin sodium on the cupric oxide nanoparticles (CuO NPs)-luminol-H2 O2 CL reaction. Experimental parameters affecting CL inhibition including concentrations of CuO NPs, luminol, H2 O2 and NaOH were optimized. Under optimum conditions, the calibration plot was linear in the analyte concentration range 4.0 × 10(-7) -4.0 × 10(-6) mol/L. The limit of detection was 2.6 × 10(-7) mol/L and the relative standard deviation (RSD) for six replicate determinations of 1 × 10(-6) mol/L ampicillin sodium was 4.71%. Also, X-ray diffraction (XRD) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) analysis were employed to characterize the CuO NPs. The utility of the proposed method was demonstrated by determining ampicillin sodium in pharmaceutical preparation. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  2. Controllably annealed CuO-nanoparticle modified ITO electrodes: Characterisation and electrochemical studies

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wang, Tong; Su, Wen; Fu, Yingyi; Hu, Jingbo

    2016-12-01

    In this paper, we report a facile and controllable two-step approach to produce indium tin oxide electrodes modified by copper(II) oxide nanoparticles (CuO/ITO) through ion implantation and annealing methods. After annealing treatment, the surface morphology of the CuO/ITO substrate changed remarkably and exhibited highly electroactive sites and a high specific surface area. The effects of annealing treatment on the synthesis of CuO/ITO were discussed based on various instruments' characterisations, and the possible mechanism by which CuO nanoparticles were generated was also proposed in this work. Cyclic voltammetric results indicated that CuO/ITO electrodes exhibited effective catalytic responses toward glucose in alkaline solution. Under optimal experimental conditions, the proposed CuO/ITO electrode showed sensitivity of 450.2 μA cm-2 mM-1 with a linear range of up to ∼4.4 mM and a detection limit of 0.7 μM (S/N = 3). Moreover, CuO/ITO exhibited good poison resistance, reproducibility, and stability properties.

  3. Role of Co3O4 Nanoparticles in Dielectric Properties of Cu0.5Tl0.5Ba2Ca2Cu3O10-δ Superconducting Phase

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Imran, M.; Mumtaz, M.; Naveed, M.; Khan, M. Nasir

    2018-04-01

    Cobalt oxide (Co3O4) nanoparticles and Cu0.5Tl0.5Ba2Ca2Cu3O10-δ (CuTl-1223) superconducting phase were prepared by sol-gel and solid-state reaction methods, respectively. Co3O4 nanoparticles were added in CuTl-1223 superconducting matrix to get (Co3O4)x/CuTl-1223, x = 0-2.0 wt.%, nanoparticles-superconductor composites. The unchanged crystal structure of the host CuTl-1223 superconducting phase (i.e. tetragonal) revealed that Co3O4 nanoparticles were settled at the grain boundaries. Superconducting properties of the CuTl-1223 phase were overall suppressed due to hole-charge carriers interaction at the grain boundaries. The dielectric properties of (Co3O4)x/CuTl-1223 composites were investigated by varying the test frequencies from 40 Hz to 100 MHz and operating temperatures from 77 to 298 K. The values of dielectric properties were found maximal at lower frequencies and started to decrease at higher frequencies. So, the dielectric properties of the CuTl-1223 superconducting phase can be tuned by varying the contents of (Co3O4) nanoparticles, test frequencies as well as operating temperatures.

  4. Thermoluminescence dosimetry properties of new Cu doped CaF(2) nanoparticles.

    PubMed

    Zahedifar, M; Sadeghi, E

    2013-12-01

    Nanoparticles of Cu-doped calcium fluoride were synthesised by using the hydrothermal method. The structure of the prepared nanomaterial was characterised by the X-ray diffraction (XRD) pattern and energy dispersive spectrometer. The particle size of 36 nm was calculated from the XRD data. Its shape and size were also observed by scanning electron microscope. Thermoluminescence (TL) and photoluminescence of the produced phosphor were also considered. The computerised glow curve deconvolution procedure was used to identify the number of glow peaks included in the TL glow curve of the CaF2:Cu nanoparticles. The TL glow curve contains two overlapping glow peaks at ∼413 and 451 K. The TL response of this phosphor was studied for different Cu concentrations and the maximum sensitivity was found at 1 mol% of Cu impurity. Other dosimetric characteristics of the synthesised nanophosphor are also presented and discussed.

  5. MoS{sub 2} nanosheet functionalized with Cu nanoparticles and its application for glucose detection

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

    Huang, Jingwei; Dong, Zhengping; Gansu Provincial Engineering Laboratory for Chemical Catalysis, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000

    Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • First report on decorating MoS{sub 2} nanosheet with Cu nanoparticles by chemical reduction. • Cu nanoparticles were uniformly decorated on MoS{sub 2} nanosheet. • Glucose biosensor based on copper nanoparticles-MoS{sub 2} nanosheet hybrid is fabricated. • The biosensor exhibits high sensitivity. - Abstract: For the first time, Cu nanoparticles were evenly decorated on MoS{sub 2} nanosheet by chemical reduction. The as-prepared Cu-MoS{sub 2} hybrid was characterized by atomic force microscope (AFM), Raman spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and then used to fabricate a non-enzymatic glucose sensor. The performance of our sensor wasmore » investigated by cyclic voltammetry and amperometric measurement in alkaline media. Electrochemical tests showed that Cu-MoS{sub 2} hybrid exhibited synergistic electrocatalytic activity on the oxidation of glucose with a high sensitivity of 1055 μA mM{sup −1} cm{sup −2} and a linear range up to 4 mM.« less

  6. Activated carbon-supported CuO nanoparticles: a hybrid material for carbon dioxide adsorption

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Boruban, Cansu; Esenturk, Emren Nalbant

    2018-03-01

    Activated carbon-supported copper(II) oxide (CuO) nanoparticles were synthesized by simple impregnation method to improve carbon dioxide (CO2) adsorption capacity of the support. The structural and chemical properties of the hybrid material were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray (EDX), X-ray diffraction (https://www.google.com.tr/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=3&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0CCsQFjAC&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.intertek.com%2Fanalytical-laboratories%2Fxrd%2F&ei=-5WZVYSCHISz7Aatqq-IAw&usg=AFQjCNFBlk-9wqy49foh8tskmbD-GGbG9g&sig2=eKrhYjO75rl_Id2sLGpq4w&bvm=bv.96952980,d.bGg) (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS), and Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) analyses. The analyses showed that CuO nanoparticles are well-distributed on the activated carbon surface. The CO2 adsorption behavior of the activated carbon-supported CuO nanoparticles was observed by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), temperature programmed desorption (TPD), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), and BET analyses. The results showed that CuO nanoparticle loading on activated carbon led to about 70% increase in CO2 adsorption capacity of activated carbon under standard conditions (1 atm and 298 K). The main contributor to the observed increase is an improvement in chemical adsorption of CO2 due to the presence of CuO nanoparticles on activated carbon.

  7. Structural properties of CuAu nanoparticles with different type. Molecular dynamic simulations

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Chepkasov, I. V.; Baidyshev, V. S.; Baev, A. Y.

    2018-05-01

    The paper is devoted to the thermal stability of a CuAu nanoparticles structure (D=5 nm) of various type (binary alloy, core-shell, "Janus" type) and of various percentage of copper atoms. The simulation was carried out with molecular dynamics, using the embedded atom potential. The authors defined the most preferable structural options from the standpoint of thermodynamics, as well as studied in detail the influence of different temperatures on the structural stability of CuAu nanoparticles.

  8. An Efficient and Straightforward Method for Radiolabeling of Nanoparticles with {sup 64}Cu via Click Chemistry

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

    Lee, Dong-Eun; Kim, Kwangmeyung; Park, Sang Hyun

    2015-07-01

    Recently, nanoparticles have received a great deal of interest in diagnosis and therapy applications. Since nanoparticles possess intrinsic features that are often required for a drug delivery system and diagnosis, they have potential to be used as platforms for integrating imaging and therapeutic functions, simultaneously. Intrinsic issues that are associated with theranostic nanoparticles, particularly in cancer treatment, include an efficient and straightforward radiolabeling method for understanding the in vivo biodistribution of nanoparticles to reach the tumor region, and monitoring therapeutic responses. Herein, we investigated a facile and highly efficient strategy to prepare radiolabeled nanoparticles with {sup 64}Cu via a strain-promotedmore » azide, i.e., an alkyne cycloaddition strategy, which is often referred to as click chemistry. First, the azide (N3) group, which allows for the preparation of radiolabeled nanoparticles by copper-free click chemistry, was incorporated into glycol chitosan nanoparticles (CNPs). Second, the strained cyclooctyne derivative, dibenzyl cyclooctyne (DBCO) conjugated with a 1,4,7,10-tetraazacyclododecane- 1,4,7,10-tetraacetic acid (DOTA) chelator, was synthesized for preparing the pre-radiolabeled alkyne complex with {sup 64}Cu radionuclide. Following incubation with the {sup 64}Cu-radiolabeled DBCO complex (DBCO-PEG4-Lys-DOTA-{sup 64}Cu with high specific activity, 18.5 GBq/μ mol), the azide-functionalized CNPs were radiolabeled successfully with {sup 64}Cu, with a high radiolabeling efficiency and a high radiolabeling yield (>98%). Importantly, the radiolabeling of CNPs by copper-free click chemistry was accomplished within 30 min, with great efficiency in aqueous conditions. After {sup 64}Cu-CNPs were intravenously administered to tumor-bearing mice, the real time, in vivo biodistribution and tumor-targeting ability of {sup 64}Cu-CNPs were quantitatively evaluated by micro-PET images of tumor-bearing mice. These

  9. Influence of nanoparticle concentration on thermo-physical properties of CuO-propylene glycol nanofluids.

    PubMed

    Suganthi, Kuppusamy Swaminathan; Radhakrishnan, Anju K; Anusha, Natarajan; Rajan, Kalpoondi Sekar

    2014-06-01

    Experiments were performed on the preparation and characterization of CuO-propylene glycol nanofluids. The influence of nanoparticle concentration and temperature on nanofluid viscosity reveals existence of a range of nanoparticle concentration and temperature in which the viscosity of nanofluid is lower than that of propylene glycol, possibly due to interactions between nanoparticles and propylene glycol. A temperature-independent, thermal conductivity enhancement of 38% was obtained for nanoparticle concentration of 1.5 vol% over a temperature range of 10-60 degrees C. We believe that particle clustering contributes to the thermal conductivity enhancement in CuO-propylene glycol nanofluids.

  10. Nanostructured CuS networks composed of interconnected nanoparticles for asymmetric supercapacitors.

    PubMed

    Fu, Wenbin; Han, Weihua; Zha, Heming; Mei, Junfeng; Li, Yunxia; Zhang, Zemin; Xie, Erqing

    2016-09-21

    Nanostructured metal sulfides with excellent electrochemical activity and electrical conductivity are particularly promising for applications in high-performance energy storage devices. Here, we report on the facile synthesis of nanostructured CuS networks composed of interconnected nanoparticles as novel battery-type materials for asymmetric supercapacitors. We find that the CuS networks exhibit a high specific capacity of 49.8 mA g(-1) at a current density of 1 A g(-1), good rate capability and cycle stability. The superior performance could be attributed to the interconnected nanoparticles of CuS networks, which can facilitate electrolyte diffusion and provide fast electron pathways. Furthermore, an aqueous asymmetric supercapacitor has been assembled by using the CuS networks as the positive electrode and activated carbon as the negative electrode. The assembled device can work at a high operating voltage of 1.6 V and show a maximum energy density of 17.7 W h kg(-1) at a power density of 504 W kg(-1). This study indicates that the CuS networks have great potential for supercapacitor applications.

  11. Controlling the Nanoscale Patterning of AuNPs on Silicon Surfaces

    PubMed Central

    Williams, Sophie E.; Davies, Philip R.; Bowen, Jenna L.; Allender, Chris J.

    2013-01-01

    This study evaluates the effectiveness of vapour-phase deposition for creating sub-monolayer coverage of aminopropyl triethoxysilane (APTES) on silicon in order to exert control over subsequent gold nanoparticle deposition. Surface coverage was evaluated indirectly by observing the extent to which gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) deposited onto the modified silicon surface. By varying the distance of the silicon wafer from the APTES source and concentration of APTES in the evaporating media, control over subsequent gold nanoparticle deposition was achievable to an extent. Fine control over AuNP deposition (AuNPs/μm2) however, was best achieved by adjusting the ionic concentration of the AuNP-depositing solution. Furthermore it was demonstrated that although APTES was fully removed from the silicon surface following four hours incubation in water, the gold nanoparticle-amino surface complex was stable under the same conditions. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) were used to study these affects. PMID:28348330

  12. Dynamic XPS measurements of ultrathin polyelectrolyte films containing antibacterial Ag–Cu nanoparticles

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

    Taner-Camcı, Merve; Suzer, Sefik, E-mail: suzer@fen.bilkent.edu.tr

    Ultrathin films consisting of polyelectrolyte layers prepared by layer-by-layer deposition technique and containing also Ag and Cu nanoparticles exhibit superior antibacterial activity toward Escherichia coli. These films have been investigated with XPS measurements under square wave excitation at two different frequencies, in order to further our understanding about the chemical/physical nature of the nanoparticles. Dubbed as dynamical XPS, such measurements bring out similarities and differences among the surface structures by correlating the binding energy shifts of the corresponding XPS peaks. Accordingly, it is observed that the Cu2p, Ag3d of the metal nanoparticles, and S2p of cysteine, the stabilizer and themore » capping agent, exhibit similar shifts. On the other hand, the C1s, N1s, and S2p peaks of the polyelectrolyte layers shift differently. This finding leads us the claim that the Ag and Cu atoms are in a nanoalloy structure, capped with cystein, as opposed to phase separated entities.« less

  13. Precisely controlled fabrication, manipulation and in-situ analysis of Cu based nanoparticles.

    PubMed

    Martínez, L; Lauwaet, K; Santoro, G; Sobrado, J M; Peláez, R J; Herrero, V J; Tanarro, I; Ellis, G J; Cernicharo, J; Joblin, C; Huttel, Y; Martín-Gago, J A

    2018-05-08

    The increasing demand for nanostructured materials is mainly motivated by their key role in a wide variety of technologically relevant fields such as biomedicine, green sustainable energy or catalysis. We have succeeded to scale-up a type of gas aggregation source, called a multiple ion cluster source, for the generation of complex, ultra-pure nanoparticles made of different materials. The high production rates achieved (tens of g/day) for this kind of gas aggregation sources, and the inherent ability to control the structure of the nanoparticles in a controlled environment, make this equipment appealing for industrial purposes, a highly coveted aspect since the introduction of this type of sources. Furthermore, our innovative UHV experimental station also includes in-flight manipulation and processing capabilities by annealing, acceleration, or interaction with background gases along with in-situ characterization of the clusters and nanoparticles fabricated. As an example to demonstrate some of the capabilities of this new equipment, herein we present the fabrication of copper nanoparticles and their processing, including the controlled oxidation (from Cu 0 to CuO through Cu 2 O, and their mixtures) at different stages in the machine.

  14. Incorporation of copper nanoparticles into paper for point-of-use water purification.

    PubMed

    Dankovich, Theresa A; Smith, James A

    2014-10-15

    As a cost-effective alternative to silver nanoparticles, we have investigated the use of copper nanoparticles in paper filters for point-of-use water purification. This work reports an environmentally benign method for the direct in situ preparation of copper nanoparticles (CuNPs) in paper by reducing sorbed copper ions with ascorbic acid. Copper nanoparticles were quickly formed in less than 10 min and were well distributed on the paper fiber surfaces. Paper sheets were characterized by x-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy, and atomic absorption spectroscopy. Antibacterial activity of the CuNP sheets was assessed for by passing Escherichia coli bacteria suspensions through the papers. The effluent was analyzed for viable bacteria and copper release. The CuNP papers with higher copper content showed a high bacteria reduction of log 8.8 for E. coli. The paper sheets containing copper nanoparticles were effective in inactivating the test bacteria as they passed through the paper. The copper levels released in the effluent water were below the recommended limit for copper in drinking water (1 ppm). Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  15. Mesoporous TiO2 and copper-modified TiO2 nanoparticles: A case study

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ajay Kumar, R.; Vasavi Dutt, V. G.; Rajesh, Ch.

    2018-02-01

    In this paper we report the synthesis of mesoporous titanium dioxide (M-TiO2) nanoparticles (NPs) and copper (Cu)-modified M-TiO2 NPs by the hydrothermal method at relatively low temperatures using cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) as a template. In order to get ordered spherical particles and better interaction between cationic and anionic precursor, we have used titanium isopropoxide (TTIP) as titanium source and CTAB as surfactant. The process of modification by copper to M-TiO2 follows the impregnation method. The change in structural and optical properties of NPs were estimated using different characterization techniques like X-ray diffraction, field emission scanning electron microscopy, Brunner-Emmett-Teller curve and UV-Vis absorption analysis. M-TiO2 and Cu-modified M-TiO2 exhibit pure anatase crystalline phase and shows no evidence of CuO formation. Nitrogen adsorption-desorption hysteresis reveals that the material is mesoporous. Several samples synthesized at different process temperature were further studied in order to make them suitable for a wide range of applications.

  16. Visual detection of copper(II) ions in blood samples by controlling the leaching of protein-capped gold nanoparticles.

    PubMed

    Lee, Yen-Fei; Deng, Ting-Wei; Chiu, Wei-Jane; Wei, Tsao-Yen; Roy, Prathik; Huang, Chih-Ching

    2012-04-21

    We have developed a simple, low-cost, paper-based probe for the selective colorimetric detection of copper ions (Cu(2+)) in aqueous solutions. The bovine serum albumin (BSA)-modified 13.3-nm Au nanoparticle (BSA-Au NP) probe was designed to detect Cu(2+) ions using lead ions (Pb(2+)) and 2-mercaptoethanol (2-ME) as leaching agents in a glycine-NaOH (pH 12.0) solution. In addition, a nitrocellulose membrane (NCM) was used to trap the BSA-Au NPs, leading to the preparation of a nanocomposite film consisting of a BSA-Au NP-decorated membrane (BSA-Au NPs/NCM). The BSA-Au NPs probe operates on the principle that Cu deposition on the surface of the BSA-Au NPs inhibits their leaching ability, which is accelerated by Pb(2+) ions in the presence of 2-ME. Under optimal solution conditions (5 mM glycine-NaOH (pH 12.0), Pb(2+) (50 μM), and 2-ME (1.0 M)), the Pb(2+)/2-ME-BSA-Au NPs/NCM enabled the detection of Cu(2+) at nanomolar concentrations in aqueous solutions by the naked eye with high selectivity (at least 100-fold over other metal ions). In addition, this cost-effective probe allowed for the rapid and simple determination of Cu(2+) ions in not only natural water samples but also in a complex biological sample (in this case, blood sample).

  17. Efficient metal adsorption and microbial reduction from Rawal Lake wastewater using metal nanoparticle coated cotton.

    PubMed

    Ali, Attarad; Gul, Ayesha; Mannan, Abdul; Zia, Muhammad

    2018-05-17

    This study was designed to investigate removal of toxic metals and reduction of bacterial count from Rawal Lake wastewater with novel nanocomposite sorbents. Iron, zinc and silver oxide nanoparticles (NPs) were attached on cotton. The nanocomposites (iron NPs on cotton (FeCt), zinc NPs on cotton (ZnCt) and silver NPs on cotton (AgCt)) were characterized by FTIR, XRD and SEM, which showed successful adsorption of 10-30 nm size nanoparticles. Batch experiments were performed to determine the adsorption capacity of nanocomposite for metal removal. All the three adsorbents demonstrated 100% adsorption efficiency for Ag + , Co 2+ , Fe 3+ , Zn 2+ and Cu 2+ whereas less adsorption for Cd 2+ and Cr 3+ . The maximum adsorbance (qe) was exhibited by Co 2+ on ZnCt, FeCt and AgCt as 125.0, 111.1 and 100.0 mg g -1 , respectively. The efficiency of adsorbents for metal ions sorption was found as AgCt > ZnCt > FeCt while the order of adsorption for metals was observed as Fe 3+  > Co 2+  > Zn 2+  > Cu 2+  > Ag +  > Cr 3+  > Cd 2 + . The adsorption mechanism mostly follow Langmuir isotherm and pseudo-second order kinetic model. The maximum microbial reduction was exhibited by AgCt followed by ZnCt and FeCt. The microbes were further processed for staining and biochemical characteristics to evaluate resistance and sensitive microbes. The study concludes that the NPs doped on cotton can be effectively used for adsorption of heavy metals and reduction of microbial count from natural wastewater making it valuable for human consumption. In addition, the nanoparticles impregnated cotton can be efficiently used in water filtration plants. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  18. Novel combination of zero-valent Cu and Ag nanoparticles @ cellulose acetate nanocomposite for the reduction of 4-nitro phenol.

    PubMed

    Khan, Farman Ullah; Asimullah; Khan, Sher Bahadar; Kamal, Tahseen; Asiri, Abdullah M; Khan, Ihsan Ullah; Akhtar, Kalsoom

    2017-09-01

    A very simple and low-cost procedure has been adopted to synthesize efficient copper (Cu), silver (Ag) and copper-silver (Cu-Ag) mixed nanoparticles on the surface of pure cellulose acetate (CA) and cellulose acetate-copper oxide nanocomposite (CA-CuO). All nanoparticles loaded onto CA and CA-CuO presented excellent catalytic ability, but Cu-Ag nanoparticles loaded onto CA-CuO (Cu 0 -Ag 0 /CA-CuO) exhibited outstanding catalytic efficiency to convert 4-nitrophenol (4-NP) into 4-aminophenol (4-AP) in the presence of NaBH 4 . Additionally, the Cu 0 -Ag 0 /CA-CuO can be easily recovered by removing the sheet from the reaction media, and can be recycled several times, maintaining high catalytic ability for four cycles. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  19. D-penicillamine-templated copper nanoparticles via ascorbic acid reduction as a mercury ion sensor.

    PubMed

    Lin, Shu Min; Geng, Shuo; Li, Na; Li, Nian Bing; Luo, Hong Qun

    2016-05-01

    Mercury ion is one of the most hazardous metal pollutants that can cause deleterious effects on human health and the environment even at low concentrations. It is necessary to develop new mercury detection methods with high sensitivity, specificity and rapidity. In this study, a novel and green strategy for synthesizing D-penicillamine-capped copper nanoparticles (DPA-CuNPs) was successfully established by a chemical reduction method, in which D-penicillamine and ascorbic acid were used as stabilizing agent and reducing agent, respectively. The as-prepared DPA-CuNPs showed strong red fluorescence and had a large Stoke's shift (270nm). Scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, fluorescence spectroscopy, and ultraviolet-visible spectrophotometry were utilized to elucidate the possible fluorescence mechanism, which could be aggregation-induced emission effect. Based on the phenomenon that trace mercury ion can disperse the aggregated DPA-CuNPs, resulting in great fluorescence quench of the system, a sensitive and selective assay for mercury ion in aqueous solution with the DPA-CuNPs was developed. Under optimum conditions, this assay can be applied to the quantification of Hg(2+) in the 1.0-30μM concentration range and the detection limit (3σ/slope) is 32nM. The method was successfully applied to determine Hg(2+) in real water samples. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  20. Development and characterisation of chitosan films impregnated with insulin loaded PEG-b-PLA nanoparticles (NPs): a potential approach for buccal delivery of macromolecules.

    PubMed

    Giovino, Concetta; Ayensu, Isaac; Tetteh, John; Boateng, Joshua S

    2012-05-30

    Mucoadhesive chitosan based films, incorporated with insulin loaded nanoparticles (NPs) made of poly(ethylene glycol)methyl ether-block-polylactide (PEG-b-PLA) have been developed and characterised. Blank-NPs were prepared by double emulsion solvent evaporation technique with varying concentrations of the copolymer (5 and 10%, w/v). The optimised formulation was loaded with insulin (model protein) at initial loadings of 2, 5 and 10% with respect to copolymer weight. The developed NPs were analysed for size, size distribution, surface charge, morphology, encapsulation efficiency and drug release. NPs showing negative (ζ)-potential (<-6 mV) with average diameter> 300 nm and a polydispersity index (P.I.) of ≈ 0.2, irrespective of formulation process, were achieved. Insulin encapsulation efficiencies of 70% and 30% for NPs-Insulin-2 and NPs-Insulin-5 were obtained, respectively. The in vitro release behaviour of both formulations showed a classic biphasic sustained release of protein over 5 weeks which was influenced by pH of the release medium. Optimised chitosan films embedded with 3mg of insulin loaded NPs were produced by solvent casting with homogeneous distribution of NPs in the mucoadhesive matrix, which displayed excellent physico-mechanical properties. The drug delivery system has been designed as a novel platform for potential buccal delivery of macromolecules. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  1. Validation of an LDH Assay for Assessing Nanoparticle Toxicity

    PubMed Central

    Han, Xianglu; Gelein, Robert; Corson, Nancy; Wade-Mercer, Pamela; Jiang, Jingkun; Biswas, Pratim; Finkelstein, Jacob N.; Elder, Alison; Oberdörster, Günter

    2014-01-01

    Studies showed that certain cytotoxicity assays were not suitable for assessing nanoparticle (NP) toxicity. We evaluated a lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) assay for assessing copper (Cu-40, 40 nm), silver (Ag-35, 35 nm; Ag-40, 40 nm), and titanium dioxide (TiO2-25, 25 nm) NPs by examining their potential to inactivate LDH and interference with β-nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH), a substrate for the assay. We also performed a dissolution assay for some of the NPs. We found that the copper NPs, because of their high dissolution rate, could interfere with the LDH assay by inactivating LDH. Ag-35 could also inactivate LDH probably because of the carbon matrix used to cage the particles during synthesis. TiO2-25 NPs were found to adsorb LDH molecules. In conclusion, NP interference with the LDH assay depends on the type of NPs and the suitability of the assay for assessing NP toxicity should be examined case by case. PMID:21722700

  2. Eradication of multi-drug resistant bacteria by a novel Zn-doped CuO nanocomposite.

    PubMed

    Malka, Eyal; Perelshtein, Ilana; Lipovsky, Anat; Shalom, Yakov; Naparstek, Livnat; Perkas, Nina; Patick, Tal; Lubart, Rachel; Nitzan, Yeshayahu; Banin, Ehud; Gedanken, Aharon

    2013-12-09

    Zinc-doped copper oxide nanoparticles are synthesized and simultaneously deposited on cotton fabric using ultrasound irradiation. The optimization of the processing conditions, the specific reagent ratio, and the precursor concentration results in the formation of uniform nanoparticles with an average size of ≈30 nm. The antibacterial activity of the Zn-doped CuO Cu₀.₈₈Zn₀.₁₂O in a colloidal suspension or deposited on the fabric is tested against Escherichia coli (Gram negative) and Staphylococcus aureus (Gram positive) bacteria. A substantial enhancement of 10,000 times in the antimicrobial activity of the Zn-CuO nanocomposite compared to the pure CuO and ZnO nanoparticles (NPs) is observed after 10 min exposure to the bacteria. Similar activities are observed against multidrug-resistant bacteria (MDR), (i.e., Methicillin-resistant S. aureus and MDR E. coli) further emphasizing the efficacy of this composite. Finally, the mechanism for this enhanced antibacterial activity is presented. Copyright © 2013 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  3. The effect of nanoparticles (NPs) on sorption and suspension stability of technology critical elements (TCEs) in soil/sand solutions.

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Dror, I.; Stepka, Z.; Berkowitz, B.

    2016-12-01

    As a consequence of their growing use in a range of electronic and industrial applications, increasing amounts of technology critical elements (TCEs) are being released to the environment. Currently, little is known about their fate and potential environmental impact. We report here on the adsorption of TCEs on sand and soil in the presence of selected nanoparticles (NPs). TCEs were tested within three different mixtures containing (i) rare earth elements (REEs), (ii) Ge, Pd, Ru and Ir together with Mo, Sb, Sn and Ti, and (iii) In, Sc, Th, Y and Yb together with a variety of other metals. The NPs examined for their suspending properties were: Al2O3, SiO2, CeO2, ZnO, Ag, Au, carbon dots and montmorillonite. Each NP was examined with each TCE solution mixture separately and with added humic acid. A clear difference was observed between REEs (and In, Sc), and the other TCEs. All REEs (and In, Sc) completely adsorb on soil and sand. For sand and soil, the presence of most NPs, alone, does not increase TCE concentrations in solution. For sand, addition of humic acid, with or without NPs, yields approximately the same increase in TCE concentration in solution (>80%). For soil solutions, presence of both NPs and humic acid increases TCE concentrations up to 500% more than any other combination tested, yielding 20% of added TCE amount. The other TCEs tested (mixtures (ii) and (iii)) adsorb less strongly to soil and sand, and unlike the REEs no general trend can be identified. For Al2O3, SiO2, CeO2, ZnO, carbon dots and montmorillonite, the increased concentrations of TCEs in the presence of NPs and humic acid were similar. This indicates that the observed effect depends on the presence of NPs and their surface coating rather than on the type of NP. Ag and Au NPs, however, reduce adsorption of TCEs to sand even when humic acid is absent. For example, Ag NPs reduce adsorption of REEs by >90% and Au NPs by 10%. For REEs, increased solution concentrations are correlated

  4. Sample-morphology effects on x-ray photoelectron peak intensities. III. Simulated spectra of model core–shell nanoparticles

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

    Powell, Cedric J., E-mail: cedric.powell@nist.gov; Chudzicki, Maksymilian; Werner, Wolfgang S. M.

    2015-09-15

    The National Institute of Standards and Technology database for the simulation of electron spectra for surface analysis has been used to simulate Cu 2p photoelectron spectra for four types of spherical copper–gold nanoparticles (NPs). These simulations were made to extend the work of Tougaard [J. Vac. Sci. Technol. A 14, 1415 (1996)] and of Powell et al. [J. Vac. Sci. Technol. A 31, 021402 (2013)] who performed similar simulations for four types of planar copper–gold films. The Cu 2p spectra for the NPs were compared and contrasted with analogous results for the planar films and the effects of elastic scatteringmore » were investigated. The new simulations were made for a monolayer of three types of Cu/Au core–shell NPs on a Si substrate: (1) an Au shell of variable thickness on a Cu core with diameters of 0.5, 1.0, 2.0, 5.0, and 10.0 nm; (2) a Cu shell of variable thickness on an Au core with diameters of 0.5, 1.0, 2.0, 5.0, and 10.0 nm; and (3) an Au shell of variable thickness on a 1 nm Cu shell on an Au core with diameters of 0.5, 1.0, 2.0, 5.0, and 10.0 nm. For these three morphologies, the outer-shell thickness was varied until the Cu 2p{sub 3/2} peak intensity was the same (within 2%) as that found in our previous work with planar Cu/Au morphologies. The authors also performed similar simulations for a monolayer of spherical NPs consisting of a CuAu{sub x} alloy (also on a Si substrate) with diameters of 0.5, 1.0, 2.0, 5.0, and 10.0 nm. In the latter simulations, the relative Au concentration (x) was varied to give the same Cu 2p{sub 3/2} peak intensity (within 2%) as that found previously. For each morphology, the authors performed simulations with elastic scattering switched on and off. The authors found that elastic-scattering effects were generally strong for the Cu-core/Au-shell and weak for the Au-core/Cu-shell NPs; intermediate elastic-scattering effects were found for the Au-core/Cu-shell/Au-shell NPs. The shell thicknesses required

  5. Laser ablation of Au-CuO core-shell nanocomposite in water for optoelectronic devices

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ismail, Raid A.; Abdul-Hamed, Ryam S.

