A General Strategy for the Biosynthesis of Gold Nanoparticles by Traditional Chinese Medicines and Their Potential Application as Catalysts

Biosynthesis and chemical composition of nanomaterials in agricultural soil bioremediation: a review

Nanomaterials (NMs) are currently being used in agricultural soils as part of a new bioremediation (BR) process. In this study, we reviewed the biosynthesis of NMs, as well as their chemical composition and prospective strategies for helpful and sustainable agricultural soil bioremediation (BR). Different types of NMs, such as nanoparticles, nanocomposites, nanocrystals, nano-powders, and nanotubes, are used in agricultural soil reclamation, and they reflect the toxicity of NMs to microorganisms. Plants (Sargassum muticum, Dodonaea viscose, Aloe Vera, Rosemarinus officinalis, Azadirachta indica, Green tea, and so on) and microorganisms (Escherichia coli, Shewanella oneidensis, Pleurotus sp., Klebsiella oxytoca, Aspergillus clavatus, and so on) are the primary sources for the biosynthesis of NMs. By using the BR process, microorganisms, such as bacteria and plants, can immobilize metals and change both inorganic and organic contaminants in the soil. Combining NMs with bioremediation techniques for agricultural soil remediation will be a valuable long-term solution.

Preparation of Gold Nanoplates Using Ortho Carbonyl Compounds as Capping Agents for Electrochemical Sensing of Lead Ions

In this study, gold nanoplates were synthesized using plant molecules (gallic acid) following a kinetic control mode. The growth of nanoplates is mainly due to the specific adsorption of capping agents on certain crystal facets. Through systematical characterizations, it is found that the distance between two oxygen atoms in ortho carbonyl compounds matches well with the lattice spacing of gold (111) facets exactly, which is beneficial to the formation of twin seeds and further the growth of plate-like gold nanoparticles. The gold nanoplates on glassy carbon electrode show a remarkably improved electrochemical sensing activity of lead ions compared to the bare glassy carbon electrode or spherical gold nanoparticle-modified electrode. The modified electrode is expected to be used in the detection of lead ion concentration in heavy metal wastewater.

Bio-inspired synthesis of metal nanomaterials and applications

This critical review focuses on recent advances in the bio-inspired synthesis of metal nanomaterials (MNMs) using microorganisms, viruses, plants, proteins and DNA molecules as well as their applications in various fields. Prospects in the design of bio-inspired MNMs for novel applications are also discussed.

Applications of biosynthesized metallic nanoparticles - a review

We present a comprehensive review of the applications of biosynthesized metallic nanoparticles (NPs). The biosynthesis of metallic NPs is the subject of a number of recent reviews, which focus on the various "bottom-up" biofabrication methods and characterization of the final products. Numerous applications exploit the advantages of biosynthesis over chemical or physical NP syntheses, including lower capital and operating expenses, reduced environmental impacts, and superior biocompatibility and stability of the NP products. The key applications reviewed here include biomedical applications, especially antimicrobial applications, but also imaging applications, catalytic applications such as reduction of environmental contaminants, and electrochemical applications including sensing. The discussion of each application is augmented with a critical review of the potential for continued development.

Water-soluble Pd nanoparticles synthesized from ω-carboxyl-S-alkanethiosulfate ligand precursors as unimolecular micelle catalysts

This report describes a two-phase synthesis of water-soluble carboxylate-functionalized alkanethiolate-capped Pd nanoparticles from ω-carboxyl-S-alkanethiosulfate sodium salts. The two-phase methodology using the thiosulfate ligand passivation protocol allowed a highly specific control over the surface ligand coverage of these nanoparticles, which are lost in a one-phase aqueous system because of the base-catalyzed hydrolysis of thiosulfate to thiolate. Systematic synthetic variations investigated in this study included the concentration of ω-carboxyl-S-alkanethiosulfate ligand precursors and reducing agent, NaBH4, and the overall ligand chain length. The resulting water-soluble Pd nanoparticles were isolated and characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), (1)H NMR, UV-vis, and FT-IR spectroscopy. Among different variations, a decrease in the molar equivalent of NaBH4 resulted in a reduction in the surface ligand density while maintaining a similar particle core size. Additionally, reducing the chain length of the thiosulfate ligand precursor also led to the formation of stable nanoparticles with a lower surface coverage. Since the metal core size of these Pd nanoparticle variations remained quite consistent, direct correlation studies between ligand properties and catalytic activities against hydrogenation/isomerization of allyl alcohol could be performed. Briefly, Pd nanoparticles dissolved in water favored the hydrogenation of allyl alcohol to 1-propanol whereas Pd nanoparticles heterogeneously dispersed in chloroform exhibited a rather high selectivity towards the isomerization product (propanal). The results suggested that the surrounding ligand environments, such as the ligand structure, conformation, and surface coverage, were crucial in determining the overall activity and selectivity of the Pd nanoparticle catalysts.

