Nanoscale Research Letters最新文献

This study reports the green synthesis of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) using Solanum lycopersicum var. cerasiforme (SLC) leaves extract as a natural reducing and stabilizing agent under direct sunlight for just only 3 min. The main objective was to develop a rapid, cost-effective, and environmentally friendly method to fabricate SLC-functionalized AgNPs (SLC-AgNPs) for dual applications: highly selective colorimetric detection of mercury ions (Hg²⁺) and photocatalytic degradation of methylene blue (MB) dye. The synthesized nanoparticles were characterized by UV–Vis, FTIR, XRD, SEM, EDX, and DLS, confirming their spherical shape (~ 38 nm), crystalline structure, and stable surface functionalization. The SLC-AgNPs exhibited exceptional selectivity for Hg²⁺ through a redox reaction mechanism, enabling colorimetric sensing with a low detection limit of 37.7 nM and a linear response range of 40–180 nM. Detection of Hg²⁺ in real river and tap water samples validated the sensor’s practical applicability, with recoveries above 85%. In addition to sensing, the SLC-AgNPs demonstrated significant photocatalytic efficiency, degrading 83.4% of MB dye within 80 min of sunlight exposure, following pseudo-first-order kinetics with an activation energy of 35.02 kJ/mol. This dual- functionality capability highlights the novelty of the green synthesized SLC-AgNPs as an eco-friendly nanomaterial that combines sensitive heavy metal detection with effective dye degradation. These findings suggest promising potential for SLC-AgNPs in sustainable environmental monitoring and wastewater treatment, bridging cost-efficiency with high-performance nanotechnology.

The liver, a vital organ for metabolic and detoxification processes, is often vulnerable to damage from toxins, drugs, and diseases. Tannins, a class of polyphenolic compounds found in various plants, exhibit promising hepatoprotective properties by enhancing liver cell viability and function, mitigating oxidative stress, and promoting anti-apoptotic, anti-inflammatory, and detoxifying effects. These phenolic compounds effectively protect against liver injuries. However, their clinical utility is hampered by poor bioavailability, rapid metabolism, and stability issues. This review explores the role of tannin-rich plant fractions in hepatoprotection. The hepatoprotective potential of these compounds is increasingly recognized, particularly through the lens of nanotechnology, which can improve the delivery and absorption of tannin-rich extracts, maximizing their therapeutic potential. Advances in nanocarriers, including nanoparticles, nanoemulsions, and liposomes, have demonstrated improved bioavailability, targeted delivery, and sustained release of tannins, offering a promising avenue for hepatoprotective therapy. Nanotechnology can be engineered to target liver cells specifically, increasing the efficacy of tannin-based treatments while minimizing side effects. Preclinical and clinical insights, regulatory considerations, and future directions for tannin-based nanotherapeutics are discussed, highlighting their potential impact. Studies show that tannin-rich extracts lower serum levels of liver enzymes (ALT, AST) and it is revealed that Tannic Acid can enhance hepatic function at specific additive concentrations and even when injured by Acetaminophen, hepatocytes could revert to their preinjury state after additional Tannic Acid supplementation, and holds clinical potential in the treatment of Acetaminophen induced liver failure, indicating reduced liver damage. While the hepatoprotective properties of tannin-rich plant fractions are promising, challenges remain regarding the standardization and safety of these natural products. Further research is essential to fully understand their mechanisms and optimize their clinical applications.

Trachyspermum ammi Linn. (Ajwain) is a widely cultivated medicinal plant known for its diverse therapeutic applications, including menstrual problems, diarrhea, abdominal tumors, abdominal pain, piles, and breathing problems. Recent advances in nanotechnology have highlighted the potential of T. ammi-derived nanoparticles for biomedical and industrial applications. This review summarizes the taxonomy, phytochemistry, pharmacological activities, and toxicological aspects of T. ammi seeds, with particular focus on their role in green nanotechnology. Bioactive constituents such as thymol, γ-terpinenes, and carvacrol act as reducing and stabilizing agents in naoparticle synthesis. Applications of these nanoparticles include antimicrobial therapy, drug delivery, anticancer activity, wound healing, food preservation, and environmental remediation. While in vitro and in vivo studies demonstrate significant activity, clinical investigations remain limited, necessitating further research to establish safety, efficacy, and scalability. Overall, T. ammi-mediated nanoparticles present promising prospects for sustainable biomedical and industrial applications.