    2017-12-01

    Core-shell gold-copper oxide Au-CuO nanocomposites were synthesized using laser ablation of CuO target in colloidal solution of Au nanoparticles (NPs). The effect of laser fluence on the structural, morphological, electrical, and optical properties of Au-CuO nanocomposites was investigated using x-ray diffraction (XRD), atomic force microscope (AFM), scanning electron microscope (SEM), transmission electron microscope (TEM), photoluminescence (PL), Fourier transformed infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), Hall measurement, and UV-vis spectroscopy. X-ray diffraction results confirm the formation of polycrystalline Au-CuO NPs with monoclinic structure. The optical energy gap for CuO was 4 eV and for the Au-CuO core-shell nanocomposites was found to be in the range of 3.4-3.7 eV. SEM and TEM investigations revealed that the structure and morphology of Au-CuO core-shell nanocomposites were strongly depending on the laser fluence. A formation of Au-CuO nanospheres and platelets structures was observed. The photoluminescence data showed an emission of broad visible peaks between 407 and 420 nm. The effect of laser fluence on the dark and illuminated I-V characteristics of Au-CuO/n-Si heterojunction photodetectors was investigated and analyzed. The experimental data demonstrated that the photodetector prepared at optimum laser fluence exhibited photosensitivity of 0.6 AW-1 at 800 nm.

  6. RES-loaded pegylated CS NPs: for efficient ocular delivery.

    PubMed

    Pandian, Saravanakumar; Jeevanesan, Vinoth; Ponnusamy, Chandrasekar; Natesan, Subramanian

    2017-02-01

    The objective of this study is to develop resveratrol (RES) loaded polyethylene glycols (PEGs) modified chitosan (CS) nanoparticles (NPs) by ionic gelation method for the treatment of glaucoma. While increasing the concentration of PEG, the particle size and polydispersity index of the formulations increased. Entrapment efficiency and RES loading (RL) of NPs decreased while increasing PEG concentration. The in vitro release of NPs showed an initial burst release of RES (45%) followed by controlled release. Osmolality of formulations revealed that the prepared NPs were iso-osmolar with the tear. Ocular tolerance of the NPs was evaluated using hen's egg test on the chorioallantoic membrane and it showed that the NPs were non-irritant. RES-loaded PEG-modified CS NPs shows an improved corneal permeation compared with RES dispersion. Fluorescein isothiocyanate loaded CS NPs accumulated on the surface of the cornea but the PEG-modified CS NPs crossed the cornea and reached retinal choroid. RES-loaded PEG-modified CS NPs reduced the intra-ocular pressure (IOP) by 4.3 ± 0.5 mmHg up to 8 h in normotensive rabbits. These results indicate that the developed NPs have efficient delivery of RES to the ocular tissues and reduce the IOP for the treatment of glaucoma.

  7. Green engineered biomolecule-capped silver and copper nanohybrids using Prosopis cineraria leaf extract: Enhanced antibacterial activity against microbial pathogens of public health relevance and cytotoxicity on human breast cancer cells (MCF-7).

    PubMed

    Jinu, U; Gomathi, M; Saiqa, I; Geetha, N; Benelli, G; Venkatachalam, P

    2017-04-01

    This research focused on green engineering and characterization of silver (PcAgNPs) and copper nanoparticles (PcCuNPs) using Prosopis cineraria (Pc) leaf extract prepared by using microwave irradiation. We studied their enhanced antimicrobial activity on human pathogens as well as cytotoxicity on breast cancer cells (MCF-7). Biofabricated silver and copper nanoparticles exhibited UV-Visible absorbance peaks at 420 nm and 575 nm, confirming the bioreduction and stabilization of nanoparticles. Nanoparticles were characterized by FTIR, XRD, FESEM, and EDX analysis. FTIR results indicated the presence of alcohols, alkanes, aromatics, phenols, ethers, benzene, amines and amides that were possibly involved in the reduction and capping of silver and copper ions. XRD analysis was performed to confirm the crystalline nature of the silver and copper nanoparticles. FESEM analysis suggested that the nanoparticles were hexagonal or spherical in shape with size ranging from 20 to 44.49 nm and 18.9-32.09 nm for AgNPs and CuNPs, respectively. EDX analysis confirmed the presence of silver and copper elemental signals in the nanoparticles. The bioengineered silver and copper nanohybrids showed enhanced antimicrobial activity against Gram-positive and Gram-negative MDR human pathogens. MTT assay results indicated that CuNPs show potential cytotoxic effect followed by AgNPs against MCF-7 cancer cell line. IC 50 were 65.27 μg/ml, 37.02 μg/ml and 197.3 μg/ml for PcAgNPs, PcCuNPs and P. cineraria leaf extracts, respectively, treated MCF-7 cells. The present investigation highlighted an effective protocol for microwave-assisted synthesis of biomolecule-loaded silver and copper nanoparticles with enhanced antibacterial and anticancer activity. Results strongly suggested that bioengineered AgNPs and CuNPs could be used as potential tools against microbial pathogens and cancer cells. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  8. Alteration of neurotransmission and skeletogenesis in sea urchin Arbacia lixula embryos exposed to copper oxide nanoparticles.

    PubMed

    Cappello, Tiziana; Vitale, Valeria; Oliva, Sabrina; Villari, Valentina; Mauceri, Angela; Fasulo, Salvatore; Maisano, Maria

    2017-09-01

    The extensive use of copper oxide nanoparticles (CuO NPs) in many applications has raised concerns over their toxicity on environment and human health. Herein, the embryotoxicity of CuO NPs was assessed in the black sea urchin Arbacia lixula, an intertidal species commonly present in the Mediterranean. Fertilized eggs were exposed to 0.7, 10 and 20ppb of CuO NPs, until pluteus stage. Interferences with the normal neurotransmission pathways were observed in sea urchin embryos. In detail, evidence of cholinergic and serotoninergic systems affection was revealed by dose-dependent decreased levels of choline and N-acetyl serotonin, respectively, measured by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR)-based metabolomics, applied for the first time to our knowledge on sea urchin embryos. The metabolic profile also highlighted a significant CuO NP dose-dependent increase of glycine, a component of matrix proteins involved in the biomineralization process, suggesting perturbed skeletogenesis accordingly to skeletal defects in spicule patterning observed previously in the same sea urchin embryos. However, the expression of skeletogenic genes, i.e. SM30 and msp130, did not differ among groups, and therefore altered primary mesenchyme cell (PMC) migration was hypothesized. Other unknown metabolites were detected from the NMR spectra, and their concentrations found to be reflective of the CuO NP exposure levels. Overall, these findings demonstrate the toxic potential of CuO NPs to interfere with neurotransmission and skeletogenesis of sea urchin embryos. The integrated use of embryotoxicity tests and metabolomics represents a highly sensitive and effective tool for assessing the impact of NPs on aquatic biota. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  9. Influence of salinity on the toxicity of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) and silver nitrate (AgNO3) in halophilic microalgae, Dunaliella salina.

    PubMed

    Johari, Seyed Ali; Sarkheil, Mehrdad; Behzadi Tayemeh, Mohammad; Veisi, Shakila

    2018-06-13

    This study aim to evaluate the potential toxic effects of citrate coated silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) and ionic silver (AgNO 3 ) on marine microalgae Dunaliella salina under three different salinities (35, 70, and 140 g/L). The toxicity was investigated according to modified OECD guideline (No. 201) by 72 h exposure of microalgae to various concentrations of each of the chemicals in Walne's saline media. According to the results, the growth inhibitory effects of AgNPs and AgNO 3 increased significantly coincidence with increasing time and concentration compared to control (P < 0.05). The values of median inhibitory concentrations (IC 50 ) of AgNPs and AgNO 3 based on average specific growth rate and yield for D. salina increased significantly with elevation of water salinity from 35 to 140 g/L (P < 0.05). Toxicity of AgNO 3 based on IC 50 to D. salina was significantly higher than AgNPs at all salinities (P < 0.05). In conclusion, both AgNPs and AgNO 3 inhibited the growth of D. salina at different saltwater medium. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  10. Synthesis and microwave modification of CuO nanoparticles: crystallinity and morphological variations, catalysis, and gas sensing.

    PubMed

    Yang, Chao; Xiao, Feng; Wang, Jide; Su, Xintai

    2014-12-01

    CuO nanoparticles with different morphologies were synthesized by chemical precipitation and subsequently modified by microwave hydrothermal processing. The nanoparticles were precipitated by the introduction of a strong base to an aqueous solution of copper cations in the presence/absence of the polyethylene glycol and urea additives. The modification of the nanoparticles was subsequently carried out by a microwave hydrothermal treatment of suspensions of the precipitates, precipitated with and without the additives. X-ray powder diffraction analysis indicated that the crystallinity and crystallite size of the CuO nanoparticles increased after the microwave hydrothermal modification. Microscopy observations revealed the morphology changes induced by microwave hydrothermal processing. The thermal decomposition of ammonium perchlorate and the detection of volatile gases were performed to evaluate the catalytic and gas sensing properties of the synthesized CuO nanoparticles. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  11. Energetics of the formation of Cu-Ag core–shell nanoparticles

    DOE PAGES

    Chandross, Michael

    2014-10-06

    Our work presents molecular dynamics and Monte Carlo simulations aimed at developing an understanding of the formation of core–shell Cu-Ag nanoparticles. The effects of surface and interfacial energies were considered and used to form a phenomenological model that calculates the energy gained upon the formation of a core–shell structure from two previously distinct, non-interacting nanoparticles. In most cases, the core–shell structure was found to be energetically favored. Specifically, the difference in energy as a function of the radii of the individual Cu and Ag particles was examined, with the assumption that a core–shell structure forms. In general, it was foundmore » that the energetic gain from forming such a structure increased with increasing size of the initial Ag particle. This result was interpreted as a result of the reduction in surface energy. Moreover, for two separate particles, both Cu and Ag contribute to the surface energy; however, for a core–shell structure, the only contribution to the surface energy is from the Ag shell and the Cu contribution is changed to a Cu–Ag interfacial energy, which is always smaller.« less

  12. A Comparative In Vivo Scrutiny of Biosynthesized Copper and Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles by Intraperitoneal and Intravenous Administration Routes in Rats.

    PubMed

    C, Ashajyothi; K Handral, Harish; Kelmani R, Chandrakanth

    2018-04-03

    During the present time, anti-microbial features of copper (Cu) and zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles (NPs) are extensively used to combat the growth of pathogenic microbes. CuNPs and ZnONPs are recurrently used in cosmetics, medicine and food additives, and their potential for toxic impacts on human and ecosystem is of high concern. In this study, the fate and toxicity of 16- to 96-nm-ranged biosynthesized copper (Bio-CuNPs) and zinc oxide (Bio-ZnONPs) was assessed in male Wistar rats. In vivo exposures of the two nanoparticles are achieved through two different administration routes namely, intraperitoneal (i/p) and intravenous (i/v) injections. The three different concentrations, no observable adverse effect concentration (NOAEC), inhibitory concentration (IC 50 ) and total lethal concentration (TLC), were appraised at the dose range of 6.1 to 19.82 μg/kg and 11.14 to 30.3 μg/kg for Bio-CuNPs and Bio-ZnONPs respectively, for both i/p and i/v routes on 14th and 28th day of observation. These dose ranges are considered based on the previous study of antibacterial dose on multidrug-resistant pathogenic bacteria. In this study, we investigated the toxic effect of Bio-CuNPs and Bio-ZnONPs on animal behaviour, animal mass, haematologic indices, organ indices and histopathology of liver, spleen, kidney and brain organs. We found that i/v and i/p administration of Bio-ZnONPs in three different doses did not cause mortality and body weight was slightly reduced up to second week of administration compared with the vehicle control group. At the dose ranges of 11-16 μg/kg (i/v) and 24-30 μg/kg (i/p), no significant changes were observed in the serum creatinine level as well as serum ALT, serum AST level and ALP level which were 40.7 mg/dl, 37.9 IU/L and 82.4 IU/L normal as compared to vehicle control on 14th and 28th day of observation. These findings are confirmed in liver, kidney and spleen indices and histopathology studies. Furthermore, liver and kidney injury

  13. Toxicity of nanoparticles of CuO, ZnO and TiO2 to microalgae Pseudokirchneriella subcapitata.

    PubMed

    Aruoja, Villem; Dubourguier, Henri-Charles; Kasemets, Kaja; Kahru, Anne

    2009-02-01

    Toxicities of ZnO, TiO2 and CuO nanoparticles to Pseudokirchneriella subcapitata were determined using OECD 201 algal growth inhibition test taking in account potential shading of light. The results showed that the shading effect by nanoparticles was negligible. ZnO nanoparticles were most toxic followed by nano CuO and nano TiO2. The toxicities of bulk and nano ZnO particles were both similar to that of ZnSO4 (72 h EC50 approximately 0.04 mg Zn/l). Thus, in this low concentration range the toxicity was attributed solely to solubilized Zn2+ ions. Bulk TiO2 (EC50=35.9 mg Ti/l) and bulk CuO (EC50=11.55 mg Cu/l) were less toxic than their nano formulations (EC50=5.83 mg Ti/l and 0.71 mg Cu/l). NOEC (no-observed-effect-concentrations) that may be used for risk assessment purposes for bulk and nano ZnO did not differ (approximately 0.02 mg Zn/l). NOEC for nano CuO was 0.42 mg Cu/l and for bulk CuO 8.03 mg Cu/l. For nano TiO2 the NOEC was 0.98 mg Ti/l and for bulk TiO2 10.1 mg Ti/l. Nano TiO2 formed characteristic aggregates entrapping algal cells that may contribute to the toxic effect of nano TiO2 to algae. At 72 h EC50 values of nano CuO and CuO, 25% of copper from nano CuO was bioavailable and only 0.18% of copper from bulk CuO. Thus, according to recombinant bacterial and yeast Cu-sensors, copper from nano CuO was 141-fold more bioavailable than from bulk CuO. Also, toxic effects of Cu oxides to algae were due to bioavailable copper ions. To our knowledge, this is one of the first systematic studies on effects of metal oxide nanoparticles on algal growth and the first describing toxic effects of nano CuO towards algae.

  14. Investigation of Industrial Polyurethane Foams Modified with Antimicrobial Copper Nanoparticles

    PubMed Central

    Sportelli, Maria Chiara; Picca, Rosaria Anna; Ronco, Roberto; Bonerba, Elisabetta; Tantillo, Giuseppina; Pollini, Mauro; Sannino, Alessandro; Valentini, Antonio; Cataldi, Tommaso R.I.; Cioffi, Nicola

    2016-01-01

    Antimicrobial copper nanoparticles (CuNPs) were electrosynthetized and applied to the controlled impregnation of industrial polyurethane foams used as padding in the textile production or as filters for air conditioning systems. CuNP-modified materials were investigated and characterized morphologically and spectroscopically, by means of Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM), and X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS). The release of copper ions in solution was studied by Electro-Thermal Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy (ETAAS). Finally, the antimicrobial activity of freshly prepared, as well as aged samples—stored for two months—was demonstrated towards different target microorganisms. PMID:28773665

  15. Programmed Nanoparticle-Loaded Nanoparticles for Deep-Penetrating 3D Cancer Therapy.

    PubMed

    Kim, Jinhwan; Jo, Changshin; Lim, Won-Gwang; Jung, Sungjin; Lee, Yeong Mi; Lim, Jun; Lee, Haeshin; Lee, Jinwoo; Kim, Won Jong

    2018-05-18

    Tumors are 3D, composed of cellular agglomerations and blood vessels. Therapies involving nanoparticles utilize specific accumulations due to the leaky vascular structures. However, systemically injected nanoparticles are mostly uptaken by cells located on the surfaces of cancer tissues, lacking deep penetration into the core cancer regions. Herein, an unprecedented strategy, described as injecting "nanoparticle-loaded nanoparticles" to address the long-lasting problem is reported for effective surface-to-core drug delivery in entire 3D tumors. The "nanoparticle-loaded nanoparticle" is a silica nanoparticle (≈150 nm) with well-developed, interconnected channels (diameter of ≈30 nm), in which small gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) (≈15 nm) with programmable DNA are located. The nanoparticle (AuNPs)-loaded nanoparticles (silica): (1) can accumulate in tumors through leaky vascular structures by protecting the inner therapeutic AuNPs during blood circulation, and then (2) allow diffusion of the AuNPs for penetration into the entire surface-to-core tumor tissues, and finally (3) release a drug triggered by cancer-characteristic pH gradients. The hierarchical "nanoparticle-loaded nanoparticle" can be a rational design for cancer therapies because the outer large nanoparticles are effective in blood circulation and in protection of the therapeutic nanoparticles inside, allowing the loaded small nanoparticles to penetrate deeply into 3D tumors with anticancer drugs. © 2018 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  16. Surface interactions affect the toxicity of engineered metal oxide nanoparticles toward Paramecium.

    PubMed

    Li, Kungang; Chen, Ying; Zhang, Wen; Pu, Zhichao; Jiang, Lin; Chen, Yongsheng

    2012-08-20

    To better understand the potential impacts of engineered metal oxide nanoparticles (NPs) in the ecosystem, we investigated the acute toxicity of seven different types of engineered metal oxide NPs against Paramecium multimicronucleatum, a ciliated protozoan, using the 48 h LC(50) (lethal concentration, 50%) test. Our results showed that the 48 h LC(50) values of these NPs to Paramecium ranged from 0.81 (Fe(2)O(3) NPs) to 9269 mg/L (Al(2)O(3) NPs); their toxicity to Paramecium increased as follows: Al(2)O(3) < TiO(2) < CeO(2) < ZnO < SiO(2) < CuO < Fe(2)O(3) NPs. On the basis of the Derjaguin-Landau-Verwey-Overbeek (DLVO) theory, interfacial interactions between NPs and cell membrane were evaluated, and the magnitude of interaction energy barrier correlated well with the 48 h LC(50) data of NPs to Paramecium; this implies that metal oxide NPs with strong association with the cell surface might induce more severe cytotoxicity in unicellular organisms.

  17. Synthesis and characterization of magnetic semiconducting Cu{sub 2}CoSnS{sub 4} nanoparticles

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

    Gupta, Aman; Mokurala, Krishnaiah; Kamble, Anvita

    2015-06-24

    Multifunctional wurtzite Cu{sub 2}CoSnS{sub 4} (CCoTS) nanoparticles were successfully synthesized by facile hot-injection method using elemental sulfur as sulfur source. As-synthesized CCoTS nanoparticles were characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD) for phase identification. Morphology of as-prepared nanoparticles was examined using FEG-SEM and FEG-TEM. Resistivity of film was measured using four probe method and it’s value (0.8 Ωcm) lies in the range of semiconductors. Magnetization curve of Cu{sub 2}CoSnS{sub 4} nanoparticles (at room temperature) indicates weak ferromagnetic behavior.

  18. Red fluorescent zinc oxide nanoparticle: A novel platform for cancer targeting

    DOE PAGES

    Hong, Hao; Wang, Fei; Zhang, Yin; ...

    2015-01-21

    Multifunctional zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles (NPs) with well-integrated multimodality imaging capacities have generated increasing research interest in the past decade. However, limited progress has been made in developing ZnO NP-based multimodality tumor-imaging agents. In this paper, we developed novel red fluorescent ZnO NPs and described the successful conjugation of 64Cu ( t 1/2 = 12.7 h) and TRC105, a chimeric monoclonal antibody against CD105, to these ZnO NPs via well-developed surface engineering procedures. The produced dual-modality ZnO NPs were readily applicable for positron emission tomography (PET) imaging and fluorescence imaging of the tumor vasculature. Their pharmacokinetics and tumor-targeting efficacy/specificity inmore » mice bearing murine breast 4T1 tumor were thoroughly investigated. In conclusion, ZnO NPs with dual-modality imaging properties can serve as an attractive candidate for future cancer theranostics.« less

  19. Comparison of the effect of dietary copper nanoparticles and one copper (II) salt on the metabolic and immune status in a rat model.

    PubMed

    Cholewińska, Ewelina; Juśkiewicz, Jerzy; Ognik, Katarzyna

    2018-07-01

    The aim of the study was to evaluate the effects of a diet containing different levels of Cu in two different chemical forms (carbonate and nanoparticles) on metabolic, immune and antioxidant status in a rat model. Five experimental treatments (8 rats in each) were used to test different dosages of Cu added to the diet (standard -6.5 mg/kg, half the standard dosage -3.25 mg/kg, and no added Cu as a negative control) and two sources of added copper (standard -CuCO 3 and copper nanoparticles -CuNPs). Blood and urine samples were collected from all the animals after four weeks of treatment. Metabolic and immune parameters were determined in blood and urine samples. The study has shown that a dietary Cu deficiency (negative control) decreases rat's plasma levels of Cu, Fe, CREAT, BIL and IL-6, whereas reducing the level of Cu from the recommended 6.5 mg/kg to 3.25 mg/kg decreases only the plasma concentration of TG, IgE and IL-6. Replacing CuCO 3 with CuNPs in rat diets affects their metabolism, as indicated by decreased Ca, CREAT, BIL, ALB and IL-6 plasma levels. To sum up, CuNP added to a diet of rats have a more beneficial effect on metabolic indices (indicative of kidney and liver function) and inhibit inflammatory processes more effectively than CuCO 3 . Copyright © 2018 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

  20. Preparation & characterization of high purity Cu2 ZnSn(SxSe1-x)4 nanoparticles

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Negash, Bethlehem G.

    Research in thin film solar cells applies novel techniques to synthesize cost effective and highly efficient absorber materials in order to generate electricity directly from solar energy. Of these materials, copper zinc tin sulfoselenide (Cu2ZnSn(SxSe1-x) 4) nanoparticles have shown great promise in solar cell applications due to optimal material properties as well as low cost & relative abundance of materials.1,2 Sulfoselenide nanoparticles have also a broader impact in other industries including electronics3, LED 4, and biomedical research5. Of the many routes of manufacturing these class of semiconductors, colloidal synthesis of Cu 2ZnSn(SxSe1-x)4 offers a scalable, low cost and high-throughput route for manufacturing high efficiency thin-film solar cells. Hydrazine processed Cu2ZnSn(SxSe1-x )4 devices have reached a record power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 12.6%, much higher than the 9.6% reported for physical vapor deposition (PVD) systems.6,7. Despite high efficiencies, wet synthesis of nanoparticles, however, is made more complicated in multi-element, quaternary and quinary systems such as copper zinc tin sulfoselenide (CZTSSe) and copper indium gallium diselenide (CIGSe). One major disadvantage in these systems is growth of the desired quaternary or quinary phase in competition with unwanted binary and ternary phases with low energy of formation.8,9 Moreover, various reaction parameters such as reaction time, temperature, and choice of ligand also affect, chemical as well as physical properties of resulting nanoparticles. Understanding of the formation mechanisms of the particles is necessary in order to address some of these challenges in wet synthesis of CZTSSe nanoparticles. In this study, we investigate synthesis conditions & reaction parameters which yield high purity Cu2ZnSn(SxSe1-x) 4 nanoparticles as well as attempt to understand the growth mechanism of these nanoparticles. This was achieved by manipulating anion precursor preparation routes as

  1. Cu2O-directed in situ growth of Au nanoparticles inside HKUST-1 nanocages.

    PubMed

    Liu, Yongxin; Liu, Ting; Tian, Long; Zhang, Linlin; Yao, Lili; Tan, Taixing; Xu, Jin; Han, Xiaohui; Liu, Dan; Wang, Cheng

    2016-12-07

    Controllable integration of metal nanoparticles (MNPs) and metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) is attracting considerable attention as the obtained composite materials always show synergistic effects in applications of catalysis, delivery, as well as sensing. Herein, a Cu 2 O-directed in situ growth strategy was developed to integrate Au nanoparticles and HKUST-1. In this strategy, Cu 2 O@HKUST-1 core-shell heterostructures, HKUST-1 nanocages, Cu 2 O@Au@HKUST-1 sandwich core-shell heterostructures and Au@HKUST-1 balls-in-cage heterostructures were successfully synthesized. Cu 2 O@HKUST-1 core-shell heterostructures were synthesized by soaking Cu 2 O nanocrystals in benzene-1,3,5-tricarboxylic acid solution. The well-defined Cu 2 O@HKUST-1 core-shell heterostructures were demonstrated to be dominated by the ratio of Cu 2+ cations to btc 3- ligands in solution during the period of HKUST-1 formation. Cu 2 O@Au@HKUST-1 sandwich core-shell or Au@HKUST-1 balls-in-cage heterostructures were obtained by impregnating HAuCl 4 into Cu 2 O@HKUST-1 core-shell heterostructures. Due to the porosity of HKUST-1 and reducibility of Cu 2 O, HAuCl 4 could pass through the HKUST-1 shell and be reduced by the Cu 2 O core in situ forming Au nanoparticles. Finally, CO oxidation reaction at high temperatures was carried out to assess the catalytic functionality of the obtained composite heterostructures. This strategy can circumvent some drawbacks of the existing approaches for integrating MNPs and MOFs, such as nonselective deposition of MNPs at the outer surface of the MOF matrices, extreme treatment conditions and additional surface modifications.

  2. Electrochemical synthesis of multi-armed CuO nanoparticles and their remarkable bactericidal potential against waterborne bacteria

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Pandey, Pratibha; Merwyn, S.; Agarwal, G. S.; Tripathi, B. K.; Pant, S. C.

    2012-01-01

    Copper (II) oxide multi-armed nanoparticles composed of 500-1000 nm long radiating nanospicules with 100-200 nm width near the base and 50-100 nm width at the tapered ends and 25 nm thickness were synthesized by electrochemical deposition in the presence of an oxidant followed by calcination at 150 °C. The nanoparticles were characterized using SEM/EDX for morphology and composition, Raman spectroscopy for compound identification, and broth culture method for antibacterial efficacy. The CuO nanoparticles have shown remarkable bactericidal efficacy against Gram-positive and -negative waterborne disease causing bacteria like Escherichia coli, Salmonella typhi, s taphylococcus aureus and Bacillus subtilis. E. coli has been chosen as representative species for waterborne disease causing bacteria. In antibacterial tests 500 μg/mL nano CuO killed 3 × 108 CFU/mL E. coli bacteria within 4 h of exposure. Moreover, 8.3 × 106 CFU/mL E. coli were killed by 100 and 10 μg/mL nano CuO within 15 min and 4 h of exposure, respectively. Antibacterial activity of nano CuO has been found many-fold compared with commercial bulk CuO. The fate of nanoparticles after antibacterial test has also been studied. The synthesized CuO nanoparticles are expected to have potential antibacterial applications in water purification and in paints and coatings used on frequently touched surfaces and fabrics in hospital settings.

  3. Interaction between Diethyldithiocarbamate and Cu(II) on Gold in Non-Cyanide Wastewater

    PubMed Central

    Ly, Nguyễn Hoàng; Nguyen, Thanh Danh; Zoh, Kyung-Duk; Joo, Sang-Woo

    2017-01-01

    A surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) detection method for environmental copper ions (Cu2+) was developed according to the vibrational spectral change of diethyldithiocarbamate (DDTC) on gold nanoparticles (AuNPs). The ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis) absorption spectra indicated that DDTC formed a complex with Cu2+, showing a prominent peak at ~450 nm. We found Raman spectral changes in DDTC from ~1490 cm−1 to ~1504 cm−1 on AuNPs at a high concentration of Cu2+ above 1 μM. The other ions of Zn2+, Pb2+, Ni2+, NH4+, Mn2+, Mg2+, K+, Hg2+, Fe2+, Fe3+, Cr3+, Co2+, Cd2+, and Ca2+ did not produce such spectral changes, even after they reacted with DDTC. The electroplating industrial wastewater samples were tested under the interference of highly concentrated ions of Fe3+, Ni2+, and Zn2+. The Raman spectroscopy-based quantification of Cu2+ ions was able to be achieved for the wastewater after treatment with alkaline chlorination, whereas the cyanide-containing water did not show any spectral changes, due to the complexation of the cyanide with the Cu2+ ions. A micromolar range detection limit of Cu2+ ions could be achieved by analyzing the Raman spectra of DDTC in the cyanide-removed water. PMID:29140287

  4. Interaction between Diethyldithiocarbamate and Cu(II) on Gold in Non-Cyanide Wastewater.

    PubMed

    Ly, Nguyễn Hoàng; Nguyen, Thanh Danh; Zoh, Kyung-Duk; Joo, Sang-Woo

    2017-11-15

    A surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) detection method for environmental copper ions (Cu 2+ ) was developed according to the vibrational spectral change of diethyldithiocarbamate (DDTC) on gold nanoparticles (AuNPs). The ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis) absorption spectra indicated that DDTC formed a complex with Cu 2+ , showing a prominent peak at ~450 nm. We found Raman spectral changes in DDTC from ~1490 cm -1 to ~1504 cm -1 on AuNPs at a high concentration of Cu 2+ above 1 μM. The other ions of Zn 2+ , Pb 2+ , Ni 2+ , NH₄⁺, Mn 2+ , Mg 2+ , K⁺, Hg 2+ , Fe 2+ , Fe 3+ , Cr 3+ , Co 2+ , Cd 2+ , and Ca 2+ did not produce such spectral changes, even after they reacted with DDTC. The electroplating industrial wastewater samples were tested under the interference of highly concentrated ions of Fe 3+ , Ni 2+ , and Zn 2+ . The Raman spectroscopy-based quantification of Cu 2+ ions was able to be achieved for the wastewater after treatment with alkaline chlorination, whereas the cyanide-containing water did not show any spectral changes, due to the complexation of the cyanide with the Cu 2+ ions. A micromolar range detection limit of Cu 2+ ions could be achieved by analyzing the Raman spectra of DDTC in the cyanide-removed water.

  5. Structural and optical properties of pure and copper doped zinc oxide nanoparticles

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sajjad, Muhammad; Ullah, Inam; Khan, M. I.; Khan, Jamshid; Khan, M. Yaqoob; Qureshi, Muhammad Tauseef

    2018-06-01

    Pure and copper-doped zinc oxide nanoparticles (NPs) have been synthesized via chemical co-precipitation method where hydrazine is used as reducing agent and aqueous extract of Euphorbia milii plant as capping agent. Main objectives of the reported work are to investigate the effect of copper doping on crystal structure of ZnO nanoparticles; to study the effect of copper doping on optical band gap of ZnO nanoparticles and photoluminescence (PL) study of pure and copper-doped ZnO nanoparticles. To achieve the aforementioned objectives, XRD and SEM tests were performed for the identification and confirmation of crystal structure and morphology of the prepared samples. From XRD data the average grain size for pure ZnO was observed to be 24.62 nm which was first decreased to 18.95 nm for 5 wt% Cu-doped sample and then it was found to increase up to 37.80 nm as the Cu doping was increased to 7 wt%. Optical band gap of pure and Cu-doped ZnO nanoparticles was calculated from diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS) spectra and was found to decrease from 3.13 eV to 2.94 eV as the amount of Cu increases up to 7 wt%. In photoluminescence study, PL technique was used and enhanced visible spectrum was observed. For further characterization FT-IR and EDX tests were also carried out.

  6. Colorimetric sensing of selenocystine using gold nanoparticles.

    PubMed

    Liu, Liyang; Wang, Xia; Yang, Juan; Bai, Yan

    2017-10-15

    We present a highly selective and sensitive colorimetric method for the detection of selenocystine (SeCys) coexisting with other amino acids, especially cysteine (Cys) using the gold nanoparticles (AuNPs). Firstly, Cys was oxidized to cystine (Cys-Cys) by dissolved oxygen under Cu 2+ catalysis in the pre-reaction, which eliminated the interference of Cys in the SeCys sensing process. Then SeCys induced the rapid aggregation of AuNPs through Au-Se bond and complex formation of Cu 2+ -SeCys in the colorimetric reaction, in which the color change of AuNPs from red to blue or purple with the naked eye detection or with a UV-vis spectrophotometric determination. The concentration of SeCys was quantified by the value at 670 nm from the second-derivative SPR absorbance spectrum. The linear range was from 2 μM to 14 μM with correlation coefficient of 0.999 and a detection limit (LOD) was 0.14 μM. Moreover, the colorimetric response of AuNPs exhibited remarkable specificity to SeCys coexisting with 18 amino acids in a simulation sample, in which the total concentration of Cys and Cys-Cys was less than 15 μM and the each concentration of other 16 common amino acids was 10 μM. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  7. Chitosan doped with nanoparticles of copper, nickel and cobalt.