Microorganism-mediated synthesis of chemically difficult-to-synthesize Au nanohorns with excellent optical properties in the presence of hexadecyltrimethylammonium chloride

Closely packed, size-controllable and stable Au nanohorns (AuNHs) that are difficult to synthesize through pure chemical reduction are facilely synthesized using a microorganism-mediated method in the presence of hexadecyltrimethylammonium chloride (CTAC). The results showed that the size of the as-synthesized AuNHs could be tuned by adjusting the dosage of the Pichia pastoris cells (PPCs). The initial concentrations of CTAC, ascorbic acid (AA) and tetrachloroaurate trihydrate (HAuCl4·3H2O) significantly affected the formation of the AuNHs. Increasing the diameters of AuNHs led to a red shift of the absorbance bands around 700 nm in their UV-vis-NIR spectra. Interestingly, the AuNH/PPC composites exhibited excellent Raman enhancement such that rhodamine 6G with concentration as low as (10(-9) M) could be effectively detected. The formation process of the AuNHs involved the initial binding of the Au ions onto the PPCs with subsequent reduction by AA to form supported Au nanoparticles (AuNPs) based on preferential nucleation and initial anisotropic growth on the platform of the PPCs. The anisotropic growth of these AuNPs, which was influenced by CTAC and PPCs, resulted in the formation of growing AuNHs, while the secondary nucleation beyond the PPCs produced small AuNPs that were subsequently consumed through Ostwald ripening during the aging of the AuNHs. This work exemplifies the fabrication of novel gold nanostructures and stable bio-Au nanocomposites with excellent optical properties by combining microorganisms and a surfactant.

Mixed protein-templated luminescent metal clusters (Au and Pt) for H2O2 sensing

A simple and cost-effective method to synthesize the luminescent noble metal clusters (Au and Pt) in chicken egg white aqueous solution at room temperature is reported. The red-emitting Au cluster is used as fluorescent probe for sensitive detection of H2O2.

Aqueous phase synthesis of copper nanoparticles: a link between heavy metal resistance and nanoparticle synthesis ability in bacterial systems

We demonstrate aqueous phase biosynthesis of phase-pure metallic copper nanoparticles (CuNPs) using a silver resistant bacterium Morganella morganii. This is particularly important considering that there has been no report that demonstrates biosynthesis and stabilization of pure copper nanoparticles in the aqueous phase. Electrochemical analysis of bacterial cells exposed to Cu(2+) ions provides new insights into the mechanistic aspect of Cu(2+) ion reduction within the bacterial cell and indicates a strong link between the silver and copper resistance machinery of bacteria in the context of metal ion reduction. The outcomes of this study take us a step closer towards designing rational strategies for biosynthesis of different metal nanoparticles using microorganisms.

Hierarchically assembled Au microspheres and sea urchin-like architectures: formation mechanism and SERS study

The hierarchically assembled Au microspheres/sea urchin-like structures have been synthesized in aqueous solution at room temperature with and without proteins (bovine serum albumin, BSA) as mediators. The average diameter of an individual Au microsphere is 300-600 nm, which is composed of some compact nanoparticles with an average diameter of about 15 nm. Meanwhile, the sea urchin-like Au architecture exhibits an average diameter of 600-800 nm, which is made up of some nanopricks with an average length of 100-200 nm. These products are characterized by means of scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and transmission electronic microscopy (TEM). It is found that the BSA and ascorbic acid (AA) have great effects on the morphology of the resulting products. Two different growth mechanisms are proposed. The study on surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) activities is also carried out between Au microspheres and Au sea urchin-like architectures. It is found that Au urchin-like architectures possess much higher SERS activity than the Au microspheres. Our work may shed light on the design and synthesis of hierarchically self-assembled 3D micro/nano-architectures for SERS, catalysis and biosensors.

Biosynthesis of silver and gold nanoparticles using Bacillus licheniformis

Owing to the wide-ranging applications of noble metal nanoparticles in diverse areas of science and technology, different methods have been proposed for their synthesis. Here, we describe the methods for the intracellular biosynthesis of silver and gold nanoparticles using the bacterium Bacillus licheniformis KK2 and this same procedure can be followed for other bacteria as well. The biological synthesis of nanoparticles is highly eco-friendly and possesses distinct advantages such as enhanced stability, better control over the size, shape, and monodispersity of the nanoparticles, when compared with the more traditional physical and chemical methods which often involves the use of hazardous chemicals creating environmental concern.

