Researchers from India have shared an eco-friendly method for the fabrication of metal nanoparticles in their latest article available as a pre-proof in the journal Environmental Nanotechnology, Monitoring & Management.
Importance of Metal Nanoparticles
Metal nanoparticles in simple words could be defined as nanoscale derivatives of pure metals such as gold, thallium, and silver, or their compounds. Metallic nanoparticles (MNPs) feature a metal core formed of synthetic metal or metal oxide that is generally surrounded by an organic or inorganic substance or metal oxide shell.
The production of noble metallic nanoparticles has evolved into an enthralling process of scientific study. Because of their exceptional toxicological and photonic characteristics, silver and gold nanoparticles have received a great deal of attention, opening the way for extraordinary applicability in electromagnetic, semiconductors, photonics, biomedical, biosensing, catalytic, and medicinal domains.
Preparation Methods
Metal nanoparticles are often produced by reducing matching metal salt solutions with reduction enhancing substances such as sodium borohydride and citrate under severe experimental parameters. Furthermore, encapsulating entities are required, with amine or thiol-containing organic ligands and other surfactants being used to create these nanoparticles.
Previously, phyto-mediated reduction processes employing plant extracts have been used in the manufacture of metal nanoparticles to fulfill the green standard in reactions by avoiding hazardous chemicals.
Despite significant progress in the manufacture and usage of MNPs across the world, there is still a significant gap in information about the toxicity-related consequences of these on health and the environment.
Why Carbon Dots (CDs) are Important?
Carbon dots (CDs), a recent addition to the nano-carbon family distinguished by carbon nucleus related functional group, possesses exceptional biochemical and optoelectronic properties features such as adjustable fluorescence, high water dispersion, low cytotoxicity, and excellent stability.
C-dots are a novel type of luminous small-carbon nanocomposites with particle sizes less than 10 nm. Because of these characteristics, they have emerged as attractive candidates in detection, catalyst supports, bio-imaging, illumination, biomedical applications, and other domains.
Future research will focus on the creation of various morphologies, dimensions, and target-specific carbon dots. The synthetic paths to CDs, like any other nanomaterial, are loosely classed as top-down and bottom-up processes.
Greener Methods of Carbon Dot Synthesis
A great deal of attention has been dedicated to the implementation of green solutions for manufacturing CDs from affordable environmental assets in a greener and environmentally friendly manner.
Plant sources such as peppermint, coriander, banana peel, lemon, and others have been used as an alternative to synthetic antecedents in the manufacture of carbon nanodots.
CDs have recently been found for their reducing nature as well. Despite the fact that CDs have been discovered as a sustainable reduction tool for noble metal nanoparticles production via environmental initiatives, this topic is still in its infancy.
In the present study, carbon dots generated from the foliage of organic herbs, Plectranthus amboinicus (PA-CDs) and Leucas lavandulifolia (LA-CDs), have shown excellent reduction status.
News
Does Space-Time Really Exist?
Is time something that flows — or just an illusion? Exploring space-time as either a fixed “block universe” or a dynamic fabric reveals deeper mysteries about existence, change, and the very nature of reality. [...]
Unlocking hidden soil microbes for new antibiotics
Most bacteria cannot be cultured in the lab-and that's been bad news for medicine. Many of our frontline antibiotics originated from microbes, yet as antibiotic resistance spreads and drug pipelines run dry, the soil [...]
By working together, cells can extend their senses beyond their direct environment
The story of the princess and the pea evokes an image of a highly sensitive young royal woman so refined, she can sense a pea under a stack of mattresses. When it comes to [...]
Overworked Brain Cells May Hold the Key to Parkinson’s
Scientists at Gladstone Institutes uncovered a surprising reason why dopamine-producing neurons, crucial for smooth body movements, die in Parkinson’s disease. In mice, when these neurons were kept overactive for weeks, they began to falter, [...]
Old tires find new life: Rubber particles strengthen superhydrophobic coatings against corrosion
Development of highly robust superhydrophobic anti-corrosion coating using recycled tire rubber particles. Superhydrophobic materials offer a strategy for developing marine anti-corrosion materials due to their low solid-liquid contact area and low surface energy. However, [...]
This implant could soon allow you to read minds
Mind reading: Long a science fiction fantasy, today an increasingly concrete scientific goal. Researchers at Stanford University have succeeded in decoding internal language in real time thanks to a brain implant and artificial intelligence. [...]
A New Weapon Against Cancer: Cold Plasma Destroys Hidden Tumor Cells
Cold plasma penetrates deep into tumors and attacks cancer cells. Short-lived molecules were identified as key drivers. Scientists at the Leibniz Institute for Plasma Science and Technology (INP), working with colleagues from Greifswald University Hospital and [...]
This Common Sleep Aid May Also Protect Your Brain From Alzheimer’s
Lemborexant and similar sleep medications show potential for treating tau-related disorders, including Alzheimer’s disease. New research from Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis shows that a commonly used sleep medication can restore normal sleep patterns and [...]
Sugar-Coated Nanoparticles Boost Cancer Drug Efficacy
A team of researchers at the University of Mississippi has discovered that coating cancer treatment carrying nanoparticles in a sugar-like material increases their treatment efficacy. They reported their findings in Advanced Healthcare Materials. Over a tenth of breast [...]
Nanoparticle-Based Vaccine Shows Promise in Fighting Cancer
In a study published in OncoImmunology, researchers from the German Cancer Research Center and Heidelberg University have created a therapeutic vaccine that mobilizes the immune system to target cancer cells. The researchers demonstrated that virus peptides combined [...]
Quantitative imaging method reveals how cells rapidly sort and transport lipids
Lipids are difficult to detect with light microscopy. Using a new chemical labeling strategy, a Dresden-based team led by André Nadler at the Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics (MPI-CBG) and [...]
Ancient DNA reveals cause of world’s first recorded pandemic
Scientists have confirmed that the Justinian Plague, the world’s first recorded pandemic, was caused by Yersinia pestis, the same bacterium behind the Black Death. Dating back some 1,500 years and long described in historical texts but [...]
“AI Is Not Intelligent at All” – Expert Warns of Worldwide Threat to Human Dignity
Opaque AI systems risk undermining human rights and dignity. Global cooperation is needed to ensure protection. The rise of artificial intelligence (AI) has changed how people interact, but it also poses a global risk to human [...]
Nanomotors: Where Are They Now?
First introduced in 2004, nanomotors have steadily advanced from a scientific curiosity to a practical technology with wide-ranging applications. This article explores the key developments, recent innovations, and major uses of nanomotors today. A [...]
Study Finds 95% of Tested Beers Contain Toxic “Forever Chemicals”
Researchers found PFAS in 95% of tested beers, with the highest levels linked to contaminated local water sources. Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), better known as forever chemicals, are gaining notoriety for their ability [...]
Long COVID Symptoms Are Closer To A Stroke Or Parkinson’s Disease Than Fatigue
When most people get sick with COVID-19 today, they think of it as a brief illness, similar to a cold. However, for a large number of people, the illness doesn't end there. The World [...]