    PubMed

    Cárdenas-Triviño, Galo; Elgueta, Carolina; Vergara, Luis; Ojeda, Javier; Valenzuela, Ariel; Cruzat, Christian

    2017-11-01

    Metal colloids in 2 propanol using nanoparticles (NPs) of copper, nickel and cobalt were prepared by Chemical Liquid Deposition (CLD) method. The resulting colloidal dispersions were characterized by Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM). The colloids were supported in chitosan. Then, microbiological assays were performed using E. coli and S. aureus in order to determine the bactericide/bacteriostatic activity of nanoparticles (NPs) trapped or chelated with chitosan. Finally, the toxicity of the metal colloids Cu, Ni and Co was tested. Bio-assays were conducted in three different animal species. First of all on earth warms (Eisenia foetida) to evaluate the toxicity and the biocompatibility of chitosan in lactic acid (1% and 0.5%). Secondly bio-assay done in fishes (rainbow trout), the liver toxicity of NPs in vivo was evaluated. Finally, a bio-assay was conducted in Sprange-Dawley rats of 100g weight, which were injected intraperitoneally with different solutions of chitosan metal colloids. Then, the minimum and maximum concentration were determined for copper, nickel and cobalt. The purpose of the use of chitosan was acting as a carrier for some magnetic NPs, which toxicity would allow to obtain new polymeric materials with potential applications as magnet future drugs carrier. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  8. Multifunctional Dumbbell-Shaped DNA-Templated Selective Formation of Fluorescent Silver Nanoclusters or Copper Nanoparticles for Sensitive Detection of Biomolecules.

    PubMed

    Chen, Jinyang; Ji, Xinghu; Tinnefeld, Philip; He, Zhike

    2016-01-27

    In this work, a multifunctional template for selective formation of fluorescent silver nanoclusters (AgNCs) or copper nanoparticles (CuNPs) is put forward. This dumbbell-shaped (DS) DNA template is made up of two cytosine hairpin loops and an adenine-thymine-rich double-helical stem which is closed by the loops. The cytosine loops act as specific regions for the growth of AgNCs, and the double-helical stem serves as template for the CuNPs formation. By carefully investigating the sequence and length of DS DNA, we present the optimal design of the template. Benefiting from the smart design and facile synthesis, a simple, label-free, and ultrasensitive fluorescence strategy for adenosine triphosphate (ATP) detection is proposed. Through the systematic comparison, it is found that the strategy based on CuNPs formation is more sensitive for ATP assay than that based on AgNCs synthesis, and the detection limitation was found to be 81 pM. What's more, the CuNPs formation-based method is successfully applied in the detection of ATP in human serum as well as the determination of cellular ATP. In addition to small target molecule, the sensing strategy was also extended to the detection of biomacromolecule (DNA), which illustrates the generality of this biosensor.

  9. Inactivation of bacteria from contaminated streams in Limpopo, South Africa by silver- or copper-nanoparticle paper filters

    PubMed Central

    Dankovich, Theresa A.; Levine, Jonathan S.; Potgieter, Natasha; Dillingham, Rebecca; Smith, James A.

    2016-01-01

    There is an urgent need for inexpensive point-of-use methods to purify drinking water in developing countries to reduce the incidence of illnesses caused by waterborne pathogens. Previously, our work showed the deactivation of laboratory-cultured bacteria by percolation through a thick paper sheet containing either silver (Ag) or copper (Cu) nanoparticles (NP). In this study, these paper filters containing AgNPs or CuNPs have been tested with water sourced from contaminated streams in Limpopo, South Africa. Following the percolation of the contaminated stream water through the metal nanoparticle (MNP) papers, the water quality of the filtered effluent was evaluated with respect to the colony counts of total coliform and E. coli bacteria, turbidity, and either silver or copper ions. Influent total coliform bacteria concentrations from the stream water in Limpopo ranged from 250 CFU/100 mL to 1,750,000 CFU/100 mL. With the less contaminated stream water (250 - 15,000 CFU/100 mL), both AgNP and CuNP papers showed complete inactivation of the coliform bacteria. With the surface water with higher coliform bacteria levels (500,000 - 1,000,000 CFU/100 mL), both the AgNP and CuNP papers showed similar results with a slightly higher bacteria reduction of log10 5.1 for the AgNP papers than the log10 4.8 reduction for the CuNP papers. E. coli results followed similar trends. For most water purification experiments, the metal release from the sheets was minimal, with values under 0.1 ppm for Ag and 1.0 ppm for Cu (the current US EPA and WHO drinking water limits for Ag and Cu, respectively). These results show good potential for the use of paper embedded with silver and/or copper nanoparticles as effective point-of-use water purifiers. PMID:27022474

  10. The Green Synthesis and Evaluation of Silver Nanoparticles and Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Gebear-Eigzabher, Bellsabel

    Nanoparticle (NP) research has received exceptional attention as the field of study that contributes to transforming the world of materials science. When implementing NPs in consumer and industrial products, their unique properties improve technologies to the extent of significant game-changing breakthroughs. Conversely, the increased production of NPs, their use, their disposal or inadvertent release in the environment drove the need for processes and policies that ensures consumer and environmental safety. Mitigation of any harmful effects that NPs could potentially have combines methods of safe preparation, safe handling and safe disposal as well as containment of any inadvertent release. Our focus is in safe preparation of nanomaterials and we report green and energy efficient synthesis methods for metal NPs and metal oxide NPs of two popular materials: silver (Ag) and zinc oxide (ZnO). The thesis explained: 1) The impact of NPs in nowadays' world; 2) Synthesis methods that were designed to include environmentally-friendly staring materials and energy-saving fabrication processes, with emphasis on maintaining NPs final size and morphology when compared with existing methods; and 3) Nanoparticles characterization and data collection which allowed us to determine and/or validate their properties. Nanoparticles were studied using transmission electron microscope (TEM), X-Ray powder diffraction (XRD), low-voltage (5 keV) transmission electron microscopy (LV EM 5), Fourier-Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FT-IR), and Ultraviolet-Visible (UV-Vis) spectroscopy. We developed an aqueous-based preparation of zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) using microwave-assisted chemistry to render a well-controlled particle size distribution within each set of reaction conditions in the range of 15 nm to 75 nm. We developed a scalable silver nanoparticles synthesis by chemical reduction methods. The NPs could be used in consumer products. The measurement tools for consumer products

  11. Auto-combustion synthesis and characterization of Mg doped CuAlO2 nanoparticles

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Agrawal, Shraddha; Parveen, Azra; Naqvi, A. H.

    2015-06-01

    The synthesis of pure and Mg doped Copper aluminumoxide CuAlO2nanoparticles, a promising p-type TCO (transparent conducting oxide) have been done bysol gel auto combustion method using NaOH as a fuel, calcinated at 600°C. The structural properties were examined by XRD and SEM techniques. The optical absorption spectra of CuAlO2 sample recorded by UV-VIS spectrophotometer in the range of 200 to 800 nm have been presented. The crystallite size was determined by powder X-ray diffraction technique. The electrical behavior of pure and Mg doped CuAlO2 has been studied over a wide range of frequencies by using complex impedance spectroscopy.The variation of a.c. conductivity has been studied as function of frequency and temperature. The data taken together conclude that doping causes decreases in the ac conductivity of the nanoparticles as compared with the pure nanoparticles. Mg doping affects the optical properties and band gap.

  12. Apparently enhanced magnetization of Cu(I)-modified γ-Fe2O3 based nanoparticles

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Qiu, Xiaoyan; He, Zhenghong; Mao, Hong; Zhang, Ting; Lin, Yueqiang; Liu, Xiaodong; Li, Decai; Meng, Xiangshen; Li, Jian

    2017-11-01

    Using a chemically induced transition method in FeCl2 solution, γ-Fe2O3 based magnetic nanoparticles, in which γ-Fe2O3 crystallites were coated with FeCl3ṡ6H2O, were prepared. During the synthesis of the γ-Fe2O3 nanoparticles Cu(I) modification of the particles was attempted. According to the results from both magnetization measurements and structural characterization, it was judged that a magnetic silent "dead layer", which can be attributed to spin disorder in the surface of the γ-Fe2O3 crystallites due to breaking of the crystal symmetry, existed in the unmodified particles. For the Cu(I)-modified sample, the CuCl thin layer on the γ-Fe2O3 crystallites incurred the crystal symmetry to reduce the spin disorder, which "awakened" the "dead layer" on the surface of the γ-Fe2O3 crystallites, enhancing the apparent magnetization of the Cu(I)-modified nanoparticles. It was determined that the surface spin disorder of the magnetic crystallite could be related to the coating layer on the crystallite, and can be modified by altering the coating layer to enhance the effective magnetization of the magnetic nanoparticles.

  13. Structural, chemical and optical properties of SnO2 NPs obtained by three different synthesis routes

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Drzymała, Elżbieta; Gruzeł, Grzegorz; Depciuch, Joanna; Budziak, Andrzej; Kowal, Andrzej; Parlinska-Wojtan, Magdalena

    2017-08-01

    Polyol (P), chemical precipitation (C) and microwave-assisted (M) syntheses were chosen to produce SnO2 nanoparticles with uniform size and minimum agglomeration. Their structural, chemical and optical properties were investigated using dynamic light scattering (DLS), scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM), Raman, Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) using the Attenuated Total Reflectance (ATR) technique and Ultraviolet-Visible (UV-Vis) spectroscopies. STEM observations showed that the SnO2(P) and SnO2(C) nanoparticles (NPs) are combined into larger agglomerates with heterogeneous thickness, while the microwave-assisted NPs form a uniform thin layer across the TEM grid. The strongest agglomeration of the SnO2(C) NPs, observed by DLS, STEM and UV-Vis is explained by the very moderate amount of water present on the surface of the NPs identified by FTIR spectroscopy. High resolution STEM combined with SAED and X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns confirmed the crystalline character of the NPs. In the nanoparticles from polyol synthesis, chlorine from the remains of metal precursors during reduction was detected by energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), contrary to the NPs obtained by the chemical precipitation and microwave-assisted methods. All three syntheses routes lead to small, 2-10 nm SnO2 NPs, which were the result of the low concentration of Cl ions in the solutions.

  14. Giant Paramagnetism of Copper Nanoparticles in Nanocomposites Cu@C

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sharoyan, Eduard; Mirzakhanyan, Armen; Gyulasaryan, Harutyun; Manukyan, Aram; Estiphanos, Medhanie; Goff, Michael; Bernal, Oscar; Kocharian, Armen

    The copper nanoparticles in nanocomposites Cu@C, encapsulated in graphitized carbon shell was obtained by the solid-phase pyrolysis method of polycrystalline phthalocyanine (CuPc, Pc =C32N8H16) . The average sizes of the nanoparticles are in the range of 2-6 nm. Magnetic measurements were carried out by vibrational magnetometer in the temperature range 10-300 K. At low temperatures (<70K) we observed a giant paramagnetism, apparently due to the (ballistic) conduction electron (large orbital magnetism). The values of the specific susceptibility at T = 10K with magnetic specific susceptibility of 510-5 emu/gOe order. This work was supported by the RA MES State Committee of Science, in the frames of the research project SCS-13-1C090. The work at California State University was supported by the National Science Foundation-Partnerships for Research and Education in Materials under Grant DMR-1523588.

  15. Aluminium hydroxide stabilised MnFe2O4 and Fe3O4 nanoparticles as dual-modality contrasts agent for MRI and PET imaging

    PubMed Central

    Cui, Xianjin; Belo, Salome; Krüger, Dirk; Yan, Yong; de Rosales, Rafael T.M.; Jauregui-Osoro, Maite; Ye, Haitao; Su, Shi; Mathe, Domokos; Kovács, Noémi; Horváth, Ildikó; Semjeni, Mariann; Sunassee, Kavitha; Szigeti, Krisztian; Green, Mark A.; Blower, Philip J.

    2014-01-01

    Magnetic nanoparticles (NPs) MnFe2O4 and Fe3O4 were stabilised by depositing an Al(OH)3 layer via a hydrolysis process. The particles displayed excellent colloidal stability in water and a high affinity to [18F]-fluoride and bisphosphonate groups. A high radiolabeling efficiency, 97% for 18F-fluoride and 100% for 64Cu-bisphosphonate conjugate, was achieved by simply incubating NPs with radioactivity solution at room temperature for 5 min. The properties of particles were strongly dependant on the thickness and hardness of the Al(OH)3 layer which could in turn be controlled by the hydrolysis method. The application of these Al(OH)3 coated magnetic NPs in molecular imaging has been further explored. The results demonstrated that these NPs are potential candidates as dual modal probes for MR and PET. In vivo PET imaging showed a slow release of 18F from NPs, but no sign of efflux of 64Cu. PMID:24768194

  16. Bioinspired green synthesis of copper oxide nanoparticles from Syzygium alternifolium (Wt.) Walp: characterization and evaluation of its synergistic antimicrobial and anticancer activity

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Yugandhar, Pulicherla; Vasavi, Thirumalanadhuni; Uma Maheswari Devi, Palempalli; Savithramma, Nataru

    2017-10-01

    In recent times, nanoparticles are attributed to green nanotechnology methods to know the synergistic biological activities. To accomplish this phenomenon, present study was aimed to synthesize copper oxide nanoparticles (CuO NPs) by using Syzygium alternifolium stem bark, characterized those NPs using expository tools and to elucidate high prioritized antimicrobial and anticancer activities. Synthesized particles exhibited a color change pattern upon synthesis and affirmed its respective broad peak at 285 nm which was analyzed through UV-vis spectroscopy. FT-IR study confirmed that phenols and primary amines were mainly involved in capping and stabilization of nanoparticles. DLS and Zeta potential studies revealed narrow size of particles with greater stability. XRD studies revealed the crystallographic nature of particles with 17.2 nm average size. Microscopic analysis by using TEM revealed that particle size range from 5-13 nm and most of them were spherical in shape, non-agglomerated and poly-dispersed in condition. Antimicrobial studies of particles showed highest inhibitory activity against E. coli and T. harzianum among bacterial and fungal strains, respectively. The scope of this study is extended by examining anticancer activity of CuO NPs. This study exhibited potential anticancer activity towards MDA-MB-231 human breast cancer lines. Overall, these examinations relate that the S. alternifolium is described as efficient well-being plant and probabilistically for the design and synthesis of nanoparticles for human health. This study paves a way to better understand antimicrobial and anticancer therapeutic drug potentials of nanoparticles to design and analysis of pharmaceuticals by in vivo and in vitro approaches.

  17. Molecular responses of cells to 2-mercapto-1-methylimidazole gold nanoparticles (AuNPs)-mmi: investigations of histone methylation changes

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Polverino, Arianna; Longo, Angela; Donizetti, Aldo; Drongitis, Denise; Frucci, Maria; Schiavo, Loredana; Carotenuto, Gianfranco; Nicolais, Luigi; Piscopo, Marina; Vitale, Emilia; Fucci, Laura

    2014-07-01

    While nanomedicine has an enormous potential to improve the precision of specific therapy, the ability to efficiently deliver these materials to regions of disease in vivo remains limited. In this study, we describe analyses of (AuNPs)-mmi cellular intake via fluorescence microscopy and its effects on H3K4 and H3K9 histone dimethylation. Specifically, we studied the level of H3K4 dimethylation in serving the role of an epigenetic marker of euchromatin, and of H3K9 dimethylation as a marker of transcriptional repression in four different cell lines. We analyzed histone di-methyl-H3K4 and di-methyl-H3K9 using either variable concentrations of nanoparticles or variable time points after cellular uptake. The observed methylation effects decreased consistently with decreasing (AuNPs)-mmi concentrations. Fluorescent microscopy and a binarization algorithm based on a thresholding process with RGB input images demonstrated the continued presence of (AuNPs)-mmi in cells at the lowest concentration used. Furthermore, our results show that the treated cell line used is able to rescue the untreated cell phenotype.

  18. Effect of biologically synthesized copper oxide nanoparticles on metabolism and antioxidant activity to the crop plants Solanum lycopersicum and Brassica oleracea var. botrytis.

    PubMed

    Singh, Ajey; Singh, N B; Hussain, Imtiyaz; Singh, Himani

    2017-11-20

    Study on the ecological effect of metal oxide nanomaterials (NMs) has quickly amplified over the precedent years because it is assumed that these NMs will sooner or later be released into the environment. The present study deals with biologically oriented process for the green synthesis of copper oxide nanoparticles (CuO NPs) by using Morus alba leaf extract as reducing agent. Powder X-ray diffraction (XRD) and transmission electron microscope (TEM) analysis revealed the monoclinic phase and 20-40nm size respectively. The presence of reducing and capping agents revealed by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. The seedlings of Brassica oleracea var. botrytis and Solanum lycopersicum were exposed to 10, 50, 100, and 500mgL -1 concentrations of CuO NPs in the sand medium. Bioaccumulation of Cu was also investigated by atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS). Plant exposure to 100 and 500mgL -1 of CuO NPs has resulted in significant reduction of total chlorophyll and sugar content in the two test plants while 10mgL -1 of NPs slightly increased the pigment and sugar content in tomato plants only. Augmentation of lipid peroxidation, electrolyte leakage, and antioxidant enzyme activity was observed in a dose dependent manner upon plants exposure to CuO NPs. Deposition of lignin in roots of both plants treated with the highest concentration of CuO NPs was observed. Histochemical analysis of leaves of treated plant with nitroblue tetrazolium and 3 ' 3 ' diaminobenzidine showed a concentration dependent increase in superoxide and hydrogen peroxide formation in leaves. The green synthesis of CuO NPs was carried out by using Morus alba leaf extract. Accumulation of NPs more actively by tomato plants as compared to cauliflower was possibly due to the difference in root morphology. The histochemical visualization highlights the spatial organization of oxidant biochemistry occurring in response to metal stress. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  19. Efficient photocatalytic performance enhancement in Co-doped ZnO nanowires coupled with CuS nanoparticles

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Li, Wei; Wang, Guojing; Feng, Yimeng; Li, Zhengcao

    2018-01-01

    In this research, a kind of highly efficient semiconductor photocatalyst was fabricated by depositing CuS nanoparticles uniformly on the surface of Co-doped ZnO nanowires. ZnO nanowires were synthesized by hydrothermal method and CuS nanoparticles were modified by successive ionic layer adsorption and reaction (SILAR). By conducting methyl orange (MO) degradation experiments under the illumination of visible light, the photocatalytic activity of Co-doped ZnO nanowires modified with CuS nanoparticles was found to be nearly three times active when compared to bare ZnO nanowires. Its superior photocatalytic performance has two main reasons. The doped Co2+ ions can inhibit the recombination of photo-generated electron-hole pairs and decrease the optical bandgap, while the p-n heterostructure can enhance the visible light absorption ability and promote the separation of photo-excited charge carriers. Furthermore, the effect of the amount of deposited CuS nanoparticles on the photocatalysis was also investigated. The photocatalytic efficiency firstly raised along with the increment of SILAR cycle times and reached a maximum at 10 cycles but then decreased as the cycle times continue to increase. This originates from that an excessive amount of CuS would not only cover the active reacting sites, but also serve as recombination centers. Overall, this new nanostructure is expected to work as an efficient photocatalyst.

  20. Green Synthesis of Silver Nanoparticles Stabilized with Mussel-Inspired Protein and Colorimetric Sensing of Lead(II) and Copper(II) Ions

    PubMed Central

    Cheon, Ja Young; Park, Won Ho

    2016-01-01

    This articles reports a simple and green method for preparing uniform silver nanoparticles (AgNPs), for which self-polymerized 3,4-dihydroxy-l-phenylalanine (polyDOPA) is used as the reducing and stabilizing agent in aqueous media. The AgNPs functionalized by polyDOPA were analyzed by UV–Vis spectroscopy, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), Raman spectrophotometry, and X-ray diffraction (XRD) techniques. The results revealed that the polyDOPA-AgNPs with diameters of 25 nm were well dispersed due to the polyDOPA. It was noted that the polyDOPA-AgNPs showed selectivity for Pb2+ and Cu2+ detection with the detection limits for the two ions as low as 9.4 × 10−5 and 8.1 × 10−5 μM, respectively. Therefore, the polyDOPA-AgNPs can be applied to both Pb2+ and Cu2+ detection in real water samples. The proposed method will be useful for colorimetric detection of heavy metal ions in aqueous media. PMID:27916894

  1. Green synthesized conditions impacting on the reactivity of Fe NPs for the degradation of malachite green.

    PubMed

    Huang, Lanlan; Luo, Fang; Chen, Zuliang; Megharaj, Mallavarapu; Naidu, Ravendra

    2015-02-25

    This study investigates green tea extract synthesized conditions impacting on the reactivity of iron nanoparticles (Fe NPs) used for the degradation of malachite green (MG), including the volume ratio of Fe(2+) and tea extract, the solution pH and temperature. Results indicated that the reactivity of Fe NPs increased with higher temperature, but fell with increasing pH and the volume ratio of Fe(2+) and tea extract. Scanning electron microscope (SEM), energy-dispersive spectrometer (EDS), Fourier transform infrared spectroscope (FTIR) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) indicated that Fe NPs were spherical in shape, their diameter was 70-80 nm and they were mainly composed of iron oxide nanoparticles. UV-visible (UV-vis) indicated that reactivity of Fe NPs used in degradation of MG significantly depended on the synthesized conditions of Fe NPs. This was due to their impact on the reactivity and morphology of Fe NPs. Finally, degradation of MG showed that 90.56% of MG was removed using Fe NPs. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  2. Metallization of DNA hydrogel: application of soft matter host for preparation and nesting of catalytic nanoparticles

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zinchenko, Anatoly; Che, Yuxin; Taniguchi, Shota; Lopatina, Larisa I.; G. Sergeyev, Vladimir; Murata, Shizuaki

    2016-07-01

    Nanoparticles (NPs) of Au, Ag, Pt, Pd, Cu and Ni of 2-3 nm average-size and narrow-size distributions were synthesized in DNA cross-linked hydrogels by reducing corresponding metal precursors by sodium borohydride. DNA hydrogel plays a role of a universal reactor in which the reduction of metal precursor results in the formation of 2-3 nm ultrafine metal NPs regardless of metal used. Hydrogels metallized with various metals showed catalytic activity in the reduction of nitroaromatic compounds, and the catalytic activity of metallized hydrogels changed as follows: Pd > Ag ≈ Au ≈ Cu > Ni > Pt. DNA hydrogel-based "soft catalysts" elaborated in this study are promising for green organic synthesis in aqueous media as well as for biomedical in vivo applications.

  3. Effect of core-shell structure on optical properties of Au-Cu2O nanoparticles

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sai, Cong Doanh; Ngac, An Bang

    2018-03-01

    Solid Au-Cu2O core-shell nanoparticles were synthesized using gold nanoparticles of 16.6 nm in size as the core. The core-shell structure of the synthesized particles was confirmed and characterized by TEM and HRTEM images. Due to their similar crystal structure, the (111) planes of Cu2O are nucleated and grown epitaxially on the {111} facets of Au nanoparticles with the lattice mismatch of about 4.3% resulting in a polycrystallized Cu2O shell covering the Au nanocore. Due to the quantum confinement effect, the band gap energy Eg of the synthesized Cu2O shells is blue-shifted from 2.35 to 2.70 eV as the shell thickness decreases from of 24.6±3.6 to 9.0±1.7 nm. The localized SPR (Surface Plasmon Resonance) peak of the Au nanocore undergoes a large red shift of the order of a hundred of nm due to both the high refractive index and the increase of the thickness of Cu2O shell. Theoretical models within the Drude framework significantly underestimate the experimental data and predict a wrong rate of change of the SPR peak position with respect to the shell thickness.

  4. Efficient fluoride removal using Al-Cu oxide nanoparticles supported on steel slag industrial waste solid.

    PubMed

    Blanco-Flores, Alien; Arteaga-Larios, Nubia; Pérez-García, Víctor; Martínez-Gutiérrez, José; Ojeda-Escamilla, María; Rodríguez-Torres, Israel

    2018-03-01

    A SSW/Al-Cu formed from an industrial solid waste and Al-Cu Nps are utilized for the removal of fluoride from aqueous solutions. The SSW/Al-Cu was obtained by a chemical reduction method. The SSW/Al-Cu was characterized by TEM, SEM, FT-IR, XRD, BET, and pH zpc techniques. The Nps were formed as bimetallic oxides and deposited in the form of spheroidal particles forming agglomerations. The sizes of these particles range from 1 to 3 nm. The surface area and average pore width of SSW/Al-Cu were 2.99 m 2 /g and 17.09 nm, respectively. The adsorption kinetics were better described using the second-order model, pointing to chemical adsorption with an equilibrium time of 540 min. The thermodynamic parameters obtained here confirm the spontaneous and endothermic nature of the process. The percentage of fluoride removal was 89.5% using the four-bladed disk turbine, and computational fluid dynamics (CFD) modeling demonstrated that using the four-bladed disk turbine helped improve the fluoride removal process. The maximum adsorption capacity was 3.99 mg/g. The Langmuir-Freundlich model best describes the adsorption process, which occurred by a combination of mechanisms, such as electrostatic interactions between the ions involved in the process. This study proves that the chemical modification of this waste solid created an efficient bimetallic nanomaterial for fluoride removal. Furthermore, the method of preparation of these nanocomposites is quite scalable.

  5. Nanoparticle fouling and its combination with organic fouling during forward osmosis process for silver nanoparticles removal from simulated wastewater

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zhao, Yanxiao; Wang, Xinhua; Wang, Zhiwei; Li, Xiufen; Ren, Yueping

    2016-05-01

    The increasing and wide application of silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) has resulted in their appearance in wastewater. In consideration of their potential toxicity and environmental impacts, it is necessary to find effective technology for their removal from wastewater. Here, forward osmosis (FO) membrane was applied for Ag NPs removal from wastewater, and single and combined fouling of nanoparticles and organic macromolecules were further investigated during the FO process. The findings demonstrated that FO membrane can effectively remove Ag NPs from wastewater due to its high rejection performance. Fouling tests indicated that water flux declined appreciably even at the beginning of the single Ag NPs fouling test, and more remarkable flux decline and larger amounts of deposited Ag NPs were observed with an increase of Ag NPs concentration. However, the addition of bovine serum albumin (BSA) could effectively alleviate the FO membrane fouling induced by Ag NPs. The interaction between Ag NPs and BSA was responsible for this phenomenon. BSA can easily form a nanoparticle-protein corona surrounded nanoparticles, which prevented nanoparticles from aggregation due to the steric stabilization mechanism. Furthermore, the interaction between BSA and Ag NPs occurred not only in wastewater but also on FO membrane surface.

  6. Synthesized zinc peroxide nanoparticles (ZnO2-NPs): a novel antimicrobial, anti-elastase, anti-keratinase, and anti-inflammatory approach toward polymicrobial burn wounds

    PubMed Central

    El-Zawawy, Nessma Ahmed; Fareed, Mervat F; Bedaiwy, Mohamed Yaser

    2017-01-01

    Increasing of multidrug resistance (MDR) remains an intractable challenge for burn patients. Innovative nanomaterials are also in high demand for the development of new antimicrobial biomaterials that inevitably have opened new therapeutic horizons in medical approaches and lead to many efforts for synthesizing new metal oxide nanoparticles (NPs) for better control of the MDR associated with the polymicrobial burn wounds. Recently, it seems that metal oxides can truly be considered as highly efficient inorganic agents with antimicrobial properties. In this study, zinc peroxide NPs (ZnO2-NPs) were synthesized using the co-precipitation method. Synthesized ZnO2-NPs were characterized by X-ray diffraction, Fourier transformed infrared, transmission electron microscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, differential scanning calorimetry, and ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy. The characterization techniques revealed synthesis of the pure phase of non-agglomerated ZnO2-NPs having sizes in the range of 15–25 nm with a transition temperature of 211°C. Antimicrobial activity of ZnO2-NPs was determined against MDR Pseudomonas aeruginosa (PA) and Aspergillus niger (AN) strains isolated from burn wound infections. Both strains, PA6 and AN4, were found to be more susceptible strains to ZnO2-NPs. In addition, a significant decrease in elastase and keratinase activities was recorded with increased concentrations of ZnO2-NPs until 200 µg/mL. ZnO2-NPs revealed a significant anti-inflammatory activity against PA6 and AN4 strains as demonstrated by membrane stabilization, albumin denaturation, and proteinase inhibition. Moreover, the results of in vivo histopathology assessment confirmed the potential role of ZnO2-NPs in the improvement of skin wound healing in the experimental animal models. Clearly, the synthesized ZnO2-NPs have demonstrated a competitive capability as antimicrobial, anti-elastase, anti-keratinase, and anti-inflammatory candidates, suggesting that the ZnO2-NPs are

  7. Synthesized zinc peroxide nanoparticles (ZnO2-NPs): a novel antimicrobial, anti-elastase, anti-keratinase, and anti-inflammatory approach toward polymicrobial burn wounds.

    PubMed

    Ali, Sameh Samir; Morsy, Reda; El-Zawawy, Nessma Ahmed; Fareed, Mervat F; Bedaiwy, Mohamed Yaser

    2017-01-01

    Increasing of multidrug resistance (MDR) remains an intractable challenge for burn patients. Innovative nanomaterials are also in high demand for the development of new antimicrobial biomaterials that inevitably have opened new therapeutic horizons in medical approaches and lead to many efforts for synthesizing new metal oxide nanoparticles (NPs) for better control of the MDR associated with the polymicrobial burn wounds. Recently, it seems that metal oxides can truly be considered as highly efficient inorganic agents with antimicrobial properties. In this study, zinc peroxide NPs (ZnO 2 -NPs) were synthesized using the co-precipitation method. Synthesized ZnO 2 -NPs were characterized by X-ray diffraction, Fourier transformed infrared, transmission electron microscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, differential scanning calorimetry, and ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy. The characterization techniques revealed synthesis of the pure phase of non-agglomerated ZnO 2 -NPs having sizes in the range of 15-25 nm with a transition temperature of 211°C. Antimicrobial activity of ZnO 2 -NPs was determined against MDR Pseudomonas aeruginosa (PA) and Aspergillus niger (AN) strains isolated from burn wound infections. Both strains, PA6 and AN4, were found to be more susceptible strains to ZnO 2 -NPs. In addition, a significant decrease in elastase and keratinase activities was recorded with increased concentrations of ZnO 2 -NPs until 200 µg/mL. ZnO 2 -NPs revealed a significant anti-inflammatory activity against PA6 and AN4 strains as demonstrated by membrane stabilization, albumin denaturation, and proteinase inhibition. Moreover, the results of in vivo histopathology assessment confirmed the potential role of ZnO 2 -NPs in the improvement of skin wound healing in the experimental animal models. Clearly, the synthesized ZnO 2 -NPs have demonstrated a competitive capability as antimicrobial, anti-elastase, anti-keratinase, and anti-inflammatory candidates, suggesting that the

  8. Antimicrobial activity of silver nanoparticles encapsulated in poly-N-isopropylacrylamide-based polymeric nanoparticles.

    PubMed

    Qasim, Muhammad; Udomluck, Nopphadol; Chang, Jihyun; Park, Hansoo; Kim, Kyobum

    2018-01-01

    In this study, we analyzed the antimicrobial activities of poly- N -isopropylacrylamide (pNIPAM)-based polymeric nanoparticles encapsulating silver nanoparticles (AgNPs). Three sizes of AgNP-encapsulating pNIPAM- and pNIPAM-NH 2 -based polymeric nanoparticles were fabricated. Highly stable and uniformly distributed AgNPs were encapsulated within polymeric nanoparticles via in situ reduction of AgNO 3 using NaBH 4 as the reducing agent. The formation and distribution of AgNPs was confirmed by UV-visible spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry, respectively. Both polymeric nanoparticles showed significant bacteriostatic activities against Gram-negative ( Escherichia coli ) and Gram-positive ( Staphylococcus aureus ) bacteria depending on the nanoparticle size and amount of AgNO 3 used during fabrication.