Biosynthesis of gold nanoparticles using chloroplasts

In this paper, a new method of one-pot biosynthesizing of gold nanoparticles (GNPs), using chloroplasts as reductants and stabilizers is reported. The as-prepared GNPs were characterized by ultraviolet visible spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy, X-ray powder diffraction, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The cytotoxicity of the GNPs was evaluated using the 3-(4,5-Dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) method against gastric mucous cell line GES-1 and gastric cancer cell line MGC-803. Rhodamine 6G as a Raman probe was used for investigating surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) enhancement of GNPs. The transmission electron microscopy results indicated that the GNPs were spherical in structure and almost 20 nm in diameter. Ultraviolet visible spectroscopy exhibited an absorption peak at 545 nm. The GNPs exhibited high crystallinity, with the (111) plane as the predominant orientation, clarified by X-ray powder diffraction. In addition, a potential mechanism was proposed to interpret the formation process of GNPs, mainly based on the analysis of FTIR results. The FTIR spectrum confirmed that the GNPs were carried with N-H groups. Toxicological assays of as-prepared GNPs revealed that the green GNPs were nontoxic. SERS analysis revealed that the GNPs without any treatment could substantially enhance the Raman signals of rhodamine 6G. The Raman enhancement factor was calculated to be nearly 10(10) orders of magnitude. In conclusion, the GNPs with good biocompatibility and excellent SERS effect were successfully synthesized using chloroplasts. These biogenetic GNPs have great potential for ultrasensitive detection of biomarkers in vitro and in vivo based on SERS.

Bacterial kinetics-controlled shape-directed biosynthesis of silver nanoplates using Morganella psychrotolerans

We show for the first time that by controlling the growth kinetics of Morganella psychrotolerans, a silver-resistant psychrophilic bacterium, the shape anisotropy of silver nanoparticles can be achieved. This is particularly important considering that there has been no report that demonstrates a control over shape of Ag nanoparticles by controlling the growth kinetics of bacteria during biological synthesis. Additionally, we have for the first time performed electrochemistry experiments on bacterial cells after exposing them to Ag(+) ions, which provide significant new insights about mechanistic aspects of Ag reduction by bacteria. The possibility to achieve nanoparticle shape control by using a "green" biosynthesis approach is expected to open up new exciting avenues for eco-friendly, large-scale, and economically viable shape-controlled synthesis of nanomaterials.

Transfer of biosynthesized gold nanoparticles from water into an ionic liquid using alkyltrimethyl ammonium bromide: an anion-exchange process

Biosynthesized gold nanoparticles (GNPs) were transferred from water to a hydrophobic ionic liquid (IL), [Bmim]PF(6), with the assistance of alkyl trimethyl ammonium bromide. The phase transfer mechanism was illustrated through the exemplification of cetyltrimethyl ammonium bromide (CTAB). Interaction between GNPs and CTAB was demonstrated through zeta potential analysis. Moreover, an anion-exchange process was discovered between CTAB and IL. During the process, the hydrophobic CTAPF(6) formed in situ on the GNPs led to the hydrophobization and thus phase transfer of the GNPs. The phase transfer efficiency was found to be size-dependent.

Fungus-mediated Biological Approaches Towards 'Green' Synthesis of Oxide Nanomaterials

A promising avenue of research in materials science is to follow the strategies used by nature to fabricate ornate hierarchical materials. For many ages, organisms have been engaged in on-the-job testing to craft structural and functional materials and have evolved extensively to possibly create the best-known materials. Some of the strategies used by nature may well have practical implications in the world of nanomaterials. Therefore, the efforts to exploit nature’s ingenious work in designing strategies for nanomaterials synthesis has led to biological routes for materials synthesis. This review outlines the biological synthesis of a range of oxide nanomaterials that has hitherto been achieved using fungal biosynthesis routes. A critical overview of the current status and future scope of this field that could potentially lead to the microorganism-mediated commercial, large-scale, environmentally benign, and economically-viable ‘green’ syntheses of oxide nanomaterials is also discussed.

Biosynthesis of gold nanoparticles by foliar broths: roles of biocompounds and other attributes of the extracts

Biosynthesis of nanoparticles has arisen as a promising alternative to conventional synthetic methodologies owing to its eco-friendly advantages, and the involved bioprotocol still needs further clarification. This research, for the first time from the standpoint of statistics, confirmed an electrostatic force or ionic bond-based interaction between the chloroauric ions and the involved bioconstituents and manifested that reducing sugars and flavonoids were both important reductants responsible for conversion of Au(III) to Au(0). The result also demonstrated that the proteins were not the reducing agents, yet they might be protection agents in biosynthesis of gold nanoparticles (GNPs). Besides, a significant linear relationship was found between the anti-oxidant ability of the foliar broths and their capability to reduce Au(III) into Au(0). Furthermore, the preliminary investigation based on the boxplot on the size/shape distribution of the biosynthesized GNPs revealed that gold nanospheres with higher degree of homogeneity in size tended to be promoted by foliar broths containing higher content of reducing sugars/flavonoids and proteins. Otherwise, i.e., for those broths with lower content of the above biocompounds, sphere GNPs of wider size distribution or even gold nanotriangles tended to be fabricated.(See supplementary material 1).