  9. Antimicrobial activity of silver nanoparticles encapsulated in poly-N-isopropylacrylamide-based polymeric nanoparticles

    PubMed Central

    Qasim, Muhammad; Udomluck, Nopphadol; Chang, Jihyun; Park, Hansoo; Kim, Kyobum

    2018-01-01

    In this study, we analyzed the antimicrobial activities of poly-N-isopropylacrylamide (pNIPAM)-based polymeric nanoparticles encapsulating silver nanoparticles (AgNPs). Three sizes of AgNP-encapsulating pNIPAM- and pNIPAM-NH2-based polymeric nanoparticles were fabricated. Highly stable and uniformly distributed AgNPs were encapsulated within polymeric nanoparticles via in situ reduction of AgNO3 using NaBH4 as the reducing agent. The formation and distribution of AgNPs was confirmed by UV-visible spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry, respectively. Both polymeric nanoparticles showed significant bacteriostatic activities against Gram-negative (Escherichia coli) and Gram-positive (Staphylococcus aureus) bacteria depending on the nanoparticle size and amount of AgNO3 used during fabrication. PMID:29379284

  10. Synthesis of gold and silver nanoparticles using purified URAK.

    PubMed

    Deepak, Venkataraman; Umamaheshwaran, Paneer Selvam; Guhan, Kandasamy; Nanthini, Raja Amrisa; Krithiga, Bhaskar; Jaithoon, Nagoor Meeran Hasika; Gurunathan, Sangiliyandi

    2011-09-01

    This study aims at developing a new eco-friendly process for the synthesis of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) and gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) using purified URAK. URAK is a fibrinolytic enzyme produced by Bacillus cereus NK1. The enzyme was purified and used for the synthesis of AuNPs and AgNPs. The enzyme produced AgNPs when incubated with 1 mM AgNO3 for 24 h and AuNPs when incubated with 1 mM HAuCl4 for 60 h. But when NaOH was added, the synthesis was rapid and occurred within 5 min for AgNPs and 12 h for AuNPs. The synthesized nanoparticles were characterized by a peak at 440 nm and 550 nm in the UV-visible spectrum. TEM analysis showed that AgNPs of the size 60 nm and AuNPs of size 20 nm were synthesized. XRD confirmed the crystalline nature of the nanoparticles and AFM showed the morphology of the nanoparticle to be spherical. FT-IR showed that protein was responsible for the synthesis of the nanoparticles. This process is highly simple, versatile and produces AgNPs and AuNPs in environmental friendly manner. Moreover, the synthesized nanoparticles were found to contain immobilized enzyme. Also, URAK was tested on RAW 264.7 macrophage cell line and was found to be non-cytotoxic until 100 μg/ml. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  11. Effect of Precursors on the Synthesis of CuO Nanoparticles Under Microwave for Photocatalytic Activity Towards Methylene Blue and Rhodamine B Dyes.

    PubMed

    Sanjini, N S; Winston, B; Velmathi, S

    2017-01-01

    Copper oxide nanoparticles have been successfully synthesized by microwave assisted precipitation method. Different precursors like copper chloride, copper nitrate and copper sulphate were used for synthesis of CuO nanoparticles with different shape, size and catalytic activity. Sodium hydroxide acts as a capping agent and ethanol as solvent for the synthesis. The XRD study was conducted to confirm the single phase monoclinic structure of as-synthesized and annealed CuO nano particles. The morphology of the as-synthesized and annealed CuO samples was analyzed by high resolution field emission scanning electron microscope. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy was done for all the synthesized CuO nanoparticles for functional group characterization. The wide band gap and photocatalytic activity were studied by UV-Visible spectroscopy. The photocatalytic degradation of Methylene blue (MB) and Rhodamine B (RhB) dyes in aqueous solution were investigated under UV light (254 nm). In all the cases annealed samples showed good catalytic activity compared to as-synthesized CuO nanoparticles. The CuO nanoparticles from CuCl2 precursor act as excellent photocatalyst for both MB and RhB compared to CuNO₃ and CuSO₄.

  12. Flexible porous coordination polymer of Ni(II) for developing nanoparticles through acid formation and redox activity of the framework

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Agarwal, Rashmi A.

    2017-10-01

    Immobilization of the nanoparticles (NPs) in a two dimensional porous coordination polymer (PCP) is currently an emerging field for a number of applications. But still it is a great challenge to fabricate any specified metal NPs in a single network. Herein the synthesis of Au, Pd, Mn, Fe, Cu, Zn, Mg, Li, Fe/Cu, Zn/Mg etc, NPs in a highly flexible PCP of Ni(II); {[Ni3(TBIB)2(BTC)2(H2O)6]·5C2H5OH·9H2O}n [TBIB = 1,3,5-tri(1H-benzo[d]imidazol-1-yl)benzene, H3BTC = 1,3,5-benzenetricarboxylic acid] have been reported. This universal host is able to grow mixed metal NPs from mixed metal precursors. Monodentate carboxylate groups of BTC linker act as anchoring sites for the metal ions of the metal precursors. This is the main driving force to grow NPs within the cavities along with the high flexibility of this polymer at room temperature. Mechanism involves acid formation followed by redox reaction to synthesize metal NPs explained by EPR and FTIR. Paramagnetic properties have been shown by as-synthesized Fe NPs integrated framework at room temperature under applied magnetic field up to 17,500 Oe.

  13. A ternary Cu2O-Cu-CuO nanocomposite: a catalyst with intriguing activity.

    PubMed

    Sasmal, Anup Kumar; Dutta, Soumen; Pal, Tarasankar

    2016-02-21

    In this work, the syntheses of Cu2O as well as Cu(0) nanoparticle catalysts are presented. Copper acetate monohydrate produced two distinctly different catalyst particles with varying concentrations of hydrazine hydrate at room temperature without using any surfactant or support. Then both of them were employed separately for 4-nitrophenol reduction in aqueous solution in the presence of sodium borohydride at room temperature. To our surprise, it was noticed that the catalytic activity of Cu2O was much higher than that of the metal Cu(0) nanoparticles. We have confirmed the reason for the exceptionally high catalytic activity of cuprous oxide nanoparticles over other noble metal nanoparticles for 4-nitrophenol reduction. A plausible mechanism has been reported. The unusual activity of Cu2O nanoparticles in the reduction reaction has been observed because of the in situ generated ternary nanocomposite, Cu2O-Cu-CuO, which rapidly relays electrons and acts as a better catalyst. In this ternary composite, highly active in situ generated Cu(0) is proved to be responsible for the hydride transfer reaction. The mechanism of 4-nitrophenol reduction has been established from supporting TEM studies. To further support our proposition, we have prepared a compositionally similar Cu2O-Cu-CuO nanocomposite using Cu2O and sodium borohydride which however displayed lower rate of reduction than that of the in situ produced ternary nanocomposite. The evolution of isolated Cu(0) nanoparticles for 4-nitrophenol reduction from Cu2O under surfactant-free condition has also been taken into consideration. The synthetic procedures of cuprous oxide as well as its catalytic activity in the reduction of 4-nitrophenol are very convenient, fast, cost-effective, and easily operable in aqueous medium and were followed spectrophotometrically. Additionally, the Cu2O-catalyzed 4-nitrophenol reduction methodology was extended further to the reduction of electronically diverse nitroarenes. This

  14. Morphology and Shear Strength of Lead-Free Solder Joints with Sn3.0Ag0.5Cu Solder Paste Reinforced with Ceramic Nanoparticles

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Yakymovych, A.; Plevachuk, Yu.; Švec, P.; Švec, P.; Janičkovič, D.; Šebo, P.; Beronská, N.; Roshanghias, A.; Ipser, H.

    2016-12-01

    To date, additions of different oxide nanoparticles is one of the most widespread procedures to improve the mechanical properties of metals and metal alloys. This research deals with the effect of minor ceramic nanoparticle additions (SiO2, TiO2 and ZrO2) on the microstructure and mechanical properties of Cu/solder/Cu joints. The reinforced Sn3.0Ag0.5Cu (SAC305) solder alloy with 0.5 wt.% and 1.0 wt.% of ceramic nanoparticles was prepared through mechanically stirring. The microstructure of as-solidified Cu/solder/Cu joints was studied using scanning electron microscopy. The additions of ceramic nanoparticles suppressed the growth of the intermetallic compound layer Cu6Sn5 at the interface solder/Cu and improved the microstructure of the joints. Furthermore, measurements of mechanical properties showed improved shear strength of Cu/composite solder/Cu joints compared to joints with unreinforced solder. This fact related to all investigated ceramic nanoinclusions and should be attributed to the adsorption of nanoparticles on the grain surface during solidification. However, this effect is less pronounced on increasing the nanoinclusion content from 0.5 wt.% to 1.0 wt.% due to agglomeration of nanoparticles. Moreover, a comparison analysis showed that the most beneficial influence was obtained by minor additions of SiO2 nanoparticles into the SAC305 solder alloy.

  15. Ultrasensitive detection of EGFR gene based on surface plasmon resonance enhanced electrochemiluminescence of CuZnInS quantum dots.

    PubMed

    Chen, Xueqian; Gui, Wenying; Ma, Qiang

    2018-06-07

    In our work, a novel DNA electrochemiluminescence (ECL) sensor based on CuZnInS quantum dots (QDs) and gold-nanoparticles (Au NPs) is developed for highly sensitive detection of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) Gene, which has a close relation with the lung cancer. The CuZnInS QDs work as a novel kind of ECL luminophore, whose defect state emission is suitable for ECL sensing. To enhance the sensitivity of the sensing system, Au NPs are utilized creatively to strengthen the ECL intensity of CuZnInS QD S according to the surface plasmon resonance (SPR) effect. An ultrasensitive and universal detecting platform is built based on the SPR effect between Au NPs and CuZnInS QD S . The effect of the capped stabilizer on the ECL signal of QDs is firstly investigated. Three different stabilizers are used to cap the CuZnInS QDs, including mercaptopropionic acid (MPA), l-glutathione (GSH) and cysteamine (CA). MPA capped CuZnInS QDs possess the strongest ECL intensity among the three kinds of the CuZnInS QDs. Under the optimum conditions, a good linear relationship between ECL intensity and the concentration of target DNA is obtained in the range from 0.05 nmol L -1 to 1 nmol L -1 . The detection limit is 0.0043 nmol L -1 . The proposed DNA sensor has been employed for the determination of target DNA EGFR in human serum samples with satisfactory results. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  16. Uptake of copper and cerium by alfalfa, lettuce and cucumber exposed to nCeO2 and nCuO through the foliage or the roots: Impacts on food quality, physiological and agronomical parameters

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hong, Jie

    Nanotechnology is increasingly attracting attention not only for its variety of applications in modern life, but for the potential negative effects that nanomaterials (NMs) can cause in the environment and human health. Studies have shown varied effects of engineered nanoparticles (ENPs) on plants; however, most of these studies focused on the interaction of NPs with plants at root level. The increasing production and use of NPs have also increased the atmospheric amounts of NPs, which could be taken up by plants through their leaves. Cucumbers (Cucumis sativus L.) are broad leaf plants commonly grown both commercially and in home vegetable gardens that can be easily impacted by atmospheric NPs. However, there is limited information about the potential effects of these atmospheric NPs on cucumber. This research was aimed to determine (I) the possible uptake and translocation of cerium (Ce) by cucumber plants exposed to nCeO 2 (cerium dioxide nanoparticles, nanoceria) through the foliage, (II) the impacts of the NPs on physiological parameters of the plants and the effects on the nutritional value and quality of the fruits, and (III) the effects of seven copper compounds/nanoparticles applied to the growth medium of lettuce (Lactuca sativa) and alfalfa (Medicago sativa). For aim I, 15 day-old hydroponically grown cucumber plants were exposed to nCeO2, either as powder at 0.98 and 2.94 g/m3 or suspensions at 20, 40, 80, 160, 320 mg/l. Ce uptake was analyzed by using inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES) and transmission electron microscope (TEM). The activity of three stress enzymes was measured by UV/Vis. Ce was detected in all cucumber tissues and TEM images showed the presence of Ce in roots. Results suggested nCeO2 penetrated plants through leaves and moved to other plant parts. The biochemical assays showed nCeO2 also modified stress enzyme activities. For aim II, 15 day-old soil grown cucumber plants were foliar treated, separately

  17. Copper nanoparticles/compounds impact agronomic and physiological parameters in cilantro (Coriandrum sativum).

    PubMed

    Zuverza-Mena, Nubia; Medina-Velo, Illya A; Barrios, Ana C; Tan, Wenjuan; Peralta-Videa, Jose R; Gardea-Torresdey, Jorge L

    2015-10-01

    The environmental impacts of Cu-based nanoparticles (NPs) are not well understood. In this study, cilantro (Coriandrum sativum) was germinated and grown in commercial potting mix soil amended with Cu(OH)2 (Kocide and CuPRO), nano-copper (nCu), micro-copper (μCu), nano-copper oxide (nCuO), micro-copper oxide (μCuO) and ionic Cu (CuCl2) at either 20 or 80 mg Cu per kg. In addition to seed germination and plant elongation, relative chlorophyll content and micro and macroelement concentrations were determined. At both concentrations, only nCuO, μCuO, and ionic Cu, showed statistically significant reductions in germination. Although compared with control, the relative germination was reduced by ∼50% with nCuO at both concentrations, and by ∼40% with μCuO, also at both concentrations, the difference among compounds was not statistically significant. Exposure to μCuO at both concentrations and nCu at 80 mg kg(-1) significantly reduced (p≤ 0.05) shoot elongation by 11% and 12.4%, respectively, compared with control. Only μCuO at 20 mg kg(-1) significantly reduced (26%) the relative chlorophyll content, compared with control. None of the treatments increased root Cu, but all of them, except μCuO at 20 mg kg(-1), significantly increased shoot Cu (p≤ 0.05). Micro and macro elements B, Zn, Mn, Ca, Mg, P, and S were significantly reduced in shoots (p≤ 0.05). Similar results were observed in roots. These results showed that Cu-based NPs/compounds depress nutrient element accumulation in cilantro, which could impact human nutrition.

  18. Pt skin on AuCu intermetallic substrate: a strategy to maximize Pt utilization for fuel cells.

    PubMed

    Wang, Gongwei; Huang, Bing; Xiao, Li; Ren, Zhandong; Chen, Hao; Wang, Deli; Abruña, Héctor D; Lu, Juntao; Zhuang, Lin

    2014-07-09

    The dependence on Pt catalysts has been a major issue of proton-exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cells. Strategies to maximize the Pt utilization in catalysts include two main approaches: to put Pt atoms only at the catalyst surface and to further enhance the surface-specific catalytic activity (SA) of Pt. Thus far there has been no practical design that combines these two features into one single catalyst. Here we report a combined computational and experimental study on the design and implementation of Pt-skin catalysts with significantly improved SA toward the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR). Through screening, using density functional theory (DFT) calculations, a Pt-skin structure on AuCu(111) substrate, consisting of 1.5 monolayers of Pt, is found to have an appropriately weakened oxygen affinity, in comparison to that on Pt(111), which would be ideal for ORR catalysis. Such a structure is then realized by substituting the Cu atoms in three surface layers of AuCu intermetallic nanoparticles (AuCu iNPs) with Pt. The resulting Pt-skinned catalyst (denoted as Pt(S)AuCu iNPs) has been characterized in depth using synchrotron XRD, XPS, HRTEM, and HAADF-STEM/EDX, such that the Pt-skin structure is unambiguously identified. The thickness of the Pt skin was determined to be less than two atomic layers. Finally the catalytic activity of Pt(S)AuCu iNPs toward the ORR was measured via rotating disk electrode (RDE) voltammetry through which it was established that the SA was more than 2 times that of a commercial Pt/C catalyst. Taking into account the ultralow Pt loading in Pt(S)AuCu iNPs, the mass-specific catalytic activity (MA) was determined to be 0.56 A/mg(Pt)@0.9 V, a value that is well beyond the DOE 2017 target for ORR catalysts (0.44 A/mg(Pt)@0.9 V). These findings provide a strategic design and a realizable approach to high-performance and Pt-efficient catalysts for fuel cells.

  19. Amperometric sensing of hydrogen peroxide using glassy carbon electrode modified with copper nanoparticles

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

    Sophia, J.; Muralidharan, G., E-mail: muraligru@gmail.com

    2015-10-15

    In this paper, fabrication of glassy carbon electrode (GCE) modified with nano copper particles is discussed. The modified electrode has been tested for the non-enzymatic electrochemical detection of hydrogen peroxide (H{sub 2}O{sub 2}). The copper nanoparticles (Cu NPs) were prepared employing a simple chemical reduction method. The presence of Cu NPs was confirmed through UV–visible (UV–vis) absorption spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis. The size and morphology of the particles were investigated using transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The electrochemical properties of the fabricated sensor were studied via cyclic voltammetry (CV), chronoamperometry and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). The electrochemical sensor displayedmore » excellent performance features towards H{sub 2}O{sub 2} detection exhibiting wide linear range, low detection limit, swift response time, good reproducibility and stability.« less

  20. 64Cu, a powerful positron emitter for immunoimaging and theranostic: Production via natZnO and natZnO-NPs.

    PubMed

    Karimi, Zahra; Sadeghi, Mahdi; Mataji-Kojouri, Naimeddin

    2018-07-01

    64 Cu is one of the most beneficial radionuclide that can be used as a theranostic agent in Positron Emission Tomography (PET) imaging. In this current work, 64 Cu was produced with zinc oxide nanoparticles ( nat ZnONPs) and zinc oxide powder ( nat ZnO) via the 64 Zn(n,p) 64 Cu reaction in Tehran Research Reactor (TRR) and the activity values were compared with each other. The theoretical activity of 64 Cu also was calculated with MCNPX-2.6 and the cross sections of this reaction were calculated by using TALYS-1.8, EMPIRE-3.2.2 and ALICE/ASH nuclear codes and were compared with experimental values. Transmission Electronic Microscopy (TEM), Scanning Electronic Microscopy (SEM) and X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) analysis were used for samples characterizations. From these results, it's concluded that 64 Cu activity value with nanoscale target was achieved more than the bulk state target and had a good adaptation with the MCNPX result. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  1. Non-Enzymatic Glucose Biosensor Based on CuO-Decorated CeO2 Nanoparticles

    PubMed Central

    Guan, Panpan; Li, Yongjian; Zhang, Jie; Li, Wei

    2016-01-01

    Copper oxide (CuO)-decorated cerium oxide (CeO2) nanoparticles were synthesized and used to detect glucose non-enzymatically. The morphological characteristics and structure of the nanoparticles were characterized through transmission electron microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and X-ray diffraction. The sensor responses of electrodes to glucose were investigated via an electrochemical method. The CuO/CeO2 nanocomposite exhibited a reasonably good sensitivity of 2.77 μA mM−1cm−2, an estimated detection limit of 10 μA, and a good anti-interference ability. The sensor was also fairly stable under ambient conditions. PMID:28335287

  2. Observation of ambipolar switching in a silver nanoparticle single-electron transistor with multiple molecular floating gates

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Yamamoto, Makoto; Shinohara, Shuhei; Tamada, Kaoru; Ishii, Hisao; Noguchi, Yutaka

    2016-03-01

    Ambipolar switching behavior was observed in a silver nanoparticle (AgNP)-based single-electron transistor (SET) with tetra-tert-butyl copper phthalocyanine (ttbCuPc) as a molecular floating gate. Depending on the wavelength of the incident light, the stability diagram shifted to the negative and positive directions along the gate voltage axis. These results were explained by the photoinduced charging of ttbCuPc molecules in the vicinity of AgNPs. Moreover, multiple device states were induced by the light irradiation at a wavelength of 600 nm, suggesting that multiple ttbCuPc molecules individually worked as a floating gate.

  3. In-vitro evaluation of copper nanoparticles cytotoxicity on prostate cancer cell lines and their antioxidant, sensing and catalytic activity: One-pot green approach.

    PubMed

    Prasad, P Reddy; Kanchi, S; Naidoo, E B

    2016-08-01

    In this study, Broccoli green extract was reported as a green and environmental friendly precursor for the one-pot biosynthesis of copper nanoparticles. The synthesized nanoparticles were characterized by UV-vis, FTIR, TEM, DLS, XRD and cyclic voltammetry. The TEM and DLS results showed that the NPs are in spherical and monodispersed with an average particle size of ~4.8nm. The FTIR results confirmed the occurrence of bioactive functional groups that are responsible for reducing cupric sulphate to copper ions. The UV-vis spectrophotometry was used for catalytic reduction of 4-nitrophenol and its dynamic reaction in Britton-Robinson buffer solution. This catalytic activity was further supported with methylene blue and methyl red dyes degradation. The nanocatalyst can be recovered from the reaction mixture and reused many times with none vital loss of catalytic activity. The Broccoli green extract modified copper nanoparticles coated on screen printing electrode laid a new sensing platform and has an excellent electrocatalytic activity. Furthermore, surface modified CuNPs with Broccoli green extract exhibited no cytotoxicity at the concentration ranging from 0.5 to 1.5μM on the prostate cancer (PC-3) cell lines. The maximum scavenging % of Broccoli green extract modified CuNPs was found to be >70.50% at the concentration of 0.25mM against 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  4. Impacts of metal and metal oxide nanoparticles on marine organisms.

    PubMed

    Baker, Tony J; Tyler, Charles R; Galloway, Tamara S

    2014-03-01

    Increasing use of metal and metal oxide nanoparticles [Me(O)NPs] in products means many will inevitably find their way into marine systems. Their likely fate here is sedimentation following hetero-aggregation with natural organic matter and/or free anions, putting benthic, sediment-dwelling and filter feeding organisms most at risk. In marine systems, Me(O)NPs can absorb to micro-organisms with potential for trophic transfer following consumption. Filter feeders, especially bivalves, accumulate Me(O)NPs through trapping them in mucus prior to ingestion. Benthic in-fauna may directly ingest sedimented Me(O)NPs. In fish, uptake is principally via the gut following drinking, whilst Me(O)NPs caught in gill mucus may affect respiratory processes and ion transport. Currently, environmentally-realistic Me(O)NP concentrations are unlikely to cause significant adverse acute health problems, however sub-lethal effects e.g. oxidative stresses have been noted in many organisms, often deriving from dissolution of Ag, Cu or Zn ions, and this could result in chronic health impacts. Crown Copyright © 2013. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  5. Electronic excitation induced modifications of structural, electrical and optical properties of Cu-C60 nanocomposite thin films

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Inani, H.; Singhal, R.; Sharma, P.; Vishnoi, R.; Ojha, S.; Chand, S.; Sharma, G. D.

    2017-09-01

    High energy ion irradiation significantly affects the size and shape of nanoparticles in composites. Low concentration metal fraction embedded in fullerene matrix in form of nanocomposites was synthesized by thermal co-evaporation method. Swift heavy ion irradiation was performed with 120 MeV Au ion beam on Cu-C60 nanocomposites at different fluences 1 × 1012, 3 × 1012, 6 × 1012, 1 × 1013 and 3 × 1013 ions/cm2. Absorption spectra demonstrated that absorption intensity of nanocomposite thin film was increased whereas absorption modes of fullerene C60 were diminished with fluence. Rutherford backscattering spectroscopy was also performed to estimate the thickness of the film and atomic metal fraction in matrix and found to be 45 nm and 3%, respectively. Transmission electron microscopy was performed for structural and particle size evaluation of Cu nanoparticles (NPs) in fullerene C60 matrix. A growth of Cu nanoparticles is observed at a fluence of 3 × 1013 ions/cm2 with a bi-modal distribution in fullerene C60. Structural evolution of fullerene C60 matrix with increasing fluence of 120 MeV Au ion beam is studied by Raman spectroscopy which shows the amorphization of matrix (fullerene C60) at lower fluence. The growth of Cu nanoparticles is explained using the phenomena of Ostwald ripening.

  6. Segregation Phenomena in Size-Selected Bimetallic CuNi Nanoparticle Catalysts

    DOE PAGES

    Pielsticker, Lukas; Zegkinoglou, Ioannis; Divins, Nuria J.; ...

    2017-10-25

    Surface segregation, restructuring, and sintering phenomena in size-selected copper–nickel nanoparticles (NPs) supported on silicon dioxide substrates were systematically investigated as a function of temperature, chemical state, and reactive gas environment. Using near-ambient pressure (NAP-XPS) and ultrahigh vacuum X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), we showed that nickel tends to segregate to the surface of the NPs at elevated temperatures in oxygen- or hydrogen-containing atmospheres. It was found that the NP pretreatment, gaseous environment, and oxide formation free energy are the main driving forces of the restructuring and segregation trends observed, overshadowing the role of the surface free energy. The depth profile ofmore » the elemental composition of the particles was determined under operando CO 2 hydrogenation conditions by varying the energy of the X-ray beam. The temperature dependence of the chemical state of the two metals was systematically studied, revealing the high stability of nickel oxides on the NPs and the important role of high valence oxidation states in the segregation behavior. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) studies revealed a remarkable stability of the NPs against sintering at temperatures as high as 700 °C. The results provide new insights into the complex interplay of the various factors which affect alloy formation and segregation phenomena in bimetallic NP systems, often in ways different from those previously known for their bulk counterparts. In conclusion, this leads to new routes for tuning the surface composition of nanocatalysts, for example, through plasma and annealing pretreatments.« less

  7. Synthesis of nanoparticles through x-ray radiolysis using synchrotron radiation

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Yamaguchi, A.; Okada, I.; Fukuoka, T.; Ishihara, M.; Sakurai, I.; Utsumi, Y.

    2016-09-01

    The synthesis and deposition of nanoparticles consisting of Cu and Au in a CuSO4 solution with some kinds of alcohol and electroplating solution containing gold (I) trisodium disulphite under synchrotron X-ray radiation was investigated. The functional group of alcohol plays an important in nucleation, growth and aggregation process of copper and cupric oxide particles. We found that the laboratory X-ray source also enables us to synthesize the NPs from the metallic solution. As increasing X-ray exposure time, the full length at half width of particle size distribution is broader and higher-order nanostructure containing NPs clusters is formed. The surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) of 4, 4'-bipyridine (4bpy) in aqueous solution was measured using higher-order nanostructure immobilized on silicon substrates under systematically-varied X-ray exposure. This demonstration provide a clue to develop a three-dimensional printing and sensor for environmental analyses and molecular detection through simple SERS measurements.

  8. Magnetic properties of TOAB-capped CuO nanoparticles.

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Seehra, M.; Punnoose, A.; Mahamuni, S.

    2002-03-01

    Synthesis of CuO nanoparticles (NP) capped with TOAB (tetraoctylammonium bromide) and their structural properties were reported recently [1]. Here we report on the magnetic properties of the TOAB-capped CuO-NP of size 4, 6 and 10 nm and compare these properties with those of uncapped CuO-NP in the size range of 6.6-37 nm described in the above abstract [2] and in a recent publication [3]. Temperature (5 K 350 K) and magnetic field (up to 55 kOe) variations of magnetization M, coercivity H_c, exchange bias He (field-cooled in 55 kOe) and the Neel temperature TN (where He goes to zero) were measured. The TOAB-capped NP have higher magnitudes of Ms (the weak ferromagnetic component of M) and lower He values, confirming the 1/Ms variation of He observed in uncapped CuO-NP for size < 16 nm. The reasons for the larger Ms in the capped vs. uncapped CuO-NP are now under investigation. TN decreases with the decrease in the particle size, as also observed for the uncapped CuO-NP. Supported in part by U.S. DOE (contract DE-FC26-99FT40540). [1]. K. Borgohain et al, Phys. Rev. B61, 11093 (2000). [2]. A. Punnoose and M. S. Seehra, preceding abstract. [3]. Punnoose, Magnone, Seehra & Bonevich, Phys. Rev. B64, 174420 (2001).

  9. Number of Nanoparticles per Cell through a Spectrophotometric Method - A key parameter to Assess Nanoparticle-based Cellular Assays.

    PubMed

    Unciti-Broceta, Juan D; Cano-Cortés, Victoria; Altea-Manzano, Patricia; Pernagallo, Salvatore; Díaz-Mochón, Juan J; Sánchez-Martín, Rosario M

    2015-05-15

    Engineered nanoparticles (eNPs) for biological and biomedical applications are produced from functionalised nanoparticles (NPs) after undergoing multiple handling steps, giving rise to an inevitable loss of NPs. Herein we present a practical method to quantify nanoparticles (NPs) number per volume in an aqueous suspension using standard spectrophotometers and minute amounts of the suspensions (up to 1 μL). This method allows, for the first time, to analyse cellular uptake by reporting NPs number added per cell, as opposed to current methods which are related to solid content (w/V) of NPs. In analogy to the parameter used in viral infective assays (multiplicity of infection), we propose to name this novel parameter as multiplicity of nanofection.

  10. Role of different chelating agent in synthesis of copper doped tin oxide (Cu-SnO2) nanoparticles

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Saravanakumar, B.; Anusiya, A.; Rani, B. Jansi; Ravi, G.; Yuvakkumar, R.

    2018-05-01

    An attempt was made to synthesis the copper doped tin oxide (Cu-SnO2) nanoparticles by adopting different chelating agents (NaOH, KOH and C2H2O4) by Sol-gel process. The synthesized products were characterized by XRD, Photoluminescence (PL), Infra- Red (FTIR) and SEM analysis. The XRD confirms the formation of Cu-SnO2 shows the maximum peak at 33.8° with lattice plane (101). The PL peak at 361 and 382 nm due to the recombination of electron in conduction band to valence band infers the optical properties. The IR spectra correspond to the peak at 551 and 620 cm-1 attributed to the characteristics peak for Cu-SnO2 nanoparticles. The SEM images for all three Cu-SnO2 nanoparticles formed by three chelating agent (NaOH, KOH and C2H2O4) facilitates the formation mechanism and the chelating agent Oxalic acid results in formation of nano flowers with diverse layers orientated in random direction. Further SEM studies reveal that, the Cu-SnO2 nanoparticles formed by oxalic acid could posses high surface area with large number layered structured enables the better electrochemical properties and its applications.

  11. Achieving high thermoelectric performance of Cu1.8S composites with WSe2 nanoparticles.

    PubMed

    Qin, Peng; Ge, Zhen-Hua; Chen, Yue-Xing; Chong, Xiaoyu; Feng, Jing; He, Jiaqing

    2018-08-24

    Polycrystalline p-type Cu 1.8 S composites with WSe 2 nanoparticles were fabricated by the mechanical alloying method combined with the spark plasma sintering technique. The Seebeck coefficient was significantly enhanced by the optimized carrier concentration, while the thermal conductivity was simultaneously decreased due to the refined grain and WSe 2 nanoparticles. An enhanced Seebeck coefficient of 110 μV K -1 and a reduced thermal conductivity of 0.68 W m -1 K -1 were obtained for the Cu 1.8 S + 1 wt% WSe 2 sample at 773 K, resulting in a remarkably enhanced peak ZT of 1.22 at 773 K, which is 2.5 times higher than that (0.49 at 773 K) of a pristine Cu 1.8 S sample. The cheap and environmentally friendly Cu 1.8 S-based materials with enhanced properties may find promising applications in thermoelectric devices.

  12. Microwave-assisted synthesis of graphene modified CuO nanoparticles for voltammetric enzyme-free sensing of glucose at biological pH values.

    PubMed

    Foroughi, Faranak; Rahsepar, Mansour; Hadianfard, Mohammad Jafar; Kim, Hasuck

    2017-12-18

    The effect of graphene nanosheets on the glucose sensing performance of CuO powders was investigated. CuO and graphene-modified CuO nanoparticles (NPs) were fabricated by microwave-assisted synthesis and characterized by X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The material was placed on a glassy carbon electrode (GCE) which then was characterized by cyclic voltammetry and chronoamperometry with respect to the capability of sensing glucose both at pH 13 and pH 7.4. The results revealed that the modified GCE has a fast and selective linear response to glucose at pH 13 that covers the 0.21 μM to 12 mM concentration range, with a 0.21 μM low detection limit. The presence of graphene nanosheets results in an improved sensitivity which is to 700 μA mM -1  cm -2 . In solution of pH 7.4, the respective data are a linear analytical range from 5 to 14 mM; a 5 μM LOD and a sensitivity of 37.63 μA mM -1  cm -2 at working potential of -0.05 V (vs. Ag/AgCl) and scan rate of 50 mV s -1 . Ascorbic acid, dopamine, uric acid, sucrose, maltose and fructose do not interfere. Graphical abstract ᅟ.

  13. Effect of TiC nano-particles on the mechanical properties of an Al-5Cu alloy after various heat treatments

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zhang, Qingquan; Zhang, Wei; Tian, Weisi; Zhao, Qinglong

    2017-12-01

    In this paper, the effects of TiC nano-particles on the mechanical properties of Al-5Cu alloy were investigated. Adding TiC nano-particles can effectively refine grain size and secondary dendritic arm. The ultimate tensile strength, yield strength and elongation of the Al-5Cu alloy in each of the three states (i.e. as-cast, solid-solution state and T6 state) were also improved by adding TiC nano-particles. Moreover, the elastic-plastic plane-strain fracture toughness (K J) and work of fracture ( wof) of Al-5Cu containing TiC were significantly higher than those of Al-5Cu without TiC after aging for 10 h. The addition of TiC nano-particles also led to finer and denser ‧ precipitates.

  14. As(V) removal capacity of FeCu bimetallic nanoparticles in aqueous solutions: The influence of Cu content and morphologic changes in bimetallic nanoparticles.

    PubMed

    Sepúlveda, Pamela; Rubio, María A; Baltazar, Samuel E; Rojas-Nunez, J; Sánchez Llamazares, J L; Garcia, Alejandra García; Arancibia-Miranda, Nicolás

    2018-08-15

    In this study, bimetallic nanoparticles (BMNPs) with different mass ratios of Cu and Fe were evaluated. The influence of the morphology on the removal of pollutants was explored through theoretical and experimental studies, which revealed the best structure for removing arsenate (As(V)) in aqueous systems. To evidence the surface characteristics and differences among BMNPs with different mass proportions of Fe and Cu, several characterization techniques were used. Microscopy techniques and molecular dynamics simulations were applied to determine the differences in morphology and structure. In addition, X-ray diffraction (XRD) was used to determine the presence of various oxides. Finally, the magnetization response was evaluated, revealing differences among the materials. Our cumulative data show that BMNPs with low amounts of Cu (Fe 0.9 Cu 0.1 ) had a non-uniform core-shell structure with agglomerate-type chains of magnetite, whereas a Janus-like structure was observed in BMNPs with high amounts of Cu (Fe 0.5 Cu 0.5 ). However, a non-uniform core-shell structure (Fe 0.9 Cu 0.1 ) facilitated electron transfer among Fe, Cu and As, which increased the adsorption rate (k), capacity (q e ) and intensity (n). The mechanism of As removal was also explored in a comparative study of the phase and morphology of BMNPs pre- and post-sorption. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  15. Synthesis and characterization of manganese diselenide nanoparticles (MnSeNPs): Determination of capsaicin by using MnSeNP-modified glassy carbon electrode.

    PubMed

    Sukanya, Ramaraj; Sakthivel, Mani; Chen, Shen-Ming; Chen, Tse-Wei; Al-Hemaid, Fahad M A; Ajmal Ali, M; Elshikh, Mohamed Soliman

    2018-06-02

    A new type of manganese diselenide nanoparticles (MnSeNPs) was synthesized by using a hydrothermal method. Their surface morphology, crystallinity and elemental distribution were characterized by using transmission electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy which scrutinize the formation of the NPs. The NPs were coated on a glassy carbon electrode (GCE), and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, cyclic voltammetry and differential pulse voltammetry were applied to study the electroanalytical properties towards the oxidation of the food additive capsaicin. The modified GCE displays lower charge transfer resistance (R ct  = 29.52 Ω), a larger active surface area (0.089 cm 2 /g, and more efficient electrochemical oxidation of capsaicin compared to a MnS 2 /GCE and a bare GCE. The oxidation peak potential is 0.43 V (vs. Ag/AgCl) which is lower than that of previously reported GCEs. The sensor has a detection limit as low as 0.05 μM and an electrochemical sensitivity of 2.41 μA μM -1  cm -2 . The method was applied to the determination of capsaicin in pepper samples. Graphical abstract Electrochemical determination of capsaicin in pepper extract by using MnSeNPs modified electrode.

  16. Electrochemical detection of copper ions leached from CuO nanoparticles in saline buffers and biological media using a gold wire working electrode

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Baldisserri, Carlo; Costa, Anna Luisa

    2016-04-01

    We performed explorative cyclic voltammetry in phosphate-buffered saline buffers, Dulbecco's modified Eagle's medium (DMEM), and fetal bovine serum-added DMEM using Au wire as working electrode, both in the absence and in the presence of known nominal concentrations of Cu2+ ions or 15 nm CuO nanoparticles. Addition of either Cu2+ ions or aqueous suspension of CuO nanoparticles caused a single anodic peak to appear in the double-layer region of all three pristine media. The height of the anodic peak was found to increase in a monotonic fashion vs. Cu2+ concentration in Cu2+-added media, and versus time since CuO addition in CuO-added media. Stepwise addition of glycine to Cu2+-added phosphate-buffered saline buffer caused an increasing cathodic shift of the anodic peak accompanied by decreasing peak currents. Results indicate that preparing Cu2+-free suspensions of CuO nanoparticles in such media is difficult, owing to the presence of leached copper ions. The implications on results of experiments in which CuO nanoparticle-added biological media are used as cell culture substrates are discussed. Literature data on the interactions between Cu2+ ions, dissolved carbon dioxide in aqueous CuO suspensions, and amino acids present in such media are compared to our results.

  17. Auto-combustion synthesis and characterization of Mg doped CuAlO{sub 2} nanoparticles

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

    Agrawal, Shraddha, E-mail: shraddhaa32@gmail.com; Parveen, Azra; Naqvi, A. H.

    2015-06-24

    The synthesis of pure and Mg doped Copper aluminumoxide CuAlO{sub 2}nanoparticles, a promising p-type TCO (transparent conducting oxide) have been done bysol gel auto combustion method using NaOH as a fuel, calcinated at 600°C. The structural properties were examined by XRD and SEM techniques. The optical absorption spectra of CuAlO{sub 2} sample recorded by UV-VIS spectrophotometer in the range of 200 to 800 nm have been presented. The crystallite size was determined by powder X-ray diffraction technique. The electrical behavior of pure and Mg doped CuAlO{sub 2} has been studied over a wide range of frequencies by using complex impedance spectroscopy.Themore » variation of a.c. conductivity has been studied as function of frequency and temperature. The data taken together conclude that doping causes decreases in the ac conductivity of the nanoparticles as compared with the pure nanoparticles. Mg doping affects the optical properties and band gap.« less

  18. A high performance quasi-solid-state supercapacitor based on CuMnO2 nanoparticles

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wang, Lu; Arif, Muhammad; Duan, Guorong; Chen, Shenming; Liu, Xiaoheng

    2017-07-01

    Mixed metal or transition metal oxides hold an unveiled potential as one of the most promising energy storage material because of their excellent stability, reliable conductivity, and convenient use. In this work, CuMnO2 nanoparticles are successfully prepared by a facile hydrothermal process with the help of dispersing agent cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB). CuMnO2 nanoparticles possess a uniform quadrilateral shape, small size (approximately 25 × 25 nm-35 × 35 nm), excellent dispersity, and large specific surface specific (56.9 m2 g-1) with an interparticle mesoporous structure. All these characteristics can bring benefit for their application in supercapacitor. A quasi-solid-state symmetric supercapacitor device is assembled by using CuMnO2 nanoparticles as both positive electrode and negative electrode. The device exhibits good supercapacitive performance with a high specific capacitance (272 F g-1), a maximum power density of 7.56 kW kg-1 and a superior cycling stability of 18,000 continuous cycles, indicating an excellent potential to be used in energy storage device.

  19. Graphene stabilized ultra-small CuNi nanocomposite with high activity and recyclability toward catalysing the reduction of aromatic nitro-compounds

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Fang, Hao; Wen, Ming; Chen, Hanxing; Wu, Qingsheng; Li, Weiying

    2015-12-01

    Nowadays, it is of great significance and a challenge to design a noble-metal-free catalyst with high activity and a long lifetime for the reduction of aromatic nitro-compounds. Here, a 2D structured nanocomposite catalyst with graphene supported CuNi alloy nanoparticles (NPs) is prepared, and is promising for meeting the requirements of green chemistry. In this graphene/CuNi nanocomposite, the ultra-small CuNi nanoparticles (~2 nm) are evenly anchored on graphene sheets, which is not only a breakthrough in the structures, but also brings about an outstanding performance in activity and stability. Combined with a precise optimization of the alloy ratios, the reaction rate constant of graphene/Cu61Ni39 reached a high level of 0.13685 s-1, with a desirable selectivity as high as 99% for various aromatic nitro-compounds. What's more, the catalyst exhibited a unprecedented long lifetime because it could be recycled over 25 times without obvious performance decay or even a morphology change. This work showed the promise and great potential of noble-metal-free catalysts in green chemistry.Nowadays, it is of great significance and a challenge to design a noble-metal-free catalyst with high activity and a long lifetime for the reduction of aromatic nitro-compounds. Here, a 2D structured nanocomposite catalyst with graphene supported CuNi alloy nanoparticles (NPs) is prepared, and is promising for meeting the requirements of green chemistry. In this graphene/CuNi nanocomposite, the ultra-small CuNi nanoparticles (~2 nm) are evenly anchored on graphene sheets, which is not only a breakthrough in the structures, but also brings about an outstanding performance in activity and stability. Combined with a precise optimization of the alloy ratios, the reaction rate constant of graphene/Cu61Ni39 reached a high level of 0.13685 s-1, with a desirable selectivity as high as 99% for various aromatic nitro-compounds. What's more, the catalyst exhibited a unprecedented long lifetime

  20. Efficient solar light-driven degradation of Congo red with novel Cu-loaded Fe3O4@TiO2 nanoparticles.

    PubMed

    Arora, Priya; Fermah, Alisha; Rajput, Jaspreet Kaur; Singh, Harminder; Badhan, Jigyasa

    2017-08-01

    In this work, Cu-loaded Fe 3 O 4 @TiO 2 core shell nanoparticles were prepared in a single pot by coating of TiO 2 on Fe 3 O 4 nanoparticles followed by Cu loading. X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), Brunauer-Emmett- Teller (BET), vibrating sample magnetometry (VSM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and valence band X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (VB XPS) techniques were used for characterization of as prepared nanoparticles. Synergism between copper and titania was evaluated by studying the solar light-driven photodegradation of Congo red dye solution in the presence of Fe 3 O 4 @TiO 2 nanoparticles on one side and Cu-loaded Fe 3 O 4 @TiO 2 nanoparticles on the other side. The latter performed better than the former catalyst, indicating the enhanced activity of copper-loaded catalyst. Further photodegradation was studied by three means, i.e., under ultraviolet (UV), refluxing, and solar radiations. Cu-loaded Fe 3 O 4 @TiO 2 enhanced the degradation efficiency of Congo red dye. Thus, Cu act possibly by reducing the band gap of TiO 2 and widening the optical response of semiconductor, as a result of which solar light could be used to carry out photocatalysis. Graphical abstract Photodegradation of congo red over Cu-loaded Fe 3 O 4 @TiO 2 nanoparticles.

  1. Characterization, antibacterial, total antioxidant, scavenging, reducing power and ion chelating activities of green synthesized silver, copper and titanium dioxide nanoparticles using Artemisia haussknechtii leaf extract.

    PubMed

    Alavi, Mehran; Karimi, Naser

    2017-12-12

    Recently, major problem related to pathogenic bacteria is augmentation of antibiotic resistance which has been changed treatment and recovery of millions of infectious patients. The present study reports an eco-friendly, rapid and easy method for synthesis of silver (Ag), copper (Cu) and titanium dioxide (TiO 2 ) nanoparticles (NPs) using Artemisia haussknechtii leaf aqueous extract with antibacterial activities against multi-drug resistance (MDR) bacteria species. Three different concentrations (0.001, 0.01 and 0.1 M) of AgNO 3 , CuSO 4 and TiO (OH) 2 were investigated for obtaining optimum NPs green synthesis. Total phenolic content, total flavonoid content of leaf extract and total antioxidant activity (DPPH) assay were determined as radical scavenging methods. UV-Visible spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy analysis, X-ray diffraction, energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, field emission scanning electron microscope and atomic force microscopy (AFM) were used due to NPs characterization. The size average of the Ag, Cu and TiO 2 NPs obtained were respectively 10.69 ± 5.55, 35.36 ± 44.4 and 92.58 ± 56.98 nm. In the case of antibacterial assay, disc diffusion assay, minimum inhibitory concentration, minimum bactericidal concentration, bacterial growth and morphology of four MDR species Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 43300, Staphylococcus epidermidis ATCC 12258, Serratia marcescens ATTC13880 and Escherichia coli ATCC 25922 were evaluated. Results of this study demonstrated that A. haussknechtii leaf extract with various groups of phytochemicals such as phenols and flavonoids had suitable ability in green synthesis of Ag, Cu and TiO 2 NPs. Also, Ag and Cu NPs had more antibacterial activities compared to TiO 2 NPs.

  2. Enhanced antitumor efficacy of folate targeted nanoparticles co-loaded with docetaxel and curcumin.

    PubMed

    Hu, Liandong; Pang, Saixi; Hu, Qiaofeng; Gu, Deliang; Kong, Dongqian; Xiong, Xiaoyun; Su, Jianying

    2015-10-01

    The current study aimed to investigate whether the novel folate (FT) modified nanoparticles (NPs) co-loaded with docetaxel (DT) and curcumin (CU) (named as FT-NPs) could enhance the delivery efficiency to tumor compared with the NPs without FT (non-targeted NPs). FT-NPs were successfully formulated in this article. In vitro cytotoxic activity against A549 cells and in vivo antitumor activity of FT-NPs in S180 cell bearing mice were conducted. Cellular uptake test was used to evaluate uptake efficiency of FT-NPs. Histological observation was used to determine the lung security. Besides, the physical chemical properties such as stability, particle size, zeta potential, drug encapsulation efficiency, transmission electron microscopy (TEM) were also conducted. FT-NPs exhibited stronger growth inhibition effects on A549 cells compared with non-targeted NPs, moreover, the novel FT-NPs indicated more effective antitumor efficacy in inhibiting tumor growth. Confocal laser scanning microscopy indicated that the uptake of FT-NPs was facilitated and effective. Histological observation meant that FT-NPs were biocompatible and appropriate for pulmonary administration. These results confirmed that FT-NPs with relatively high drug loading capacity could effectively inhibit tumor growth and reduce toxicity. The novel FT-NPs could produce as an outstanding nanocarrier for the targeted treatment of cancers. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

  3. Bacteriostatic and anti-collagenolytic dental materials through the incorporation of polyacrylic acid modified CuI nanoparticles

    DOEpatents

    Renne, Walter George; Mennito, Anthony Samuel; Schmidt, Michael Gerard; Vuthiganon, Jompobe; Chumanov, George

    2015-05-19

    Provided are antibacterial and antimicrobial surface coatings and dental materials by utilizing the antimicrobial properties of copper chalcogenide and/or copper halide (CuQ, where Q=chalcogens including oxygen, or halogens, or nothing). An antimicrobial barrier is created by incorporation of CuQ nanoparticles of an appropriate size and at a concentration necessary and sufficient to create a unique bioelectrical environment. The unique bioelectrical environment results in biocidal effectiveness through a multi-factorial mechanism comprising a combination of the intrinsic quantum flux of copper (Cu.sup.0, Cu.sup.1+, Cu.sup.2+) ions and the high surface-to-volume electron sink facilitated by the nanoparticle. The result is the constant quantum flux of copper which manifests and establishes the antimicrobial environment preventing or inhibiting the growth of bacteria. The presence of CuQ results in inhibiting or delaying bacterial destruction and endogenous enzymatic breakdown of the zone of resin inter-diffusion, the integrity of which is essential for dental restoration longevity.

  4. Enzyme Functionalized AuNPs and Glucometer-based Protein Detection

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Dai, Tao; Fang, Jie; Yu, Wen; Xie, Guoming

    2017-12-01

    We here developed a novel method for protein detection by using protein aptamer-functionalized magnetic beads for protein recognition and invertase-functionalized AuNPs catalyze sucrose generate glucose that can be detected by a glucometer. First, the invertase and DNA probe P2 are immobilized onto the gold nanoparticles (I.P2@AuNPs). Next protein aptamer P1 are immobilized onto the streptavidin-coated Magnetic beads (P1@MB). P1 and P2 can complementary to form double-stranded DNA. When target protein presence, P1 combine with target and release I/P2@AuNPs. Then magnetic separation, take supernatant fluid and add sucrose after a period of reaction, detection of glucose concentration by glucometer, thus achieve the sensitive and selective detection of the target protein.

  5. Nanoparticle-nanoparticle vs. nanoparticle-substrate hot spot contributions to the SERS signal: studying Raman labelled monomers, dimers and trimers.

    PubMed

    Sergiienko, Sergii; Moor, Kamila; Gudun, Kristina; Yelemessova, Zarina; Bukasov, Rostislav

    2017-02-08

    We used a combination of Raman microscopy, AFM and TEM to quantify the influence of dimerization on the surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) signal for gold and silver nanoparticles (NPs) modified with Raman reporters and situated on gold, silver, and aluminum films and a silicon wafer. The overall increases in the mean SERS enhancement factor (EF) upon dimerization (up by 43% on average) and trimerisation (up by 96% on average) of AuNPs and AgNPs on the studied metal films are within a factor of two, which is moderate when compared to most theoretical models. However, the maximum ratio of EFs for some dimers to the mean EF of monomers can be as high as 5.5 for AgNPs on a gold substrate. In contrast, for dimerization and trimerization of gold and silver NPs on silicon, the mean EF increases by 1-2 orders of magnitude relative to the mean EF of single NPs. Therefore, hot spots in the interparticle gap between gold nanoparticles rather than hot spots between Au nanoparticles and the substrate dominate SERS enhancement for dimers and trimers on a silicon substrate. However, Raman labeled noble metal nanoparticles on plasmonic metal films generate on average SERS enhancement of the same order of magnitude for both types of hot spot zones (e.g. NP/NP and NP/metal film).

  6. Rapid Biosynthesis of AgNPs Using Soil Bacterium Azotobacter vinelandii With Promising Antioxidant and Antibacterial Activities for Biomedical Applications

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Karunakaran, Gopalu; Jagathambal, Matheswaran; Gusev, Alexander; Torres, Juan Antonio Lopez; Kolesnikov, Evgeny; Kuznetsov, Denis

    2017-07-01

    Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) are applied in various fields from electronics to biomedical applications as a result of their high surface-to-volume ratio. Even though different approaches are available for synthesis of AgNPs, a nontoxic method for the synthesis has not yet been developed. Thus, this study focused on developing an easy and ecofriendly approach to synthesize AgNPs using Azotobacter vinelandii culture extracts. The biosynthesized nanoparticles were further characterized by ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis) spectroscopy, x-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), energy-dispersive spectrum, particle size distribution (PSD), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). UV absorption noticed at 435 nm showed formation of AgNPs. The XRD pattern showed a face-centered cubic structure with broad peaks of 28.2°, 32.6°, 46.6°, 55.2°, 57.9°, and 67.8°. The FTIR confirmed the involvement of various functional groups in the biosynthesis of AgNPs. The PSD and TEM analyses showed spherical, well-distributed nanoparticles with an average size of 20-70 nm. The elemental studies confirmed the existence of pure AgNPs. The bacterial extract containing extracellular enzyme nitrate reductase converted silver nitrate into AgNPs. AgNPs significantly inhibited the growth of pathogenic bacteria such as Streptomyces fradiae (National Collection of Industrial Microorganisms (NCIM) 2419), Staphylococcus aureus (NCIM 2127), Escherichia coli (NCIM 2065), and Serratia marcescens (NCIM 2919). In addition, biosynthesized AgNPs were found to possess strong antioxidant activity. Thus, the results of this study revealed that biosynthesized AgNPs could serve as a lead in the development of nanomedicine.

  7. Design and assembly of ternary Pt/Re/SnO2 NPs by controlling the zeta potential of individual Pt, Re, and SnO2 NPs

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Drzymała, Elżbieta; Gruzeł, Grzegorz; Pajor-Świerzy, Anna; Depciuch, Joanna; Socha, Robert; Kowal, Andrzej; Warszyński, Piotr; Parlinska-Wojtan, Magdalena

    2018-05-01

    In this study Pt, Re, and SnO2 nanoparticles (NPs) were combined in a controlled manner into binary and ternary combinations for a possible application for ethanol oxidation. For this purpose, zeta potentials as a function of the pH of the individual NPs solutions were measured. In order to successfully combine the NPs into Pt/SnO2 and Re/SnO2 NPs, the solutions were mixed together at a pH guaranteeing opposite zeta potentials of the metal and oxide NPs. The individually synthesized NPs and their binary/ternary combinations were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) combined with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) analysis. FTIR and XPS spectroscopy showed that the individually synthesized Pt and Re NPs are metallic and the Sn component was oxidized to SnO2. STEM showed that all NPs are well crystallized and the sizes of the Pt, Re, and SnO2 NPs were 2.2, 1.0, and 3.4 nm, respectively. Moreover, EDS analysis confirmed the successful formation of binary Pt/SnO2 and Re/SnO2 NP, as well as ternary Pt/Re/SnO2 NP combinations. This study shows that by controlling the zeta potential of individual metal and oxide NPs, it is possible to assemble them into binary and ternary combinations. [Figure not available: see fulltext.

  8. Gold nanoparticles generated through "green route" bind Hg2+ with a concomitant blue shift in plasmon absorption peak.

    PubMed

    Radhakumary, C; Sreenivasan, K

    2011-07-21

    We discuss here a quick, simple, economic and ecofriendly method through a completely green route for the selective detection of Hg(2+) in aqueous samples. Here we exploited the ability of chitosan to generate gold nanoparticles and subsequently to act as a stabilizer for the formed nanoparticles. When chitosan stabilized gold nanoparticles (CH-Au NPs) are interacted with Hg(2+) a blue shift for its localized surface plasmon resonance absorbance (LSPR) band is observed. The blue shift is reasoned to be due to the formation of a thin layer of mercury over gold. A concentration as low as 0.01 ppm to a maximum of 100 ppm Hg(2+) can be detected based on this blue shift of the CH-Au NPs. While all other reported methods demand complex reaction steps and costly chemicals, the method we reported here is a simple, rapid and selective approach for the detection of Hg(2+). Our results also show that the CH-Au NPs have excellent selectivity to Hg(2+) over common cations namely, Pb(2+), Cd(2+), Mn(2+), Fe(2+), Ag(1+), Ce(4+), Ni(2+), and Cu(2+).

  9. An experimental investigation of localised surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) for Cu nanoparticles depending as a function of laser pulse number in Pulsed Laser Deposition

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Gezgin, Serap Yiǧit; Kepceoǧlu, Abdullah; Kılıç, Hamdi Şükür

    2017-02-01

    Copper is a low cost metal and its nanoparticles have a unique optical properties such as LSPR. The location of LSPR wavelength can be tuned by controlling nanoparticles sizes and size distributions of nanoparticles, shapes and interparticle distances. This morphological changes are provided by controlling system parameters in PLD. For this work, 48000 and 36000 laser pulses from Nd:YAG laser were applied to produce Cu nanoparticle thin films. These thin films were characterised by performing UV-VIS absorption spectroscopy, Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) analysis. When the number of laser pulse decreases, the size of Cu nanoparticles and the number of nanoparticles arriving on the substrate are reduced, and LSPR peak of thin films are red shifted depending on the geometrical shapes of the Cu nanoparticles. We have driven a conclusion in this work that LSPR properties of Cu nanoparticles can be tuned by proposed method.

  10. Surface coating-modulated toxic responses to silver nanoparticles in Wolffia globosa.

    PubMed

    Zou, Xiaoyan; Li, Penghui; Lou, Jie; Zhang, Hongwu

    2017-08-01

    With the omnipresence of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) in our daily consumer products, their release has raised serious concerns. However, the biochemical mechanisms by which plants counteract the toxicity of nanoparticles are largely unknown. This study investigated the exposure of aquatic Wolffia globosa to ATP-nAg (AgNPs coated with adenosine triphosphate), cit-nAg (AgNPs coated with citrate), and Ag + . Hill reaction activity was basically lost in W. globosa treated with 10mg/L ATP-nAg and Ag + , while the activity was still maintained at 38.7%-38.9% of the respective controls at 10mg/L cit-nAg. The reduction of amounts of chlorophyll and soluble protein were shown in response to the Ag stresses. This was accompanied by the accumulation of sugar in W. globosa treated with cit-nAg. By contrast, the depletion of sugar was recorded after 10mg/L ATP-nAg and Ag + treatments. The superoxide dismutase and peroxidase activities were significantly increased after exposure to 10mg/L ATP-nAg and Ag + , which did not occurred in W. globosa treated with cit-nAg. The ratio between NADPH/NADP + was higher after cit-nAg and Ag + stresses than the respective controls. The accumulation of Ag was found to increase in a concentration-dependent manner. Ag + and ATP-nAg inhibited the uptake of P and K, and promoted the uptake of Fe and Cu. In contrast, cit-nAg only promoted the uptake of Cu. Our results implied that surface coating induced different physiological responses of W. globosa to AgNPs. Based on above results, we speculated that after exposure to cit-nAg, citrate possibly could serve as the substrate for the tricarboxylic acid cycle and accumulated sugar may promote pentose phosphate pathways. For ATP-nAg treatments, ATP would act as an exogenous energy source of plant metabolisms. Our findings demonstrate that surface coating regulates the physiological responses of plants to AgNPs through distinct mechanisms. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  11. A sensitive and selective chemosensor for GSSG detection based on the recovered fluorescence of NDPA-Fe₃O₄@SiO₂-Cu(II) nanomaterial.

    PubMed

    Ma, Ya; Zheng, Baozhan; Zhao, Yan; Yuan, Hongyan; Cai, Yuqing; Du, Juan; Xiao, Dan

    2013-10-15

    A sensitive and selective sensor for oxidized glutathione (GSSG) detection based on the recovered fluorescence of naphthalimide-DPA (NDPA)-Fe₃O₄@SiO₂-Cu(II) system is reported. NDPA-Fe3Fe₃O₄@SiO₂ was characterized by X-ray power diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Fourier transform infrared spectra (FT-IR) and fluorophotometry. The fluorescence of NDPA-Fe₃O₄@SiO₂ could be quenched by Cu²⁺ due to the coordination of Cu²⁺ with the tridentate receptor DPA. This coordination process reduced the electron-donating ability of the nitrogen atom in the DPA moiety, thus suppressing the internal charge transfer (ICT) process in NDPA-Fe₃O₄@SiO₂. In the presence of GSSG, the fluorescence of NDPA-Fe₃O₄@SiO₂-Cu(II) was recovered because of strong coordination of Cu²⁺ with GSSG, which promoted the decomplexation between NDPA-Fe₃O₄@SiO₂ and Cu²⁺, and enhanced the ICT process. The NDPA-Fe₃O₄@SiO₂-Cu(II) nanomaterial exhibited high sensitivity towards GSSG, and a good linear relationship was obtained from 5 nM to 60 μM. The limit of detection, based on a signal-to-noise ratio of 3, was 50 pM. In addition, the presence of magnetic Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles (NPs) in NDPA-Fe₃O₄@SiO₂ NPs would also facilitate the magnetic separation of NDPA-Fe₃O₄@SiO₂ from the solution. Through the use of added internal standards, we successfully determined the concentration of GSSG in HEK 293 cell lysate to be 1.15 μM by the prepared chemsensor NDPA-Fe₃O₄@SiO₂-Cu(II). The proposed method is anticipated to fabricate other sensitive fluorescence sensors based on organic-inorganic hybrid magnetic nanoparticles. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  12. Bio-nano complexes of ZVFeNPs/Fe-s-M13 and Cd (II)/Cd-s-M13 accelerate Cd (II) reduction by FeNPs through dual dispersing and separate deposition

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zhang, Shuai; Nakano, Kazuhiko; Yu, Huimin; Shen, Zhongyao

    2014-03-01

    Reduction of Cd (II) in liquor by solid zero valent Fe nanoparticles (ZVFeNPs) is a liquid-solid biphasic reaction in which the reduction efficiency was often lowered by either aggregation of ZVFeNPs or coating of the generated ZVCd. In light of the filamentous nanostructure of bacteriophage M13 with ˜2700 copies of pVIII protein in delicate distribution at the coat, a novel dual dispersing reduction route was designed by introducing two different kinds of M13 with Fe-binding specificity (Fe-s-M13) and Cd-binding specificity (Cd-s-M13) to disperse ZVFeNPs and Cd (II) ions, respectively. The Fe-s-M13 was used for synthesis of the ZVFeNPs/Fe-s-M13 complex, where ZVFeNPs were uniformly dispersed into small nanoparticles (5-10 nm) on Fe-s-M13. The engineered Cd-s-M13, constructed by genetic recombination of pVIII through inserting the gene of a biopanned 7-mer Cd-specific peptide (SCPICPG) into the N-terminus of pVIII gene, was used for Cd (II) dispersion before reduction. The dispersed complex of Cd(II)/Cd-s-M13 was rapidly reduced by complex of ZVFeNPs/Fe-s-M13. Kinetics results showed that the initial reduction rate and final reduction ratio of Cd (II) increased by 35.7% and 16.4%, respectively, through dispersion of ZVFeNPs by Fe-s-M13; they improved again by 53.6% and 37.0%, respectively, through further dispersion of Cd (II) by Cd-s-M13. TEM and EDS results revealed that the acceleration effect of the dual dispersing reduction was arising from uniform dispersion of the small ZVFeNPs and separate deposition of the reduced ZVCd on the two different M13 phages.

  13. Green Nanoparticles for Mosquito Control

    PubMed Central

    Soni, Namita; Prakash, Soam

    2014-01-01

    Here, we have used the green method for synthesis of silver and gold nanoparticles. In the present study the silver (Ag) and gold (Au) nanoparticles (NPs) were synthesized by using the aqueous bark extract of Indian spice dalchini (Cinnamomum zeylanicum) (C. zyelanicum or C. verum J. Presl). Additionally, we have used these synthesized nanoparticles for mosquito control. The larvicidal activity has been tested against the malaria vector Anopheles stephensi and filariasis vector Culex quinquefasciatus. The results were obtained using UV-visible spectrophotometer and the images were recorded with a transmission electron microscope (TEM). The efficacy tests were then performed at different concentrations and varying numbers of hours by probit analysis. The synthesized AgNPs were in spherical shape and average sizes (11.77 nm AgNPs and 46.48 nm AuNPs). The larvae of An. stephensi were found highly susceptible to the synthesized AgNPs and AuNPs than the Cx. quinquefasciatus. These results suggest that the C. zeylanicum synthesized silver and gold nanoparticles have the potential to be used as an ideal ecofriendly approach for the control of mosquito. PMID:25243210

  14. Mechanism of Silver Nanoparticles Action on Insect Pigmentation Reveals Intervention of Copper Homeostasis

    PubMed Central

    Armstrong, Najealicka; Ramamoorthy, Malaisamy; Lyon, Delina; Jones, Kimberly; Duttaroy, Atanu

    2013-01-01

    Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs), like almost all nanoparticles, are potentially toxic beyond a certain concentration because the survival of the organism is compromised due to scores of pathophysiological abnormalities past that concentration. However, the mechanism of AgNP toxicity remains undetermined. Instead of applying a toxic dose, we attempted to monitor the effects of AgNPs at a nonlethal concentration on wild type Drosophila melanogaster by exposing them throughout their development. All adult flies raised in AgNP doped food showed that up to 50 mg/L concentration AgNP has no negative influence on median survival; however, these flies appeared uniformly lighter in body color due to the loss of melanin pigments in their cuticle. Additionally, fertility and vertical movement ability were compromised due to AgNP feeding. Determination of the amount of free ionic silver (Ag+) led us to claim that the observed biological effects have resulted from the AgNPs and not from Ag+. Biochemical analysis suggests that the activity of copper dependent enzymes, namely tyrosinase and Cu-Zn superoxide dismutase, are decreased significantly following the consumption of AgNPs, despite the constant level of copper present in the tissue. Consequently, we propose a mechanism whereby consumption of excess AgNPs in association with membrane bound copper transporter proteins cause sequestration of copper, thus creating a condition that resembles copper starvation. This model also explains the cuticular demelanization effect resulting from AgNP since tyrosinase activity is essential for melanin biosynthesis. Finally, we claim that Drosophila, an established genetic model system, can be well utilized for further understanding of the biological effects of nanoparticles. PMID:23308159

  15. Simultaneous introduction of various palladium active sites into MOF via one-pot synthesis: Pd@[Cu3-xPdx(BTC)2]n.

    PubMed

    Zhang, Wenhua; Chen, Zhihao; Al-Naji, Majd; Guo, Penghu; Cwik, Stefan; Halbherr, Olesia; Wang, Yuemin; Muhler, Martin; Wilde, Nicole; Gläser, Roger; Fischer, Roland A

    2016-10-14

    Simultaneous incorporation of palladium within Pd-Pd and/or Pd-Cu paddlewheels as framework-nodes and Pd nanoparticle (NP) dispersion into MOF have been achieved for the first time via one-pot synthesis. In particular, the framework substitution of Cu(2+) by Pd(2+) as well as the pore loading with PdNPs have been confirmed and characterized by XPS. The obtained solids featuring such multiple Pd-sites show enhanced catalytic activity in the aqueous-phase hydrogenation of p-nitrophenol (PNP) with NaBH4 to p-aminophenol (PAP).

  16. Thermoelectric properties of CuS/Ag{sub 2}S nanocomposites synthesed by modified polyol method

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

    Tarachand,, E-mail: tarachand@csr.res.in; Sharma, Vikash; Ganesan, V.

    This is the report on successful synthesis of Ag doped CuS nanostructures by modified polyol method. The resulting samples were characterized by powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), energy dispersive X-ray (EDX), atomic force microscopy (AFM) and dynamic light scattering (DLS). Particle size of pure CuS nanoparticles (NPs) was 17 nm, 38 nm and 97 nm as determined from Scherrer formula, AFM and DLS, respectively. Introduction of Ag led to formation of CuS/Ag{sub 2}S composites. A transition at 55 K in thermopower is ascribed to structural transformation from hexagonal to orthorhombic structure. Further, their thermoelectric properties exhibit remarkable change owing to Agmore » doping in CuS nanostructures. The power factor improves with increasing Ag content. They reveal that CuS/Ag{sub 2}S nanocomposites are some of the potential candidates for generation of thermoelectricity in future.« less

  17. Improved reactive nanoparticles to treat dentin hypersensitivity.

    PubMed

    Toledano-Osorio, Manuel; Osorio, Estrella; Aguilera, Fátima S; Luis Medina-Castillo, Antonio; Toledano, Manuel; Osorio, Raquel

    2018-05-01

    The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of different nanoparticles-based solutions for dentin permeability reduction and to determine the viscoelastic performance of cervical dentin after their application. Four experimental nanoparticle solutions based on zinc, calcium or doxycycline-loaded polymeric nanoparticles (NPs) were applied on citric acid etched dentin, to facilitate the occlusion and the reduction of the fluid flow at the dentinal tubules. After 24 h and 7 d of storage, cervical dentin was evaluated for fluid filtration. Field emission scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive analysis, AFM and Nano-DMA analysis were also performed. Complex, storage, loss modulus and tan delta (δ) were assessed. Doxycycline-loaded NPs impaired tubule occlusion and fluid flow reduction trough dentin. Tubules were 100% occluded in dentin treated with calcium-loaded NPs or zinc-loaded NPs, analyzed at 7 d. Dentin treated with both zinc-NPs and calcium-NPs attained the highest reduction of dentinal fluid flow. Moreover, when treating dentin with zinc-NPs, complex modulus values attained at intertubular and peritubular dentin were higher than those obtained after applying calcium-NPs. Zinc-NPs are then supposed to fasten active dentin remodeling, with increased maturity and high mechanical properties. Zinc-based nanoparticles are then proposed for effective dentin remineralization and tubular occlusion. Further research to finally prove for clinical benefits in patients with dentin hypersensitivity using Zn-doped nanoparticles is encouraged. Erosion from acids provokes dentin hypersensitivity (DH) which presents with intense pain of short duration. Open dentinal tubules and demineralization favor DH. Nanogels based on Ca-nanoparticles and Zn-nanoparticles produced an efficient reduction of fluid flow. Dentinal tubules were filled by precipitation of induced calcium-phosphate deposits. When treating dentin with Zn-nanoparticles, complex modulus

  18. Controlling Surface Termination and Facet Orientation in Cu2O Nanoparticles for High Photocatalytic Activity: A Combined Experimental and Density Functional Theory Study.

    PubMed

    Su, Yang; Li, Hongfei; Ma, Hanbin; Robertson, John; Nathan, Arokia

    2017-03-08

    Cu 2 O nanoparticles with controllable facets are of great significance for photocatalysis. In this work, the surface termination and facet orientation of Cu 2 O nanoparticles are accurately tuned by adjusting the amount of hydroxylamine hydrochloride and surfactant. It is found that Cu 2 O nanoparticles with Cu-terminated (110) or (111) surfaces show high photocatalytic activity, while other exposed facets show poor reactivity. Density functional theory simulations confirm that sodium dodecyl sulfate surfactant can lower the surface free energy of Cu-terminated surfaces, increase the density of exposed Cu atoms at the surfaces and thus benefit the photocatalytic activity. It also shows that the poor reactivity of the Cu-terminated Cu 2 O (100) surface is due to the high energy barrier of holes at the surface region.

  19. Efficient degradation of Methylene Blue dye over highly reactive Cu doped strontium titanate (SrTiO3) nanoparticles photocatalyst under visible light.

    PubMed

    Rahman, Qazi Inamur; Ahmad, Musheer; Misra, Sunil Kumar; Lohani, Minaxi

    2012-09-01

    Visible light induced photocatalysts of Cu doped SrTiO3 (Cu/SrTiO3) nanoparticles with the size -60-75 nm were prepared via facile sol-gel method. The morphological, optical, crystalline properties and compositions of synthesized Cu/SrTiO3 nanoparticles were thoroughly characterized by field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), ultra violet-visible spectroscopy (UV-Vis) and energy dispersive X-ray (EDX). A significant red shift in the UV-diffused reflectance spectrum was observed and the absorption edge shifted to visible region by the Cu doping. Surprisingly, the band gap of SrTiO3 was changed from 3.2 eV drop to 2.96 eV. The photocatalytic activity of the synthesized Cu/SrTiO3 nanoparticles was demonstrated for the degradation of Methylene Blue dye under visible light irradiation. The formation of new acceptor region in Cu/SrTiO3 was responsible for high photocatalytic activity of Cu/SrTiO3 nanoparticles. The results showed that the Methylene Blue dye was degraded by -66% within time span of 2 h over the Cu/SrTiO3 nanoparticles. This dye degradation reaction followed the Langmuir-Hinshelwood kinetics and also exhibited first order reaction rate. The calculated rate constant for the degradation reaction following first order kinetics was k = 0.0016 min(-1).

  20. Assessment of the Phytotoxicity of Metal Oxide Nanoparticles on Two Crop Plants, Maize (Zea mays L.) and Rice (Oryza sativa L.).

    PubMed

    Yang, Zhongzhou; Chen, Jing; Dou, Runzhi; Gao, Xiang; Mao, Chuanbin; Wang, Li

    2015-11-30

    In this study, the phytotoxicity of seven metal oxide nanoparticles(NPs)-titanium dioxide (nTiO₂), silicon dioxide (nSiO₂), cerium dioxide (nCeO₂), magnetite (nFe₃O₄), aluminum oxide (nAl₂O₃), zinc oxide (nZnO) and copper oxide (nCuO)-was assessed on two agriculturally significant crop plants (maize and rice). The results showed that seed germination was not affected by any of the seven metal oxide NPs. However, at the concentration of 2000 mg·L(-1), the root elongation was significantly inhibited by nCuO (95.73% for maize and 97.28% for rice), nZnO (50.45% for maize and 66.75% for rice). On the contrary, minor phytotoxicity of nAl₂O₃ was only observed in maize, and no obvious toxic effects were found in the other four metal oxide NPs. By further study we found that the phytotoxic effects of nZnO, nAl₂O₃ and nCuO (25 to 2000 mg·L(-)¹) were concentration dependent, and were not caused by the corresponding Cu(2+), Zn(2+) and Al(3+) ions (0.11 mg·L(-)¹, 1.27 mg·L(-)¹ and 0.74 mg·L(-)¹, respectively). Furthermore, ZnO NPs (<50 nm) showed greater toxicity than ZnO microparticles(MPs)(<5 μm) to root elongation of both maize and rice. Overall, this study provided valuable information for the application of engineered NPs in agriculture and the assessment of the potential environmental risks.

  1. Anaerobic Toxicity of Cationic Silver Nanoparticles | Science ...

    EPA Pesticide Factsheets

    The microbial toxicity of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) stabilized with different capping agents was compared to that of Ag+ under anaerobic conditions. Three AgNPs were investigated: (1) negatively charged citrate-coated AgNPs (citrate-AgNPs), (2) minimally charged polyvinylpyrrolidone coated AgNPs (PVP-AgNps) and (3) positively charged branched polyethyleneimine coated AgNPs (BPEI-AgNPs). The AgNPs investigated in this experiment were similar in size (10-15 nm), spherical in shape, but varied in surface charge which ranged from highly negative to highly positive. While, at AgNPs concentrations lower than 5 mg L-1, the anaerobic decomposition process was not influenced by the presence of the nanoparticles, there was an observed impact on the diversity of the microbial community. At elevated concentrations (100 mg L-1 as silver), only the cationic BPEI-AgNPs demonstrated toxicity similar in magnitude to that of Ag+. Both citrate and PVP-AgNPs did not exhibit toxicity at the 100 mg L-1 as measured by biogas evolution. These findings further indicate the varying modes of action for nanoparticle toxicity and represent one of the few studies that evaluate end-of-life management concerns with regards to the increasing use of nanomaterials in our everyday life. These findings also highlight some of the concerns with a one size fits all approach to the evaluation of environmental health and safety concerns associated with the use of nanoparticles. The current

  2. Solid-phase synthesis of Cu2MoS4 nanoparticles for degradation of methyl blue under a halogen-tungsten lamp

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Li, Shi-na; Ma, Rui-xin; Wang, Cheng-yan

    2018-03-01

    The Cu2MoS4 nanoparticles were prepared using a relatively simple and convenient solid-phase process, which was applied for the first time. The crystalline structure, morphology, and optical properties of Cu2MoS4 nanoparticles were characterized using X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, field emission scanning electron microscopy, and UV-vis spectrophotometry. Cu2MoS4 nanoparticles having a band gap of 1.66 eV exhibits good photocatalytic activity in the degradation of methylene blue, which indicates that this simple process may be critical to facilitate the cheap production of photocatalysts.

  3. Efficient photocatalytic degradation of rhodamine-B by Fe doped CuS diluted magnetic semiconductor nanoparticles under the simulated sunlight irradiation

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sreelekha, N.; Subramanyam, K.; Amaranatha Reddy, D.; Murali, G.; Rahul Varma, K.; Vijayalakshmi, R. P.

    2016-12-01

    The present work is planned for a simple, inexpensive and efficient approach for the synthesis of Cu1-xFexS (x = 0.00, 0.01, 0.03, 0.05 and 0.07) nanoparticles via simplistic chemical co-precipitation route by using ethylene diamine tetra acetic acid (EDTA) as a capping molecules. As synthesized nanoparticles were used as competent catalysts for degradation of rhodamine-B organic dye pollutant. The properties of prepared samples were analyzed with energy dispersive analysis of X-rays (EDAX), X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), UV-visible optical absorption spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectra, Raman spectra and vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM). EDAX spectra corroborated the existence of Fe in prepared nanoparticles within close proximity to stoichiometric ratio. XRD, FTIR and Raman patterns affirmed that configuration of single phase hexagonal crystal structure as that of (P63/mmc) CuS, without impurity crystals. The average particle size estimated by TEM scrutiny is in the assortment of 5-10 nm. UV-visible optical absorption measurements showed that band gap narrowing with increasing the Fe doping concentration. VSM measurements revealed that 3% Fe doped CuS nanoparticles exhibited strong ferromagnetism at room temperature and changeover of magnetic signs from ferromagnetic to the paramagnetic nature with increasing the Fe doping concentration in CuS host lattice. Among all Fe doped CuS nanoparticles, 3% Fe inclusion CuS sample shows better photocatalytic performance in decomposition of RhB compared with the pristine CuS. Thus as synthesized Cu0·97Fe0·03S nanocatalysts are tremendously realistic compounds for photocatalytic fictionalization in the direction of organic dye degradation under visible light.

  4. Passive optical limiting studies of nanostructured Cu doped ZnO-PVA composite thin films

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Tamgadge, Y. S.; Sunatkari, A. L.; Talwatkar, S. S.; Pahurkar, V. G.; Muley, G. G.

    2016-01-01

    We prepared undoped and Cu doped ZnO semiconducting nanoparticles (NPs) by chemical co-precipitation method and obtained Cu doped ZnO-polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) nanocomposite thin films by spin coating to investigate third order nonlinear optical and optical limiting properties under cw laser excitation. Powder samples of NPs were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), energy dispersive spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy, ultraviolet-visible (UV-vis) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. XRD pattern and FE-SEM micrograph revealed the presence of hexagonal wurtzite phase ZnO NPs having uniform morphology with average particle size of 20 nm. The presence of excitons and absorption peaks in the range 343-360 nm, revealed by UV-vis study, were attributed to excitons in n = 1 quantum state. Third order NLO properties of all composite thin films were investigated by He-Ne continuous wave (cw) laser of wavelength 632.8 nm using Z-scan technique. Thermally stimulated enhanced values of nonlinear refraction and absorption coefficients were obtained which may be attributed to self-defocusing effect, reverse saturable absorption, weak free carrier absorption and surface states properties originated from thermo optic effect. Optical limiting properties have been studied using cw diode laser of wavelength 808 nm and results are presented.

  5. 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

  6. Antimicrobial effects of gold/copper sulphide (Gold/Copper monosulfide) core/shell nanoparticles on Bacillus anthracis spores and cells

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Addae, Ebenezer

    Bacillus anthracis is a gram positive, rod shaped and spore forming bacteria. It causes anthrax, a deadly human and animal disease that can kill its victims in three days. The spores of B. anthracis can survive extreme environmental conditions for decades and germinate when exposed to proper conditions. Due to its potential as a bio-weapon, effective disinfectants that pose less harm to the environment and animals are urgently needed. Metal nanoparticles have the potential of killing microbial cells and spores. We present here the effect of Gold/Copper Sulphide core/shell (Au/CuS) nanoparticles on B. anthracis cells and spores. The results indicated that the continuous presence of 0.83 microM during the spore growth in nutrient medium completely inhibited spore outgrowth. Au/CuS nanoparticles at concentration of 4.15 μM completely inactivated B. anthracis cells (x 107) after 30 min of pre-treatment in any of the three buffers including water, PBS, and nutrient broth. However, the same and even higher concentrations of nanoparticles produce no significant spore (x 105) killing after 24 h of pre-treatment. SEM imaging, EDS analysis, and DNA extrusion experiments revealed that nanoparticles damaged the cell membrane causing DNA and cytosolic content efflux and eventually cell death. The study demonstrated the strong antimicrobial activity of Au/CuS nanoparticles to B. anthracis cells and revealed that Au/CuS NPs showed more effective inactivation effect against the cells than they did against the spores.

  7. The functional dissection of the plasma corona of SiO₂-NPs spots histidine rich glycoprotein as a major player able to hamper nanoparticle capture by macrophages.

    PubMed

    Fedeli, Chiara; Segat, Daniela; Tavano, Regina; Bubacco, Luigi; De Franceschi, Giorgia; de Laureto, Patrizia Polverino; Lubian, Elisa; Selvestrel, Francesco; Mancin, Fabrizio; Papini, Emanuele

    2015-11-14

    A coat of strongly-bound host proteins, or hard corona, may influence the biological and pharmacological features of nanotheranostics by altering their cell-interaction selectivity and macrophage clearance. With the goal of identifying specific corona-effectors, we investigated how the capture of amorphous silica nanoparticles (SiO2-NPs; Ø = 26 nm; zeta potential = -18.3 mV) by human lymphocytes, monocytes and macrophages is modulated by the prominent proteins of their plasma corona. LC MS/MS analysis, western blotting and quantitative SDS-PAGE densitometry show that Histidine Rich Glycoprotein (HRG) is the most abundant component of the SiO2-NP hard corona in excess plasma from humans (HP) and mice (MP), together with minor amounts of the homologous Kininogen-1 (Kin-1), while it is remarkably absent in their Foetal Calf Serum (FCS)-derived corona. HRG binds with high affinity to SiO2-NPs (HRG Kd ∼2 nM) and competes with other plasma proteins for the NP surface, so forming a stable and quite homogeneous corona inhibiting nanoparticles binding to the macrophage membrane and their subsequent uptake. Conversely, in the case of lymphocytes and monocytes not only HRG but also several common plasma proteins can interchange in this inhibitory activity. The depletion of HRG and Kin-1 from HP or their plasma exhaustion by increasing NP concentration (>40 μg ml(-1) in 10% HP) lead to a heterogeneous hard corona, mostly formed by fibrinogen (Fibr), HDLs, LDLs, IgGs, Kallikrein and several minor components, allowing nanoparticle binding to macrophages. Consistently, the FCS-derived SiO2-NP hard corona, mainly formed by hemoglobin, α2 macroglobulin and HDLs but lacking HRG, permits nanoparticle uptake by macrophages. Moreover, purified HRG competes with FCS proteins for the NP surface, inhibiting their recruitment in the corona and blocking NP macrophage capture. HRG, the main component of the plasma-derived SiO2-NPs' hard corona, has antiopsonin characteristics and

  8. Comparative effects on rat primary astrocytes and C6 rat glioma cells cultures after 24-h exposure to silver nanoparticles (AgNPs)

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Salazar-García, Samuel; Silva-Ramírez, Ana Sonia; Ramirez-Lee, Manuel A.; Rosas-Hernandez, Hector; Rangel-López, Edgar; Castillo, Claudia G.; Santamaría, Abel; Martinez-Castañon, Gabriel A.; Gonzalez, Carmen

    2015-11-01

    The aim of this work was to compare the effects of 24-h exposure of rat primary astrocytes and C6 rat glioma cells to 7.8 nm AgNPs. Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is the most aggressive primary brain tumor and current treatments lead to diverse side-effects; for this reason, it is imperative to investigate new approaches, including those alternatives provided by nanotechnology, like nanomaterials (NMs) such as silver nanoparticles. Herein, we found that C6 rat glioma cells, but no primary astrocytes, decreased cell viability after AgNPs treatment; however, both cell types diminished their proliferation. The decrease of glioma C6 cells proliferation was related with necrosis, while in primary astrocytes, the decreased proliferation was associated with the induction of apoptosis. The ionic control (AgNO3) exerted a different profile than AgNPs; the bulk form did not modify the basal effect in each determination, whereas cisplatin, a well-known antitumoral drug used as a comparative control, promoted cytotoxicity in both cell types at specific concentrations. Our findings prompt the need to determine the fine molecular and cellular mechanisms involved in the differential biological responses to AgNPs in order to develop new tools or alternatives based on nanotechnology that may contribute to the understanding, impact and use of NMs in specific targets, like glioblastoma cells.

  9. Copper Metal-Organic Framework Nanoparticles Stabilized with Folic Acid Improve Wound Healing in Diabetes.

    PubMed

    Xiao, Jisheng; Zhu, Yunxiao; Huddleston, Samantha; Li, Peng; Xiao, Baixue; Farha, Omar K; Ameer, Guillermo A

    2018-02-27

    The successful treatment of chronic nonhealing wounds requires strategies that promote angiogenesis, collagen deposition, and re-epithelialization of the wound. Copper ions have been reported to stimulate angiogenesis; however, several applications of copper salts or oxides to the wound bed are required, leading to variable outcomes and raising toxicity concerns. We hypothesized that copper-based metal-organic framework nanoparticles (Cu-MOF NPs), referred to as HKUST-1, which are rapidly degraded in protein solutions, can be modified to slowly release Cu 2+ , resulting in reduced toxicity and improved wound healing rates. Folic acid was added during HKUST-1 synthesis to generate folic-acid-modified HKUST-1 (F-HKUST-1). The effect of folic acid incorporation on NP stability, size, hydrophobicity, surface area, and copper ion release profile was measured. In addition, cytotoxicity and in vitro cell migration processes due to F-HKUST-1 and HKUST-1 were evaluated. Wound closure rates were assessed using the splinted excisional dermal wound model in diabetic mice. The incorporation of folic acid into HKUST-1 enabled the slow release of copper ions, which reduced cytotoxicity and enhanced cell migration in vitro. In vivo, F-HKUST-1 induced angiogenesis, promoted collagen deposition and re-epithelialization, and increased wound closure rates. These results demonstrate that folic acid incorporation into HKUST-1 NPs is a simple, safe, and promising approach to control Cu 2+ release, thus enabling the direct application of Cu-MOF NPs to wounds.

  10. Comparison of Antibacterial Effects of ZnO and CuO Nanoparticles Coated Brackets against Streptococcus Mutans.

    PubMed

    Ramazanzadeh, Baratali; Jahanbin, Arezoo; Yaghoubi, Masoud; Shahtahmassbi, Nasser; Ghazvini, Kiarash; Shakeri, Mohammadtaghi; Shafaee, Hooman

    2015-09-01

    During the orthodontic treatment, microbial plaques may accumulate around the brackets and cause caries, especially in high-risk patients. Finding ways to eliminate this microbial plaque seems to be essential. The aim of this study was to compare the antibacterial effects of nano copper oxide (CuO) and nano zinc oxide (ZnO) coated brackets against Streptococcus mutans (S.mutans) in order to decrease the risk of caries around the orthodontic brackets during the treatment. Sixty brackets were coated with nanoparticles of ZnO (n=20), CuO (n=20) and CuO-ZnO (n=20). Twelve uncoated brackets constituted the control group. The brackets were bonded to the crowns of extracted premolars, sterilized and prepared for antimicrobial tests (S.mutans ATCC35668). The samples taken after 0, 2, 4, 6 and 24 hours were cultured on agar plates. Colonies were counted 24 hours after incubation. One-way ANOVA and Tukey tests were used for statistical analysis. In CuO and CuO-ZnO coated brackets, no colony growth was seen after two hours. Between 0-6 hours, the mean colony counts were not significantly different between the ZnO and the control group (p>0.05). During 6-24 hours, the growth of S.mutans was significantly reduced by ZnO nanoparticles in comparison with the control group (p< 0.001). However, these bacteria were not totally eliminated. CuO and ZnO-CuO nanoparticles coated brackets have better antimicrobial effect on S.mutans than ZnO coated brackets.

  11. Biosynthesis of Cu, ZVI, and Ag nanoparticles using Dodonaea viscosa extract for antibacterial activity against human pathogens

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kiruba Daniel, S. C. G.; Vinothini, G.; Subramanian, N.; Nehru, K.; Sivakumar, M.

    2013-01-01

    Biosynthesis of copper, zero-valent iron (ZVI), and silver nanoparticles using leaf extract of Dodonaea viscosa has been investigated in this report. There are no additional surfactants/polymers used as capping or reducing agents for these syntheses. The synthesized nanoparticles were characterized by UV-Vis spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, atomic force microscopy, and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy. The phase analysis was performed using selected area electron diffraction. The pH dependence of surface plasmon resonance and subsequent size variation has been determined. The synthesized nanoparticles showed spherical morphology and the average size of 29, 27, and 16 nm for Cu, ZVI, and Ag nanoparticles, respectively. Finally, biosynthesized Cu, ZVI, and Ag nanoparticles were tested against human pathogens viz. Gram-negative Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumonia, Pseudomonas fluorescens and Gram-positive Staphylococcus aureus and Bacillus subtilis, and showed good antimicrobial activity.

  12. Cell-targeted platinum nanoparticles and nanoparticle clusters.

    PubMed

    Papst, Stefanie; Brimble, Margaret A; Evans, Clive W; Verdon, Daniel J; Feisst, Vaughan; Dunbar, P Rod; Tilley, Richard D; Williams, David E

    2015-06-21

    Herein, we report the facile preparation of cell-targeted platinum nanoparticles (PtNPs), through the design of peptides that, as a single molecule added in small concentration during the synthesis, control the size of PtNP clusters during their growth, stabilise the PtNPs in aqueous suspension and enable the functionalisation of the PtNPs with a versatile range of cell-targeting ligands. Water-soluble PtNPs targeted respectively at blood group antigens and at integrin receptors are demonstrated.

  13. GO-Cu7S4 catalyzed ortho-aminomethylation of phenol derivatives with N,N-dimethylbenzylamines: site-selective oxidative CDC.

    PubMed

    Gupta, Sonu; Chandna, Nisha; Dubey, Pooja; Singh, Ajai K; Jain, Nidhi

    2018-06-21

    Copper chalcogenide nanoparticles (Cu7S4) supported on graphene oxide (GO) have been synthesized for the first time from Cu2S, and used as highly efficient heterogeneous catalysts for oxidative ortho-selective C-H aminomethylation of phenols with N,N-dimethylbenzylamines. The NPs (30-80 nm) have been characterized by HRTEM, SEM-EDX, PXRD, FTIR, Raman, ICP-AES and XPS analyses. The NP catalyzed sp2-sp3 cross dehydrogenative coupling (CDC) features a broad substrate scope, excellent functional group tolerance, high yields, use of an inexpensive and reusable copper catalyst, mild conditions, and no need for pre-functionalization of substrates.

  14. Graphene stabilized ultra-small CuNi nanocomposite with high activity and recyclability toward catalysing the reduction of aromatic nitro-compounds.

    PubMed

    Fang, Hao; Wen, Ming; Chen, Hanxing; Wu, Qingsheng; Li, Weiying

    2016-01-07

    Nowadays, it is of great significance and a challenge to design a noble-metal-free catalyst with high activity and a long lifetime for the reduction of aromatic nitro-compounds. Here, a 2D structured nanocomposite catalyst with graphene supported CuNi alloy nanoparticles (NPs) is prepared, and is promising for meeting the requirements of green chemistry. In this graphene/CuNi nanocomposite, the ultra-small CuNi nanoparticles (∼2 nm) are evenly anchored on graphene sheets, which is not only a breakthrough in the structures, but also brings about an outstanding performance in activity and stability. Combined with a precise optimization of the alloy ratios, the reaction rate constant of graphene/Cu61Ni39 reached a high level of 0.13685 s(-1), with a desirable selectivity as high as 99% for various aromatic nitro-compounds. What's more, the catalyst exhibited a unprecedented long lifetime because it could be recycled over 25 times without obvious performance decay or even a morphology change. This work showed the promise and great potential of noble-metal-free catalysts in green chemistry.

  15. Aqueous Phase Synthesis of CuIn Alloy Nanoparticles and Their Application for a CIS (CuInSe2)-Based Printable Solar Battery

    PubMed Central

    Takahashi, Hideyuki; Fujiki, Hironari; Yokoyama, Shun; Kai, Takayuki; Tohji, Kazuyuki

    2018-01-01

    To apply CuInSe2 (CIS)-based printable solar batteries; an aqueous phase synthesis method of Cu-In (CI) alloy nanoparticles is studied. Metal complexes in the original solution are restricted to homogenized species by utilizing calculations. For example; [(Cu2+)(ASP2−)2] [ASP: the “body (C4H5O4N)” of aspartic acid (C4H7O4N)] is predominant in the pH 6–13 region (CASP/CCu > 6); while In complexes can be restricted to [(In3+)(OH−)(EDTA4−)] (pH 10–12; CEDTA/CIn = 2) and/or [(In3+)(ASP2−)2] (pH 7–9; CASP/CIn = 5). These results indicate that the added amount of complex reagents should be determined by calculations and not the stoichiometric ratio. The reduction potential of homogenized metal complex is measured by cyclic voltammetry (CV) measurements and evaluated by Nernst’s equation using the overall stability constants. CuIn alloy nanoparticles with a small amount of byproduct (In nanoparticles) are successfully synthesized. The CI precursor films are spin-coated onto the substrate using a 2-propanol dispersion. Then the films are converted into CIS solar cells; which show a maximum conversion efficiency of 2.30%. The relationship between the open circuit potential; short circuit current density; and fill factor indicate that smoothing of the CIS films and improving the crystallinity and thickness increase the solar cell conversion efficiency. PMID:29642413

  16. Microfluidic reactor synthesis and photocatalytic behavior of Cu@Cu2O nanocomposite

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Xu, Lei; Srinivasakannan, C.; Peng, Jinhui; Yan, Mi; Zhang, Di; Zhang, Libo

    2015-03-01

    The Cu@Cu2O nanocomposites were synthesized by solution-phase synthesis of Cu nanoparticles in microfluidic reactor at room temperature, followed by controlling the oxidation process. The size, morphology, elemental compositions, and the chemical composition on the surface of Cu@Cu2O nanocomposite were characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Experimental results demonstrated that the surface of the Cu nanoparticles was oxidized to Cu2O which serves as the shell of nanoparticle. The amount of Cu2O can be controlled by varying the drying temperature. Additionally the binary Cu@Cu2O nanocomposite along with H2O2 exhibited its potential as an excellent photocatalyst for degradation of methylene blue (MB) under UV irradiation.

  17. Synthesis and Catalytic Evaluation of Dendrimer-Encapsulated Cu Nanoparticles: An Undergraduate Experiment Exploring Catalytic Nanomaterials

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Feng, Z. Vivian; Lyon, Jennifer L.; Croley, J. Sawyer; Crooks, Richard M.; Vanden Bout, David A.; Stevenson, Keith J.

    2009-01-01

    Copper nanoparticles were synthesized using generation 4 hydroxyl-terminated (G4-OH) poly(amidoamine) (PAMAM) dendrimers as templates. The synthesis is conducted by coordinating copper ions with the interior amines of the dendrimer, followed by chemical reduction to form dendrimer-encapsulated copper nanoparticles (Cu-DEN). The catalytic…

  18. CuS-Based Theranostic Micelles for NIR-Controlled Combination Chemotherapy and Photothermal Therapy and Photoacoustic Imaging.

    PubMed

    Chen, Guojun; Ma, Ben; Wang, Yuyuan; Xie, Ruosen; Li, Chun; Dou, Kefeng; Gong, Shaoqin

    2017-12-06

    Cancer remains a major threat to human health due to low therapeutic efficacies of currently available cancer treatment options. Nanotheranostics, capable of simultaneous therapy and diagnosis/monitoring of diseases, has attracted increasing amounts of attention, particularly for cancer treatment. In this study, CuS-based theranostic micelles capable of simultaneous combination chemotherapy and photothermal therapy (PTT), as well as photoacoustic imaging, were developed for targeted cancer therapy. The micelle was formed by a CuS nanoparticle (NP) functionalized by thermosensitive amphiphilic poly(acrylamide-acrylonitrile)-poly(ethylene glycol) block copolymers. CuS NPs under near-infrared (NIR) irradiation induced a significant temperature elevation, thereby enabling NIR-triggered PTT. Moreover, the hydrophobic core formed by poly(acrylamide-acrylonitrile) segments used for drug encapsulation exhibited an upper critical solution temperature (UCST; ∼38 °C), which underwent a hydrophobic-to-hydrophilic transition once the temperature rose above the UCST induced by NIR-irradiated CuS NPs, thereby triggering a rapid drug release and enabling NIR-controlled chemotherapy. The CuS-based micelles conjugated with GE11 peptides were tested in an epidermal growth factor receptor-overexpressing triple-negative breast cancer model. In both two-dimensional monolayer cell and three-dimensional multicellular tumor spheroid models, GE11-tagged CuS-based micelles under NIR irradiation, enabling the combination chemotherapy and PTT, exhibited the best therapeutic outcome due to a synergistic effect. These CuS-based micelles also displayed a good photoacoustic imaging ability under NIR illumination. Taken together, this multifunctional CuS-based micelle could be a promising nanoplatform for targeted cancer nanotheranostics.

  19. Design of an Anticancer Copper(II) Prodrug Based on the Lys199 Residue of the Active Targeting Human Serum Albumin Nanoparticle Carrier.

    PubMed

    Gou, Yi; Zhang, Yao; Zhang, Zhenlei; Wang, Jun; Zhou, Zuping; Liang, Hong; Yang, Feng

    2017-06-05

    We not only modified the types and numbers of coordinated ligands in a metal agent to enhance its anticancer activity, but we also designed a metal prodrug based on the N-donor residues of the human serum albumin (HSA) IIA subdomain to improve its delivery efficiency and selectivity in vivo. However, there may be a conflict in simultaneously achieving the two goals because Lys199 and His242 in the IIA subdomain of HSA can replace its two coordinated ligands, which will decrease its anticancer activity relative to the original metal agent. Thus, to improve the delivery efficiency of the metal agent and simultaneously avoid decreasing its anticancer activity in vivo, we decided to develop an anticancer metal prodrug by regulating its pharmacophore ligand so that it would not be displaced by the Lys199 residue of the folic acid (FA)-functionalized HSA nanoparticle (NP) carrier. To this end, we first synthesized two (E)-N'-(5-chloro-2-hydroxybenzylidene)benzohydrazide Schiff base (HL) Cu(II) compounds by designing a second ligand with a different coordinating atom with Cu 2+ /Cu(L)(QL)(Br) [C1, QL = quinolone] and Cu(L)(DMF)(Br) [C2, DMF = N,N-dimethylformamide]. As revealed by the structures of the two HSA complexes, the Cu compounds bind to the hydrophobic cavity in the HSA IIA subdomain. The QL ligand of C1 is replaced by Lys199, which coordinates with Cu 2+ , whereas the DMF ligand of C2 is kept intact and His242 is replaced with Br - of C2 and coordinates with Cu 2+ . The cytotoxicity of the Cu compounds was enhanced by the FA-HSA NPs in the Bel-7402 cells approximately 2-4-fold; however, they raise the cytotoxicity levels in the normal cells in vitro, and the FA-HSA NPs did not. Importantly, the in vivo data showed that FA-HSA-C2 NPs increased selectivity and the capacity to inhibit tumor growth and were less toxic than HSA-C2 NPs and C2. Moreover, C2/HSA-C2 NPs/FA-HSA-C2 NPs induced Bel-7402 cell death by potentially multiple mechanisms.

  20. A High-Yield Synthesis of Chalcopyrite CuIn S 2 Nanoparticles with Exceptional Size Control

    DOE PAGES

    Sun, Chivin; Gardner, Joseph S.; Shurdha, Endrit; ...

    2009-01-01

    We repormore » t high-yield and efficient size-controlled syntheses of Chalcopyrite CuIn S 2 nanoparticles by decomposing molecular single source precursors (SSPs) via microwave irradiation in the presence of 1,2-ethanedithiol at reaction temperatures as low as 100 ° C and times as short as 30 minutes. The nanoparticles sizes were 1.8 nm to 10.8 nm as reaction temperatures were varied from 100 ° C to 200 ° C with the bandgaps from 2.71 eV to 1.28 eV with good size control and high yields (64%–95%). The resulting nanoparticles were analyzed by XRD, UV-Vis, ICP-OES, XPS, SEM, EDS, and HRTEM. Titration studies by 1 H NMR using SSP 1 with 1,2-ethanedithiol and benzyl mercaptan were conducted to elucidate the formation of Chalcopyrite CuIn S 2 nanoparticles.« less

  1. Catalytic activity of Pd-doped Cu nanoparticles for hydrogenation as a single-atom-alloy catalyst.

    PubMed

    Cao, Xinrui; Fu, Qiang; Luo, Yi

    2014-05-14

    The single atom alloy of extended surfaces is known to provide remarkably enhanced catalytic performance toward heterogeneous hydrogenation. Here we demonstrate from first principles calculations that this approach can be extended to nanostructures, such as bimetallic nanoparticles. The catalytic properties of the single-Pd-doped Cu55 nanoparticles have been systemically examined for H2 dissociation as well as H atom adsorption and diffusion, following the concept of single atom alloy. It is found that doping a single Pd atom at the edge site of the Cu55 shell can considerably reduce the activation energy of H2 dissociation, while the single Pd atom doped at the top site or in the inner layers is much less effective. The H atom adsorption on Cu55 is slightly stronger than that on the Cu(111) surface; however, a larger nanoparticle that contains 147 atoms could effectively recover the weak binding of the H atoms. We have also investigated the H atom diffusion on the 55-atom nanoparticle and found that spillover of the produced H atoms could be a feasible process due to the low diffusion barriers. Our results have demonstrated that facile H2 dissociation and weak H atom adsorption could be combined at the nanoscale. Moreover, the effects of doping one more Pd atom on the H2 dissociation and H atom adsorption have also been investigated. We have found that both the doping Pd atoms in the most stable configuration could independently exhibit their catalytic activity, behaving as two single-atom-alloy catalysts.

  2. 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.

  3. Preparation of Cu-loaded SrTiO3 nanoparticles and their photocatalytic activity for hydrogen evolution from methanol aqueous solution

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bui, Duc-Nguyen; Mu, Jin; Wang, Lei; Kang, Shi-Zhao; Li, Xiangqing

    2013-06-01

    Cu-loaded SrTiO3 nanoparticles (Cu-SrTiO3) were prepared using a simple in situ photo-deposition method and their photocatalytic activity for hydrogen evolution from methanol aqueous solution was evaluated. The results characterized with XRD, TEM, XPS and EDX indicated that the as-synthesized sample was composed of metallic Cu and cubic SrTiO3, and the metallic Cu was homogeneously loaded on the surface of SrTiO3 nanoparticles. Under UV light irradiation, Cu-SrTiO3 displayed much higher photocatalytic activity for hydrogen evolution and excellent stability in comparison with pure SrTiO3 nanoparticles. The results further confirmed that the efficient separation of photogenerated electron/hole pairs was critical for the enhanced photocatalytic activity of Cu-SrTiO3. Moreover, the rate of hydrogen evolution of 0.5 wt.% Cu-SrTiO3 is comparable with that of 0.5 wt.% Pt-SrTiO3 photocatalyst under optimum conditions, implying that the metallic Cu is an efficient alternative to Pt as a co-catalyst on SrTiO3. The high photocatalytic activity, low cost and chemical stability mean that the Cu-loaded SrTiO3 is a potential catalyst for the photocatalytic hydrogen evolution from methanol aqueous solution.

  4. Speciation of nanoscale objects by nanoparticle imprinted matrices

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hitrik, Maria; Pisman, Yamit; Wittstock, Gunther; Mandler, Daniel

    2016-07-01

    The toxicity of nanoparticles is not only a function of the constituting material but depends largely on their size, shape and stabilizing shell. Hence, the speciation of nanoscale objects, namely, their detection and separation based on the different species, similarly to heavy metals, is of outmost importance. Here we demonstrate the speciation of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) and their electrochemical detection using the concept of ``nanoparticles imprinted matrices'' (NAIM). Negatively charged AuNPs are adsorbed as templates on a conducting surface previously modified with polyethylenimine (PEI). The selective matrix is formed by the adsorption of either oleic acid (OA) or poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) on the non-occupied areas. The AuNPs are removed by electrooxidation to form complementary voids. These voids are able to recognize the AuNPs selectively based on their size. Furthermore, the selectivity could be improved by adsorbing an additional layer of 1-hexadecylamine, which deepened the voids. Interestingly, silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) were also recognized if their size matched those of the template AuNPs. The steps in assembling the NAIMs and the reuptake of the nanoparticles were characterized carefully. The prospects for the analytical use of NAIMs, which are simple, of small dimension, cost-efficient and portable, are in the sensing and separation of nanoobjects.The toxicity of nanoparticles is not only a function of the constituting material but depends largely on their size, shape and stabilizing shell. Hence, the speciation of nanoscale objects, namely, their detection and separation based on the different species, similarly to heavy metals, is of outmost importance. Here we demonstrate the speciation of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) and their electrochemical detection using the concept of ``nanoparticles imprinted matrices'' (NAIM). Negatively charged AuNPs are adsorbed as templates on a conducting surface previously modified with polyethylenimine (PEI). The

  5. High performance hybrid silicon micropillar solar cell based on light trapping characteristics of Cu nanoparticles

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zhang, Yulong; Fan, Zhiqiang; Zhang, Weijia; Ma, Qiang; Jiang, Zhaoyi; Ma, Denghao

    2018-05-01

    High performance silicon combined structure (micropillar with Cu nanoparticles) solar cell has been synthesized from N-type silicon substrates based on the micropillar array. The combined structure solar cell exhibited higher short circuit current rather than the silicon miropillar solar cell, which the parameters of micropillar array are the same. Due to the Cu nanoparticles were decorated on the surface of silicon micropillar array, the photovoltaic properties of cells have been improved. In addition, the optimal efficiency of 11.5% was measured for the combined structure solar cell, which is better than the silicon micropillar cell.

  6. Spray deposition of water-soluble multiwall carbon nanotube and Cu2ZnSnSe4 nanoparticle composites as highly efficient counter electrodes in a quantum dot-sensitized solar cell system.

    PubMed

    Zeng, Xianwei; Xiong, Dehua; Zhang, Wenjun; Ming, Liqun; Xu, Zhen; Huang, Zhanfeng; Wang, Mingkui; Chen, Wei; Cheng, Yi-Bing

    2013-08-07

    In this paper, low-cost counter electrodes (CEs) based on water-soluble multiwall carbon nanotube (MWCNT) and Cu2ZnSnSe4 nanoparticle (CZTSe NP) composites have been successfully introduced into a quantum dot-sensitized solar cell (QDSC) system. Suitable surface modification allows the MWCNTs and CZTSe NPs to be homogeneously dispersed in water, facilitating the subsequent low-temperature spray deposition of high quality composite films with different composite ratios. The electrochemical catalytic activity of the composite CEs has been critically compared by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and Tafel-polarization analysis. It is found that the composite CE at the MWCNT : CZTSe ratio of 0.1 offers the best performance, leading to an optimal solar cell efficiency of 4.60%, which is 50.8% higher than that of the Pt reference CE. The as-demonstrated higher catalytic activity of the composite CEs compared to their single components could be ascribed to the combination of the fast electron transport of the MWCNTs and the high catalytic activity of CZTSe NPs.

  7. Magnesium Nanoparticle Plasmonics.

    PubMed

    Biggins, John S; Yazdi, Sadegh; Ringe, Emilie

    2018-06-13

    Nanoparticles of some metals (Cu/Ag/Au) sustain oscillations of their electron cloud called localized surface plasmon resonances (LSPRs). These resonances can occur at optical frequencies and be driven by light, generating enhanced electric fields and spectacular photon scattering. However, current plasmonic metals are rare, expensive, and have a limited resonant frequency range. Recently, much attention has been focused on earth-abundant Al, but Al nanoparticles cannot resonate in the IR. The earth-abundant Mg nanoparticles reported here surmount this limitation. A colloidal synthesis forms hexagonal nanoplates, reflecting Mg's simple hexagonal lattice. The NPs form a thin self-limiting oxide layer that renders them stable suspended in 2-propanol solution for months and dry in air for at least two week. They sustain LSPRs observable in the far-field by optical scattering spectroscopy. Electron energy loss spectroscopy experiments and simulations reveal multiple size-dependent resonances with energies across the UV, visible, and IR. The symmetry of the modes and their interaction with the underlying substrate are studied using numerical methods. Colloidally synthesized Mg thus offers a route to inexpensive, stable nanoparticles with novel shapes and resonances spanning the entire UV-vis-NIR spectrum, making them a flexible addition to the nanoplasmonics toolbox.

  8. Microfluidic Encapsulation of Prickly Zinc-Doped Copper Oxide Nanoparticles with VD1142 Modified Spermine Acetalated Dextran for Efficient Cancer Therapy.

    PubMed

    Zhang, Hongbo; Liu, Dongfei; Wang, Liang; Liu, Zehua; Wu, Runrun; Janoniene, Agne; Ma, Ming; Pan, Guoqing; Baranauskiene, Lina; Zhang, Linlin; Cui, Wenguo; Petrikaite, Vilma; Matulis, Daumantas; Zhao, Hongxia; Pan, Jianming; Santos, Hélder A

    2017-06-01

    Structural features of nanoparticles have recently been explored for different types of applications. To explore specific particles as nanomedicine and physically destroy cancer is interesting, which might avoid many obstacles in cancer treatment, for example, drug resistance. However, one key element and technical challenge of those systems is to selectively target them to cancer cells. As a proof-of-concept, Prickly zinc-doped copper oxide (Zn-CuO) nanoparticles (Prickly NPs) have been synthesized, and subsequently encapsulated in a pH-responsive polymer; and the surface has been modified with a novel synthesized ligand, 3-(cyclooctylamino)-2,5,6-trifluoro-4-[(2-hydroxyethyl)sulfonyl] benzenesulfonamide (VD1142). The Prickly NPs exhibit very effective cancer cell antiproliferative capability. Moreover, the polymer encapsulation shields the Prickly NPs from unspecific nanopiercing and, most importantly, VD1142 endows the engineered NPs to specifically target to the carbonic anhydrase IX, a transmembrane protein overexpressed in a wide variety of cancer tumors. Intracellularly, the Prickly NPs disintegrate into small pieces that upon endosomal escape cause severe damage to the endoplasmic reticulum and mitochondria of the cells. The engineered Prickly NP is promising in efficient and targeted cancer treatment and it opens new avenue in nanomedication. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  9. Airborne Nanoparticle Release and Toxicological Risk from Metal-Oxide-Coated Textiles: Toward a Multiscale Safe-by-Design Approach.

    PubMed

    Mantecca, Paride; Kasemets, Kaja; Deokar, Archana; Perelshtein, Ilana; Gedanken, Aharon; Bahk, Yeon Kyoung; Kianfar, Baharh; Wang, Jing

    2017-08-15

    Nano metal oxides have been proposed as alternatives to silver (Ag) nanoparticles (NPs) for antibacterial coatings. Here, cotton and polyester-cotton fabrics were sonochemically coated with zinc oxide (ZnO) and copper oxide (CuO) NPs. By varying the reaction solvent (water or ethanol), NPs with different sizes and shapes were synthesized. The cytotoxic and pro-inflammatory effects of studied NPs were investigated in vitro in human alveolar epithelial A549 and macrophage-like THP1 cells. To understand the potential respiratory impact of the NPs, the coated textiles were subjected to the abrasion tests, and the released airborne particles were measured. A very small amount of the studied metal oxides NPs was released from abrasion of the textiles coated by the ethanol-based sonochemical process. The release from the water-based coating was comparably higher. Lung and immune cells viability decreased after 24 h of exposure only at the highest studied NPs concentration (100 μg/mL). Different from the ZnO NPs, both formulations of CuO NPs induced IL-8 release in the lung epithelial cells already at subtoxic concentrations (1-10 μg/mL) but not in immune cells. All of the studied NPs did not induce IL-6 release by the lung and immune cells. Calculations revealed that the exposures of the NPs to human lung due to the abrasion of the textiles were lower or comparable to the minimum doses in the cell viability tests (0.1 μg/mL), at which acute cytotoxicity was not observed. The results alleviate the concerns regarding the potential risk of these metal oxide NPs in their applications for the textile coating and provide insight for the safe-by-design approach.

  10. Biosynthesis of Gold and Silver Nanoparticles Using Extracts of Callus Cultures of Pumpkin (Cucurbita maxima).

    PubMed

    Iyer, R Indira; Panda, Tapobrata

    2018-08-01

    The potential of callus cultures and field-grown organs of pumpkin (Cucurbita maxima) for the biosynthesis of nanoparticles of the noble metals gold and silver has been investigated. Biosynthesis of AuNPs (gold nanoparticles) and AgNPs (silver nanoparticles) was obtained with flowers of C. maxima but not with pulp and seeds. With callus cultures established in MS-based medium the biogenesis of both AuNPs and AgNPs could be obtained. At 65 °C the biogenesis of AuNPs and AgNPs by callus extracts was enhanced. The AuNPs and AgNPs have been characterized by UV-visible spectroscopy, TEM, DLS and XRD. Well-dispersed nanoparticles, which exhibited a remarkable diversity in size and shape, could be visualized by TEM. Gold nanoparticles were found to be of various shapes, viz., rods, triangles, star-shaped particles, spheres, hexagons, bipyramids, discoid particles, nanotrapezoids, prisms, cuboids. Silver nanoparticles were also of diverse shapes, viz., discoid, spherical, elliptical, triangle-like, belt-like, rod-shaped forms and cuboids. EDX analysis indicated that the AuNPs and AgNPs had a high degree of purity. The surface charges of the generated AuNPs and AgNPs were highly negative as indicated by zeta potential measurements. The AuNPs and AgNPs exhibited remarkable stability in solution for more than four months. FTIR studies indicated that biomolecules in the callus extracts were associated with the biosynthesis and stabilisation of the nanoparticles. The synthesized AgNPs could catalyse degradation of methylene blue and exhibited anti-bacterial activity against E. coli DH5α. There is no earlier report of the biosynthesis of nanoparticles by this plant species. Callus cultures of Cucurbita maxima are effective alternative resources of biomass for synthesis of nanoparticles.

  11. Enhanced catalyst activity by decorating of Au on Ag@Cu2O nanoshell

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Chen, Lei; Liu, Maomao; Zhao, Yue; Kou, Qiangwei; Wang, Yaxin; Liu, Yang; Zhang, Yongjun; Yang, Jinghai; Jung, Young Mee

    2018-03-01

    We successfully synthesized Au-decorated Ag@Cu2O heterostructures via a simple galvanic replacement method. As the Au precursor concentration increased, the density of the Au nanoparticles (NPs) on the Ag@Cu2O surface increased, which changed the catalytic activity of the Ag@Cu2O-Au structure. The combination of Au, Ag, and Cu2O exhibited excellent catalytic properties, which can further effect on the catalyst activity of the Ag@Cu2O-Au structure. In addition, the proposed Ag@Cu2O-Au nanocomposite was used to transform the organic, toxic pollutant, 4-nitrophenol (4-NP), into its nontoxic and medicinally important amino derivative via a catalytic reduction to optimize the material performance. The proposed Au-decorated Ag@Cu2O exhibited excellent catalytic activity, and the catalytic reduction time greatly decreased (5 min). Thus, three novel properties of Ag@Cu2O-Au, i.e., charge redistribution and transfer, adsorption, and catalytic reduction of organic pollutants, were ascertained for water remediation. The proposed catalytic properties have potential applications for photocatalysis and localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR)- and peroxidase-like catalysis.

  12. Asymmetric dumbbell-shaped silver nanoparticles and spherical gold nanoparticles green-synthesized by mangosteen (Garcinia mangostana) pericarp waste extracts

    PubMed Central

    Park, Ji Su; Ahn, Eun-Young; Park, Youmie

    2017-01-01

    Mangosteen (Garcinia mangostana) pericarp waste extract was used to synthesize gold and silver nanoparticles by a green strategy. The extract was both a reducing and stabilizing agent during synthesis. Phytochemical screening of the extract was conducted to obtain information regarding the presence/absence of primary and secondary metabolites in the extract. The in vitro antioxidant activity results demonstrated that the extract had excellent antioxidant activity, which was comparable to a standard (butylated hydroxy toluene). Spherical gold nanoparticles (gold nanoparticles green synthesized by mangosteen pericarp extract [GM-AuNPs]) with an average size of 15.37±3.99 to 44.20±16.99 nm were observed in high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM) images. Most interestingly, the silver nanoparticles (silver nanoparticles green synthesized by mangosteen pericarp extract [GM-AgNPs]) had asymmetric nanodumbbell shapes where one tail grew from a spherical head. The average head size was measured to be 13.65±5.07 to 31.08±3.99 nm from HR-TEM images. The hydrodynamic size of both nanoparticles tended to increase with increasing extract concentration. Large negative zeta potentials (−18.92 to −34.77 mV) suggested that each nanoparticle solution possessed excellent colloidal stability. The reaction yields were 99.7% for GM-AuNPs and 82.8% for GM-AgNPs, which were assessed by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy. A high-resolution X-ray diffraction pattern confirmed the face-centered cubic structure of both nanoparticles. Based on phytochemical screening and Fourier transform infrared spectra, the hydroxyl functional groups of carbohydrates, flavonoids, glycosides, and phenolic compounds were most likely involved in a reduction reaction of gold or silver salts to their corresponding nanoparticles. The in vitro cytotoxicity (based on a water-soluble tetrazolium assay) demonstrated that GM-AgNPs were toxic to both A549 (a human lung

  13. Asymmetric dumbbell-shaped silver nanoparticles and spherical gold nanoparticles green-synthesized by mangosteen (Garcinia mangostana) pericarp waste extracts.

    PubMed

    Park, Ji Su; Ahn, Eun-Young; Park, Youmie

    2017-01-01

    Mangosteen ( Garcinia mangostana ) pericarp waste extract was used to synthesize gold and silver nanoparticles by a green strategy. The extract was both a reducing and stabilizing agent during synthesis. Phytochemical screening of the extract was conducted to obtain information regarding the presence/absence of primary and secondary metabolites in the extract. The in vitro antioxidant activity results demonstrated that the extract had excellent antioxidant activity, which was comparable to a standard (butylated hydroxy toluene). Spherical gold nanoparticles (gold nanoparticles green synthesized by mangosteen pericarp extract [GM-AuNPs]) with an average size of 15.37±3.99 to 44.20±16.99 nm were observed in high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM) images. Most interestingly, the silver nanoparticles (silver nanoparticles green synthesized by mangosteen pericarp extract [GM-AgNPs]) had asymmetric nanodumbbell shapes where one tail grew from a spherical head. The average head size was measured to be 13.65±5.07 to 31.08±3.99 nm from HR-TEM images. The hydrodynamic size of both nanoparticles tended to increase with increasing extract concentration. Large negative zeta potentials (-18.92 to -34.77 mV) suggested that each nanoparticle solution possessed excellent colloidal stability. The reaction yields were 99.7% for GM-AuNPs and 82.8% for GM-AgNPs, which were assessed by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy. A high-resolution X-ray diffraction pattern confirmed the face-centered cubic structure of both nanoparticles. Based on phytochemical screening and Fourier transform infrared spectra, the hydroxyl functional groups of carbohydrates, flavonoids, glycosides, and phenolic compounds were most likely involved in a reduction reaction of gold or silver salts to their corresponding nanoparticles. The in vitro cytotoxicity (based on a water-soluble tetrazolium assay) demonstrated that GM-AgNPs were toxic to both A549 (a human lung

  14. Antimicrobial Effect of Biocompatible Silicon Nanoparticles Activated Using Therapeutic Ultrasound.

    PubMed

    Shevchenko, Svetlana N; Burkhardt, Markus; Sheval, Eugene V; Natashina, Ulyana A; Grosse, Christina; Nikolaev, Alexander L; Gopin, Alexander V; Neugebauer, Ute; Kudryavtsev, Andrew A; Sivakov, Vladimir; Osminkina, Liubov A

    2017-03-14

    In this study, we report a method for the suppression of Escherichia coli (E. coli) vitality by means of therapeutic ultrasound irradiation (USI) using biocompatible silicon nanoparticles as cavitation sensitizers. Silicon nanoparticles without (SiNPs) and with polysaccharide (dextran) coating (DSiNPs) were used. Both types of nanoparticles were nontoxic to Hep 2 cells up to a concentration of 2 mg/mL. The treatment of bacteria with nanoparticles and application of 1 W/cm 2 USI resulted in the reduction of their viabilities up to 35 and 72% for SiNPs and DSiNPs, respectively. The higher bacterial viability reduction for DSiNPs as compared with SiNPs can be explained by the fact that the biopolymer shell of the polysaccharide provides a stronger adhesion of nanoparticles to the bacterial surface. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) studies showed that the bacterial lipid shell was partially perforated after the combined treatment of DSiNPs and USI, which can be explained by the lysis of bacterial membrane due to the cavitation sensitized by the SiNPs. Furthermore, we have shown that 100% inhibition of E. coli bacterial colony growth is possible by coupling the treatments of DSiNPs and USI with an increased intensity of up to 3 W/cm 2 . The observed results reveal the application of SiNPs as promising antimicrobial agents.

  15. Photocatalytic degradation of humic substances in aqueous solution using Cu-doped ZnO nanoparticles under natural sunlight irradiation.

    PubMed

    Maleki, Afshin; Safari, Mahdi; Shahmoradi, Behzad; Zandsalimi, Yahya; Daraei, Hiua; Gharibi, Fardin

    2015-11-01

    In this study, Cu-doped ZnO nanoparticles were investigated as an efficient synthesized catalyst for photodegradation of humic substances in aqueous solution under natural sunlight irradiation. Cu-doped ZnO nanocatalyst was prepared through mild hydrothermal method and was characterized using FT-IR, powder XRD and SEM techniques. The effect of operating parameters such as doping ratio, initial pH, catalyst dosage, initial concentrations of humic substances and sunlight illuminance were studied on humic substances degradation efficiency. The results of characterization analyses of samples confirmed the proper synthesis of Cu-doped ZnO nanocatalyst. The experimental results indicated the highest degradation efficiency of HS (99.2%) observed using 1.5% Cu-doped ZnO nanoparticles at reaction time of 120 min. Photocatalytic degradation efficiency of HS in a neutral and acidic pH was much higher than that at alkaline pH. Photocatalytic degradation of HS was enhanced with increasing the catalyst dosage and sunlight illuminance, while increasing the initial HS concentration led to decrease in the degradation efficiency of HS. Conclusively, Cu-doped ZnO nanoparticles can be used as a promising and efficient catalyst for degradation of HS under natural sunlight irradiation.

  16. Bioresponsive polymer coating on nanoparticles

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Laemthong, Tunyaboon

    Nanotechnology incorporated with molecular biology became a promising way to treat cancer. The size of nanoparticles enables them to overcome the side effects noticed in cancer treatment like chemotherapy and surgery. Various types and shapes of nanoparticles have been synthesized and used in drug delivery to tumor sites. However, one of problems of using these nanoparticles is the aggregation after injecting them into human body due to flow rate of bloodstream. The coagulation and aggregation will result in clogging blood vessel and lower therapeutic efficacy. In this thesis, a solution to the aggregation problem was proposed, which is coating biopolymer on nanoparticles (NPs). The experimental sections covered synthesis and characterization of breast cancer specific targeting drug-encapsulated NPs and biopolymer coating on the surface of Au-Fe3O4 NPs for thermal therapy. Furthermore, in vitro studies of these NPs with breast cancer cells were also included. The specific targeting anticancer drug-encapsulated NRs showed significant inhibition in BT-474 breast cancer cell growth. The Au-Fe3O4 NPs has a possibility to treat cancer cells using the thermal therapy approach.

  17. Peptide-biphenyl hybrid-capped AuNPs: stability and biocompatibility under cell culture conditions

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Connolly, Mona; Pérez, Yolanda; Mann, Enrique; Herradón, Bernardo; Fernández-Cruz, María L.; Navas, José M.

    2013-07-01

    In this study, we explored the biocompatibility of Au nanoparticles (NPs) capped with peptide-biphenyl hybrid (PBH) ligands containing glycine (Gly), cysteine (Cys), tyrosine (Tyr), tryptophan (Trp) and methionine (Met) amino acids in the human hepatocellular carcinoma cell line Hep G2. Five AuNPs, Au[(Gly-Tyr-Met)2B], Au[(Gly-Trp-Met)2B], Au[(Met)2B], Au[(Gly-Tyr-TrCys)2B] and Au[(TrCys)2B], were synthesised. Physico-chemical and cytotoxic properties were thoroughly studied. Transmission electron micrographs showed isolated near-spherical nanoparticles with diameters of 1.5, 1.6, 2.3, 1.8 and 2.3 nm, respectively. Dynamic light scattering evidenced the high stability of suspensions in Milli-Q water and culture medium, particularly when supplemented with serum, showing in all cases a tendency to form agglomerates with diameters approximately 200 nm. In the cytotoxicity studies, interference caused by AuNPs with some typical cytotoxicity assays was demonstrated; thus, only data obtained from the resazurin based assay were used. After 48-h incubation, only concentrations ≥50 μg/ml exhibited cytotoxicity. Such doses were also responsible for an increase in reactive oxygen species (ROS). Some differences were observed among the studied NPs. Of particular importance is the AuNPs capped with the PBH ligand (Gly-Tyr-TrCys)2B showing remarkable stability in culture medium, even in the absence of serum. Moreover, these AuNPs have unique biological effects on Hep G2 cells while showing low toxicity. The production of ROS along with supporting optical microscopy images suggests cellular interaction/uptake of these particular AuNPs. Future research efforts should further test this hypothesis, as such interaction/uptake is highly relevant in drug delivery systems.

  18. Understanding the crystallization mechanism of delafossite CuGaO2 for controlled hydrothermal synthesis of nanoparticles and nanoplates.

    PubMed

    Yu, Mingzhe; Draskovic, Thomas I; Wu, Yiying

    2014-06-02

    The delafossite CuGaO2 is an important p-type transparent conducting oxide for both fundamental science and industrial applications. An emerging application is for p-type dye-sensitized solar cells. Obtaining delafossite CuGaO2 nanoparticles is challenging but desirable for efficient dye loading. In this work, the phase formation and crystal growth mechanism of delafossite CuGaO2 under low-temperature (<250 °C) hydrothermal conditions are systematically studied. The stabilization of Cu(I) cations in aqueous solution and the controlling of the hydrolysis of Ga(III) species are two crucial factors that determine the phase formation. The oriented attachment (OA) growth is proposed as the crystal growth mechanism to explain the formation of large CuGaO2 nanoplates. Importantly, by suppressing this OA process, delafossite CuGaO2 nanoparticles that are 20 nm in size were successfully synthesized for the first time. Moreover, considering the structural and chemical similarities between the Cu-based delafossite series compounds, the understanding of the hydrothermal chemistry and crystallization mechanism of CuGaO2 should also benefit syntheses of other similar delafossites such as CuAlO2 and CuScO2.

  19. Influence of CuO nanoparticle on palm oil based alkyd resin preparation and its antimicrobial activity

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ruey Ong, Huei; Maksudur Rahman Khan, Md.; Ramli, Ridzuan; Shein Hong, Chi; Yunus, Rosli Mohd

    2018-03-01

    An alkyd resin has been synthesized from palm oil that reacted with glycerol and phthalic anhydride by alcoholysis-polyesterification process and co-catalyzed by CuO nanoparticle. The CuO nanoparticle was pre-prepared in the glycerol via sol gel method, which creates a new reaction condition for resin preparation. The resins were characterized by fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), where a new ester linkage bond (C-O-C) was noticed for resin sample. The antimicrobial activity and the curing behaviour of the resin were determined by Kirby-Bauer and differential scanning calorimeter technique. It was found that, the addition of CuO speeded up the reaction rate and played antimicrobial role. Moreover, it shortens the reaction time of alcoholysis and polyesterification process.

  20. Low-temperature CO oxidation over Cu/Pt co-doped ZrO2 nanoparticles synthesized by solution combustion.

    PubMed

    Singhania, Amit; Gupta, Shipra Mital

    2017-01-01

    Zirconia (ZrO 2 ) nanoparticles co-doped with Cu and Pt were applied as catalysts for carbon monoxide (CO) oxidation. These materials were prepared through solution combustion in order to obtain highly active and stable catalytic nanomaterials. This method allows Pt 2+ and Cu 2+ ions to dissolve into the ZrO 2 lattice and thus creates oxygen vacancies due to lattice distortion and charge imbalance. High-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) results showed Cu/Pt co-doped ZrO 2 nanoparticles with a size of ca. 10 nm. X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Raman spectra confirmed cubic structure and larger oxygen vacancies. The nanoparticles showed excellent activity for CO oxidation. The temperature T 50 (the temperature at which 50% of CO are converted) was lowered by 175 °C in comparison to bare ZrO 2 . Further, they exhibited very high stability for CO reaction (time-on-stream ≈ 70 h). This is due to combined effect of smaller particle size, large oxygen vacancies, high specific surface area and better thermal stability of the Cu/Pt co-doped ZrO 2 nanoparticles. The apparent activation energy for CO oxidation is found to be 45.6 kJ·mol -1 . The CO conversion decreases with increase in gas hourly space velocity (GHSV) and initial CO concentration.

  1. Stabilization of AuNPs by monofunctional triazole linked to ferrocene, ferricenium, or coumarin and applications to synthesis, sensing, and catalysis.

    PubMed

    Li, Na; Zhao, Pengxiang; Igartua, María E; Rapakousiou, Amalia; Salmon, Lionel; Moya, Sergio; Ruiz, Jaime; Astruc, Didier

    2014-11-03

    Monofunctional triazoles linked to ferrocene, ferricenium, or coumarin (Cou), easily synthesized by copper-catalyzed azide alkyne (CuAAC) "click" reactions between the corresponding functional azides and (trimethylsilyl)acetylene followed by silyl group deprotection, provide a variety of convenient neutral ligands for the stabilization of functional gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) in polar organic solvents. These triazole (trz)-AuNPs are very useful toward a variety of applications to synthesis, sensing, and catalysis. Both ferrocenyl (Fc) and isostructural ferricenium linked triazoles give rise to AuNP stabilization, although by different synthetic routes. Indeed, the first direct synthesis and stabilization of AuNPs by ferricenium are obtained by the reduction of HAuCl4 upon reaction with a ferrocene derivative, AuNP stabilization resulting from a synergy between electrostatic and coordination effects. The ferricenium/ferrocene trz-AuNP redox couple is fully reversible, as shown by cyclic voltammograms that were recorded with both redox forms. These trz-AuNPs are stable for weeks in various polar solvents, but at the same time, the advantage of trz-AuNPs is the easy substitution of neutral trz ligands by thiols and other ligands, giving rise to applications. Indeed, this ligand substitution of trz at the AuNP surface yields a stable Fc-terminated nanogold-cored dendrimer upon reaction with a Fc-terminated thiol dendron, substitution of Cou-linked trz with cysteine, homocysteine, and glutathione provides remarkably efficient biothiol sensing, and a ferricenium-linked trz-AuNP catalyst is effective for NaBH4 reduction of 4-nitrophenol to 4-aminophenol. In this catalytic example, the additional electrostatic AuNP stabilization modulates the reaction rate and induction time.

  2. Role of Cu During Sintering of Fe0.96Cu0.04 Nanoparticles

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sivaprahasam, D.; Sriramamurthy, A. M.; Bysakh, S.; Sundararajan, G.; Chattopadhyay, K.

    2018-04-01

    Nanoparticle agglomerates of passivated Fe ( n-Fe) and Fe0.96Cu0.04 ( n-Fe0.96Cu0.04), synthesized through the levitational gas condensation (LGC) process, were compacted and sintered using the conventional powder metallurgy method. The n-Fe0.96Cu0.04 agglomerates produced lower green density than n-Fe, and when compacted under pressure beyond 200 MPa, they underwent lateral cracking during ejection attributed to the presence of a passive oxide layer. Sintering under dynamic hydrogen atmosphere can produce a higher density of compact in n-Fe0.96Cu0.04 in comparison to n-Fe. Both the results of dilatometry and thermogravimetric (TG) measurements of the samples under flowing hydrogen revealed enhancement of the sintering process as soon as the reduction of oxide layers could be accomplished. The shrinkage rate of n-Fe0.96Cu0.04 reached a value three times higher than n-Fe at a low temperature of 723 K (450 °C) during heating. This enhanced shrinkage rate was the manifestation of accumulation of Cu at the surface of the particles. The formation of a thin-surface melted layer enriched with copper during heating to isothermal holding facilitated as a medium of transport for diffusion of the elements. The compacts produced by sintering at 773 K (500 °C), with relative density 82 pct, were found to be unstable and oxidized instantly when exposed to ambient atmosphere. The stable compacts of density more than 92 pct with 300- to 450-nm grain size could only be produced when sintering was carried out at 973 K (700 °C) and beyond. The 0.22 wt pct residual oxygen obtained in the sintered compact is similar to what is used for conventional ferrous powder metallurgy products.

  3. Localized surface plasmon behavior of Ag-Cu alloy nanoparticles stabilized by rice-starch and gelatin

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

    Singh, Manish Kumar; Mandal, R. K., E-mail: rkmandal.met@itbhu.ac.in; Manda, Premkumar

    The purpose of this communication was to understand localized surface plasmon behavior of a series of Ag-Cu alloy nanoparticles capped by rice-starch and gelatin. The structures of dried powders were investigated with the help of X-ray diffraction. The analysis revealed Ag-rich and Cu-rich phases with maximum solid solubility of Cu ∼9 atom per cent; 8 atom per cent and Ag ∼ 16 atom per cent; 14 atom per cent in rice-starch and gelatin capped samples respectively. Transmission electron microscope was used for knowing the particle size as well as to supplement FCC phase formations of Ag-rich and Cu-rich solid phasesmore » arrived at based on X-ray diffraction studies. The UV-Vis spectra of sols were examined for the formation and stability of alloy nanoparticles. The temporal evolution of LSPR curves gave us to assert that the sol is stable for more than two months. Small angle X-ray scattering in the sol state was extensively utilized to understand nature of suspensions in terms of fractals. Such a study is important for having a correlation between LSPR behaviors with those of nanoparticle dispersion in aqueous media. It is believed that this work will be a contribution to the emerging field of plasmonics that include applications in the area of photophysical processes and photochemical reactions.« less

  4. Localized surface plasmon behavior of Ag-Cu alloy nanoparticles stabilized by rice-starch and gelatin

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Singh, Manish Kumar; Manda, Premkumar; Singh, A. K.; Mandal, R. K.

    2015-10-01

    The purpose of this communication was to understand localized surface plasmon behavior of a series of Ag-Cu alloy nanoparticles capped by rice-starch and gelatin. The structures of dried powders were investigated with the help of X-ray diffraction. The analysis revealed Ag-rich and Cu-rich phases with maximum solid solubility of Cu ˜9 atom per cent; 8 atom per cent and Ag ˜ 16 atom per cent; 14 atom per cent in rice-starch and gelatin capped samples respectively. Transmission electron microscope was used for knowing the particle size as well as to supplement FCC phase formations of Ag-rich and Cu-rich solid phases arrived at based on X-ray diffraction studies. The UV-Vis spectra of sols were examined for the formation and stability of alloy nanoparticles. The temporal evolution of LSPR curves gave us to assert that the sol is stable for more than two months. Small angle X-ray scattering in the sol state was extensively utilized to understand nature of suspensions in terms of fractals. Such a study is important for having a correlation between LSPR behaviors with those of nanoparticle dispersion in aqueous media. It is believed that this work will be a contribution to the emerging field of plasmonics that include applications in the area of photophysical processes and photochemical reactions.

  5. The Influence of CuFe2O4 Nanoparticles on Superconductivity of MgB2

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Novosel, Nikolina; Pajić, Damir; Skoko, Željko; Mustapić, Mislav; Babić, Emil; Zadro, Krešo; Horvat, Joseph

    The influence of CuFe2O4 nanoparticle doping on superconducting properties of Fe-sheated MgB2 wires has been studied. The wires containing 0, 3 and 7.5 wt.% of monodisperse superparamagnetic nanoparticles (˜7 nm) were sintered at 650°C or 750°C for 1 hour in the pure argon atmosphere. X-ray diffraction patterns of doped samples showed very small maxima corresponding to iron boride and an increase in the fraction of MgO phase indicating some interaction of nanoparticles with Mg and B. Both magnetic and transport measurements (performed in the temperature range 2-42 K and magnetic field up to 16 T) showed strong deterioration of the superconducting properties upon doping with CuFe2O4. The transition temperatures, Tc, of doped samples decreased for about 1.4 K per wt.% of CuFe2O4. Also, the irreversibility fields Birr(T) decreased progressively with increasing doping. Accordingly, also the suppression of Jc with magnetic field became stronger. The observed strong deterioration of superconducting properties of MgB2 wires is at variance with reported enhancement of critical currents at higher temperatures (determined from magnetization) in bulk MgB2 samples doped with Fe3O4 nanoparticles. The probable reason for this discrepancy is briefly discussed

  6. Suppression of activation energy and superconductivity by the addition of Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} nanoparticles in CuTl-1223 matrix

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

    Jabbar, Abdul; Qasim, Irfan; Mumtaz, M.

    2014-05-28

    Low anisotropic (Cu{sub 0.5}Tl{sub 0.5})Ba{sub 2}Ca{sub 2}Cu{sub 3}O{sub 10−δ} (CuTl-1223) high T{sub c} superconducting matrix was synthesized by solid-state reaction and Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} nanoparticles were prepared separately by co-precipitation method. Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} nanoparticles were added with different concentrations during the final sintering cycle of CuTl-1223 superconducting matrix to get the required (Al{sub 2}O{sub 3}){sub y}/CuTl-1223, y = 0.0, 0.5, 0.7, 1.0, and 1.5 wt. %, composites. The samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray, and dc-resistivity (ρ) measurements. The activation energy and superconductivity were suppressed with increasing concentration of Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} nanoparticles in (CuTl-1223) matrix.more » The XRD analysis showed that the addition of Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} nanoparticles did not affect the crystal structure of the parent CuTl-1223 superconducting phase. The suppression of activation energy and superconducting properties is most probably due to weak flux pinning in the samples. The possible reason of weak flux pinning is reduction of weak links and enhanced inter-grain coupling due to the presence of Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} nanoparticles at the grain boundaries. The presence of Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} nanoparticles at the grain boundaries possibly reduced the number of flux pinning centers, which were present in the form of weak links in the pure CuTl-1223 superconducting matrix. The increase in the values of inter-grain coupling (α) deduced from the fluctuation induced conductivity analysis with the increased concentration of Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} nanoparticles is a theoretical evidence of improved inter-grain coupling.« less

  7. Investigations on Cu2+-substituted Ni-Zn ferrite nanoparticles

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Amarjeet; Kumar, Vinod

    2016-11-01

    CuxNi(1-x)/2Zn(1-x)/2Fe2O4 (x = 0.1, 0.3 and 0.5) nanoparticles were prepared by chemical co-precipitation method. The developed nanoparticles were characterized for structural properties by powder X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) techniques. Peak position in the X-ray diffraction pattern confirmed the single spinel phase of the developed particles. Infrared (IR) spectroscopy in mid-IR range showed the presence of characteristic absorption bands corresponding to octahedral and tetrahedral bonds in the spinel structure of prepared samples. Thermo-gravimetric analysis (TGA) measurements showed a considerable weight loss in the developed samples above 700∘C. Frequency dependence of the electrical properties of the developed material pellets was studied in the frequency range of 1 kHz-5 MHz. Temperature dependence of the dielectric constant of Cu0.1Ni0.45Zn0.45Fe2O4 was studied at different temperatures, i.e. at 425, 450 and 475 K, in the frequency range of 1 kHz-5 MHz. It was found that the electrical conductivity decreases with increasing Cu2+ ion content while it increases with the increase in temperature.

  8. Influence of Capping Ligand and Synthesis Method on Structure and Morphology of Aqueous Phase Synthesized CuInSe2 Nanoparticles

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ram Kumar, J.; Ananthakumar, S.; Moorthy Babu, S.

    2017-01-01

    A facile route to synthesize copper indium diselenide (CuInSe2) nanoparticles in aqueous medium was developed using mercaptoacetic acid (MAA) as capping agent. Two different mole ratios (5 and 10) of MAA were used to synthesize CuInSe2 nanoparticles at room temperature, as well as hydrothermal (high temperature) method. Powder x-ray diffraction analysis reveals that the nanoparticles exhibit chalcopyrite phase and the crystallinity increases with increasing the capping ratio. Raman analysis shows a strong band at 233 cm-1 due to the combination of B2 (E) modes. Broad absorption spectra were observed for the synthesized CuInSe2 nanoparticles. The effective surface capping by MAA on the nanoparticles surface was confirmed through attenuated total reflection-Fourier transform infrared spectral analysis. The thermal stability of the synthesized samples was analyzed through thermogravimetric analysis-differential scanning calorimetry. The change in morphology of the synthesized samples was analyzed through scanning electron microscope and it shows that the samples prepared at room temperature are spherical in shape, whereas hydrothermally synthesized samples were found to have nanorod- and nanoflake-like structures. Transmission electron microscope analysis further indicates larger grains for the hydrothermally prepared samples with 10 mol ratio of MAA. Comparative analyses were made for synthesizing CuInSe2 nanoparticles by two different methods to explore the role of ligand and influence of temperature.

  9. Enhanced wound healing activity of Ag-ZnO composite NPs in Wistar Albino rats.

    PubMed

    Kantipudi, Sravani; Sunkara, Jhansi Rani; Rallabhandi, Muralikrishna; Thonangi, Chandi Vishala; Cholla, Raga Deepthi; Kollu, Pratap; Parvathaneni, Madhu Kiran; Pammi, Sri Venkata Narayana

    2018-06-01

    In the present study, silver (Ag) and Ag-zinc oxide (ZnO) composite nanoparticles (NPs) were synthesised and studied their wound-healing efficacy on rat model. Ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy of AgNPs displayed an intense surface plasmon (SP) resonance absorption at 450 nm. After the addition of aqueous Zn acetate solution, SP resonance band has shown at 413.2 nm indicating a distinct blue shift of about 37 nm. X-ray diffraction analysis Ag-ZnO composite NPs displayed existence of two mixed sets of diffraction peaks, i.e. both Ag and ZnO, whereas AgNPs exhibited face-centred cubic structures of metallic Ag. Scanning electron microscope (EM) and transmission EM analyses of Ag-ZnO composite NPs revealed the morphology to be monodispersed hexagonal and quasi-hexagonal NPs with distribution of particle size of 20-40 nm. Furthermore, the authors investigated the wound-healing properties of Ag-ZnO composite NPs in an animal model and found that rapid healing within 10 days when compared with pure AgNPs and standard drug dermazin.

  10. Quantum size effect in the photoluminescence properties of p-type semiconducting transparent CuAlO2 nanoparticles

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Narayan Banerjee, Arghya; Woo Joo, Sang; Min, Bong-Ki

    2012-12-01

    Photoluminescence properties of CuAlO2 nanoparticles, deposited by a cost-effective direct current sputtering technique, have been studied. The nanoparticles show room-temperature photoluminescence peaks of near-band-edge emission due to recombination of free excitons. A blue-shift in the emission peaks as a decreasing function of the nanoparticle sizes is observed, which is attributed to the quantum confinement effect within the CuAlO2 nanoparticles. Theoretical calculations of bandgap enhancement values are found to be matching fairly well with that of the experimentally obtained values, confirming the existence of the quantum size effect within the nanomaterial. Approximate calculations show that the confinement effect falls within moderate-to-weak confinement regime. X-ray diffraction and electron microscopic measurements confirm the proper phase formation and nanocrystalline structure of the as-deposited nanoparticles. The room-temperature and size-dependent photoluminescence properties of this nanomaterial will be very useful for light emitting diode and similar optoelectronic applications.

  11. Bacteriagenic silver nanoparticles: synthesis, mechanism, and applications.

    PubMed

    Singh, Richa; Shedbalkar, Utkarsha U; Wadhwani, Sweety A; Chopade, Balu A

    2015-06-01

    Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) have received tremendous attention due to their significant antimicrobial properties. Large numbers of reports are available on the physical, chemical, and biological syntheses of colloidal AgNPs. Since there is a great need to develop ecofriendly and sustainable methods, biological systems like bacteria, fungi, and plants are being employed to synthesize these nanoparticles. The present review focuses specifically on bacteria-mediated synthesis of AgNPs, its mechanism, and applications. Bacterial synthesis of extra- and intracellular AgNPs has been reported using biomass, supernatant, cell-free extract, and derived components. The extracellular mode of synthesis is preferred over the intracellular mode owing to easy recovery of nanoparticles. Silver-resistant genes, c-type cytochromes, peptides, cellular enzymes like nitrate reductase, and reducing cofactors play significant roles in AgNP synthesis in bacteria. Organic materials released by bacteria act as natural capping and stabilizing agents for AgNPs, thereby preventing their aggregation and providing stability for a longer time. Regulation over reaction conditions has been suggested to control the morphology, dispersion, and yield of nanoparticles. Bacterial AgNPs have anticancer and antioxidant properties. Moreover, the antimicrobial activity of AgNPs in combination with antibiotics signifies their importance in combating the multidrug-resistant pathogenic microorganisms. Multiple microbicidal mechanisms exhibited by AgNPs, depending upon their size and shape, make them very promising as novel nanoantibiotics.

  12. Eco-friendly synthesis of cuprous oxide (Cu2O) nanoparticles and improvement of their solar photocatalytic activities

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kerour, A.; Boudjadar, S.; Bourzami, R.; Allouche, B.

    2018-07-01

    In this work, we have synthesized cuprous oxide (Cu2O) nanoparticles with octahedral and spherical like shapes by an ecofriendly, simple and coast effective method, by using the aqueous extract of Aloe vera and copper sulfate as solvent and precursor respectively. The effect of Aloe vera aqueous extract concentration on the morphological, structural and optical properties of as synthesized nanoparticles was studied by Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform (FT-IR) spectroscopy and UV-visible diffuse reflectance. The SEM images showing octahedral and spherical agglomeration of nanoparticles. The cubic structure of Cu2O was confirmed by XRD analysis, the crystallites size depends to the concentration of Aloe vera aqueous extract with an average size ranged between 24 and 61 nm. The FT-IR vibration measurements valid the presence of pure Cu2O in the samples. The UV-visible spectra show that the prepared cuprous oxide (Cu2O) has a gap energy estimated from 2.5 to 2.62 eV. The photocatalytic activities of the as-prepared material were highly improvement by the fast degradation of methylene blue in aqueous solution at room temperature under solar simulator irradiation.

  13. Iron oxide and gold nanoparticles in cancer therapy

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Gotman, Irena; Psakhie, Sergey G.; Lozhkomoev, Aleksandr S.; Gutmanas, Elazar Y.

    2016-08-01

    Continuous research activities in the field of nanomedicine in the past decade have, to a great extent, been focused on nanoparticle technologies for cancer therapy. Gold and iron oxide nanoparticles (NP) are two of the most studied inorganic nanomaterials due to their unique optical and magnetic properties. Both types of NPs are emerging as promising systems for anti-tumor drug delivery and for nanoparticle-mediated thermal therapy of cancer. In thermal therapy, localized heating inside tumors or in proximity of tumor cells can be induced, for example, with Au NPs by radiofrequency ablation heating or conversion of photon energy (photothermal therapy) and in iron oxide magnetic NPs by heat generation through relaxation in an alternating magnetic field (magnetic hyperthermia). Furthermore, the superparamagnetic properties of iron oxide nanoparticles have led to their use as potent MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) contrast agents. Surface modification/coating can produce NPs with tailored and desired properties, such as enhanced blood circulation time, stability, biocompatibility and water solubility. To target nanoparticles to specific tumor cells, NPs should be conjugated with targeting moieties on the surface which bind to receptors or other molecular structures on the cell surface. The article presents several approaches to enhancing the specificity of Au and iron oxide nanoparticles for tumor tissue by appropriate surface modification/functionalization, as well as the effect of these treatments on the saturation magnetization value of iron oxide NPs. The use of other nanoparticles and nanostructures in cancer treatment is also briefly reviewed.

  14. Eco-friendly approach for nanoparticles synthesis and mechanism behind antibacterial activity of silver and anticancer activity of gold nanoparticles.

    PubMed

    Patil, Maheshkumar Prakash; Kim, Gun-Do

    2017-01-01

    This review covers general information about the eco-friendly process for the synthesis of silver nanoparticles (AgNP) and gold nanoparticles (AuNP) and focuses on mechanism of the antibacterial activity of AgNPs and the anticancer activity of AuNPs. Biomolecules in the plant extract are involved in reduction of metal ions to nanoparticle in a one-step and eco-friendly synthesis process. Natural plant extracts contain wide range of metabolites including carbohydrates, alkaloids, terpenoids, phenolic compounds, and enzymes. A variety of plant species and plant parts have been successfully extracted and utilized for AgNP and AuNP syntheses. Green-synthesized nanoparticles eliminate the need for a stabilizing and capping agent and show shape and size-dependent biological activities. Here, we describe some of the plant extracts involved in nanoparticle synthesis, characterization methods, and biological applications. Nanoparticles are important in the field of pharmaceuticals for their strong antibacterial and anticancer activity. Considering the importance and uniqueness of this concept, the synthesis, characterization, and application of AgNPs and AuNPs are discussed in this review.

  15. Mutation of environmental mycobacteria to resist silver nanoparticles also confers resistance to a common antibiotic.

    PubMed

    Larimer, Curtis; Islam, Mohammad Shyful; Ojha, Anil; Nettleship, Ian

    2014-08-01

    Non-tuberculous mycobacteria are a threat to human health, gaining entry to the body through contaminated water systems, where they form persistent biofilms despite extensive attempts at disinfection. Silver is a natural antibacterial agent and in nanoparticle form activity is increased by a high surface area. Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) have been used as alternative disinfectants in circulating water systems, washing machines and even clothing. However, nanoparticles, like any other antibiotic that has a pervasive durable presence, carry the risk of creating a resistant population. In this study Mycobacterium smegmatis strain mc(2)155 was cultured in AgNP enriched agar such that only a small population survived. Surviving cultures were isolated and re-exposed to AgNPs and AgNO3 and resistance to silver was compared to a negative control. After only a single exposure, mutant M. smegmatis populations were resistant to AgNPs and AgNO3. Further, the silver resistant mutants were exposed to antibiotics to determine if general resistance had been conferred. The minimum inhibitory concentration of isoniazid was four times higher for silver resistant mutants than for strain mc(2)155. However, core resistance was not conferred to other toxic metal ions. The mutants had lower resistance to CuSO4 and ZnSO4 than the mc(2)155 strain.

  16. In situ measurements of plasma properties during gas-condensation of Cu nanoparticles

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

    Koten, M. A., E-mail: mark.koten@gmail.com; Shield, J. E.; Voeller, S. A.

    2016-03-21

    Since the mean, standard deviation, and modality of nanoparticle size distributions can vary greatly between similar input conditions (e.g., power and gas flow rate), plasma diagnostics were carried out in situ using a double-sided, planar Langmuir probe to determine the effect the plasma has on the heating of clusters and their final size distributions. The formation of Cu nanoparticles was analyzed using cluster-plasma physics, which relates the processes of condensation and evaporation to internal plasma properties (e.g., electron temperature and density). Monitoring these plasma properties while depositing Cu nanoparticles with different size distributions revealed a negative correlation between average particlemore » size and electron temperature. Furthermore, the modality of the size distributions also correlated with the modality of the electron energy distributions. It was found that the maximum cluster temperature reached during plasma heating and the material's evaporation point regulates the growth process inside the plasma. In the case of Cu, size distributions with average sizes of 8.2, 17.3, and 24.9 nm in diameter were monitored with the Langmuir probe, and from the measurements made, the cluster temperatures for each deposition were calculated to be 1028, 1009, and 863 K. These values are then compared with the onset evaporation temperature of particles of this size, which was estimated to be 1059, 1068, and 1071 K. Thus, when the cluster temperature is too close to the evaporation temperature, less particle growth occurs, resulting in the formation of smaller particles.« less

  17. Preparation and magnetic properties of multiferroic CuMnO2 nanoparticles.

    PubMed

    Kurokawa, Akinobu; Yanoh, Tkuya; Yano, Shinya; Ichiyanagi, Yuko

    2014-03-01

    CuMnO2 nanoparticles with diameters of 64 nm were synthesized by a novel wet chemical method. An optimized two-step annealing method was developed through the analysis of thermogravimetric differential thermal analysis (TG-DTA) measurements in order to obtain single-phase CuMnO2. A sharp exothermic peak was observed in the DTA curve at approximately 500 K where structural changes of the copper oxides and manganese oxides in the precursor are expected to occur. It is believed that Cu+ ions were oxidized to Cu2+ ions and that Mn2+ ions were oxidized to Mn3+ ions in the Cu-Mn-O system. Deoxidization reactions were also found at approximately 1200 K. The optimized annealing temperature for the first step was determined to be 623 K in air. The optimized annealing temperature for the second step was 1173 K in an Ar atmosphere. Magnetization measurements suggested an antiferromagnetic spin ordering at approximately 50 K. It was expected that Mn3+ spin interactions induced magnetic phase transition affected by definite temperature.

  18. Sublethal Effects of CuO Nanoparticles on Mozambique Tilapia (Oreochromis mossambicus) Are Modulated by Environmental Salinity

    PubMed Central

    Abid, Aamir; Kennedy, Ian M.; Kültz, Dietmar

    2014-01-01

    The increasing use of manufactured nanoparticles (NP) in different applications has triggered the need to understand their putative ecotoxicological effects in the environment. Copper oxide nanoparticles (CuO NP) are toxic, and induce oxidative stress and other pathophysiological conditions. The unique properties of NP can change depending on the characteristics of the media they are suspended in, altering the impact on their toxicity to aquatic organisms in different environments. Here, Mozambique tilapia (O. mossambicus) were exposed to flame synthesized CuO NP (0.5 and 5 mg·L−1) in two environmental contexts: (a) constant freshwater (FW) and (b) stepwise increase in environmental salinity (SW). Sublethal effects of CuO NP were monitored and used to dermine exposure endpoints. Fish exposed to 5 mg·L−1 CuO in SW showed an opercular ventilation rate increase, whereas fish exposed to 5 mg·L−1 in FW showed a milder response. Different effects of CuO NP on antioxidant enzyme activities, accumulation of transcripts for metal-responsive genes, GSH∶GSSG ratio, and Cu content in fish gill and liver also demonstrate that additive osmotic stress modulates CuO NP toxicity. We conclude that the toxicity of CuO NP depends on the particular environmental context and that salinity is an important factor for modulating NP toxicity in fish. PMID:24520417

  19. Neurite outgrowth stimulatory effects of myco synthesized AuNPs from Hericium erinaceus (Bull.: Fr.) Pers. on pheochromocytoma (PC-12) cells

    PubMed Central

    Raman, Jegadeesh; Lakshmanan, Hariprasath; John, Priscilla A; Zhijian, Chan; Periasamy, Vengadesh; David, Pamela; Naidu, Murali; Sabaratnam, Vikineswary

    2015-01-01

    Background Hericium erinaceus has been reported to have a wide range of medicinal properties such as stimulation of neurite outgrowth, promotion of functional recovery of axonotmetic peroneal nerve injury, antioxidant, antihypertensive, and antidiabetic properties. In recent years, the green synthesis of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) has attracted intense interest due to the potential use in biomedical applications. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of AuNPs from aqueous extract of H. erinaceus on neurite outgrowth of rat pheochromocytoma (PC-12) cells. Methods The formation of AuNPs was characterized by UV–visible spectrum, energy dispersive X-ray (EDX), field-emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), particle size distribution, and Fourier transform-infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). Furthermore, the neurite extension study of synthesized AuNPs was evaluated by in vitro assay. Results The AuNPs exhibited maximum absorbance between 510 and 600 nm in UV–visible spectrum. FESEM and TEM images showed the existence of nanoparticles with sizes of 20–40 nm. FTIR measurements were carried out to identify the possible biomolecules responsible for capping and efficient stabilization of the nanoparticles. The purity and the crystalline properties were confirmed by EDX diffraction analysis, which showed strong signals with energy peaks in the range of 2–2.4 keV, indicating the existence of gold atoms. The synthesized AuNPs showed significant neurite extension on PC-12 cells. Nerve growth factor 50 ng/mL was used as a positive control. Treatment with different concentrations (nanograms) of AuNPs resulted in neuronal differentiation and neuronal elongation. AuNPs induced maximum neurite outgrowth of 13% at 600 ng/mL concentration. Conclusion In this study, the AuNPs synthesis was achieved by a simple, low-cost, and rapid bioreduction approach. AuNPs were shown to have potential neuronal differentiation and

  20. Neurite outgrowth stimulatory effects of myco synthesized AuNPs from Hericium erinaceus (Bull.: Fr.) Pers. on pheochromocytoma (PC-12) cells.

    PubMed

    Raman, Jegadeesh; Lakshmanan, Hariprasath; John, Priscilla A; Zhijian, Chan; Periasamy, Vengadesh; David, Pamela; Naidu, Murali; Sabaratnam, Vikineswary

    2015-01-01

    Hericium erinaceus has been reported to have a wide range of medicinal properties such as stimulation of neurite outgrowth, promotion of functional recovery of axonotmetic peroneal nerve injury, antioxidant, antihypertensive, and antidiabetic properties. In recent years, the green synthesis of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) has attracted intense interest due to the potential use in biomedical applications. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of AuNPs from aqueous extract of H. erinaceus on neurite outgrowth of rat pheochromocytoma (PC-12) cells. The formation of AuNPs was characterized by UV-visible spectrum, energy dispersive X-ray (EDX), field-emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), particle size distribution, and Fourier transform-infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). Furthermore, the neurite extension study of synthesized AuNPs was evaluated by in vitro assay. The AuNPs exhibited maximum absorbance between 510 and 600 nm in UV-visible spectrum. FESEM and TEM images showed the existence of nanoparticles with sizes of 20-40 nm. FTIR measurements were carried out to identify the possible biomolecules responsible for capping and efficient stabilization of the nanoparticles. The purity and the crystalline properties were confirmed by EDX diffraction analysis, which showed strong signals with energy peaks in the range of 2-2.4 keV, indicating the existence of gold atoms. The synthesized AuNPs showed significant neurite extension on PC-12 cells. Nerve growth factor 50 ng/mL was used as a positive control. Treatment with different concentrations (nanograms) of AuNPs resulted in neuronal differentiation and neuronal elongation. AuNPs induced maximum neurite outgrowth of 13% at 600 ng/mL concentration. In this study, the AuNPs synthesis was achieved by a simple, low-cost, and rapid bioreduction approach. AuNPs were shown to have potential neuronal differentiation and stimulated neurite outgrowth. The water