Safe and effective antimicrobial treatment strategies are urgently required for the prevention and control of infectious diseases. While silver-based nanoparticles (AgNPs) are currently acknowledged as the most potent metal-based antibacterial agents, their potential cytotoxicity poses a significant barrier to further clinical applications. Herein, we synthesized carbonaceous coated silver nanocore (Ag@C) core-shell nanoparticles and investigated their material properties, biocompatibility, and antibacterial efficacy. The produced Ag@C exhibited a uniform core-shell structure with an overall diameter of 256.40 nm, a shell thickness of 92.20 nm, and a silver core diameter of 67.45 nm. Under irradiation with 808 nm near-infrared (NIR) irradiation, Ag@C demonstrated excellent photothermal conversion efficiency. The results from apoptosis detection via flow cytometry, CCK-8 cytotoxicity assays, and live/dead cell staining using Calcein-AM/PI, collectively indicated that Ag@C displayed no significant cytotoxicity. Hemolysis tests further confirmed the good biocompatibility of Ag@C. Quantitative analysis through plate counting assays revealed that Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) co-cultured with Ag@C were significantly eradicated by NIR irradiation; this finding was corroborated by bacterial live/dead staining observed under confocal laser scanning microscope (CLSM). Our results indicate that Ag@C combined with photothermal therapy (PTT) exhibits substantial antibacterial effects in vitro while maintaining high biosafety standards, suggesting promising prospects for clinical application.

This study investigated the three-dimensional magnetohydrodynamic flow and heat transfer of the ternary nanofluid (Cu–Al₂O₃–TiO₂/water) between two coaxial rotating and stretching disks embedded in a porous medium. The model incorporated magnetic field, viscous dissipation, Forchheimer drag, thermal relaxation, disk stretching, and slip boundary conditions to capture realistic flow and thermal behavior. The governing equations are transformed into nonlinear ordinary differential equations via similarity transformations. The semi-analytical solution is obtained using the Homotopy Analysis Method (HAM). COMSOL Multiphysics (FEM) is employed to simulate the full 3D field by validating the analytical result. A parametric study revealed that the ternary nanofluid exhibited superior momentum and heat transfer compared to hybrid and simple nanofluids. Magnetic field and porous drag suppressed velocities but enhanced thermal accumulation, whereas disk rotation and stretching amplified both velocity and Nusselt number. Slip parameters reduce skin friction and heat transfer, while the Eckert number increases flow resistance and temperature. Excellent agreement between HAM and COMSOL confirmed the reliability of the solutions. The findings provide valuable guidelines for enhanced thermal management in industrial and electronic systems, and the study presented a novel analysis of ternary nanofluid behavior in complex rotating and stretching disk geometries.

This study explores the green synthesis of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) using the aqueous extract of Boerhavia diffusa L., a plant known for its medicinal properties. The synthesis of AuNPs was confirmed through UV–Vis spectroscopy, showing a characteristic surface plasmon resonance peak at 551 nm, indicating successful nanoparticle (NPs) formation. The physicochemical properties of the NPs were further analyzed using FTIR, XRD, SEM, and DLS, revealing a crystalline structure, spherical morphology, and an average size of 53.17 ± 0.58 nm. The biogenic AuNPs were evaluated for their antimicrobial, antifungal, antioxidant, and anticancer activities. AuNPs exhibited significant antibacterial effects against Listeria monocytogenes, Bordetella bronchiseptica, and Escherichia coli, with zone of inhibition ranging from 25 to 27 mm. In antifungal assays, AuNPs displayed potent activity against Candida albicans, Aspergillus niger, Cryptococcus neoformans, and Trichophyton rubrum, with inhibition zones between 78 and 86 mm. The antioxidant potential was also demonstrated through DPPH, FRAP, and TPC assays, with AuNPs showing ~ 80% radical scavenging activity. Furthermore, cytotoxicity analysis revealed that AuNPs reduced the viability of HepG2 cancer cells by approximately 39% at 100 µg/mL. These findings highlight the potential of BD@AuNPs as multifunctional nanomaterials for biomedical applications, offering eco-friendly and sustainable alternatives for drug delivery and therapy.

In this work, a solvent evaporation casting approach was used to prepare ZnO@PDA/Zein nanocomposite films, where polydopamine-modified zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO@PDA NPs) were incorporated into a zein matrix as the film-forming agent. This nanocomposite film adhered uniformly to the surface of oral therapeutic instruments and exhibited good antibacterial effects. At a doping concentration of 1.2 mg/mL, the film exhibited an antibacterial effect against Gram-negative bacteria such as Escherichia coli (E. coli), and at a doping concentration of 0.6 mg/mL, the film exhibited antibacterial effects against Gram-positive bacteria such as Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) and Streptococcus mutans (S. mutans), along with good biocompatibility. This study introduces a novel ZnO@PDA/Zein nanocomposite film with enhanced antibacterial efficacy and biocompatibility, offering a promising solution for preventing biofilm formation on oral therapeutic instruments.

TiO₂ nanoparticles were synthesized using Cocos nucifera pollen extract through an eco-friendly green approach and evaluated for their multifunctional properties. XRD confirmed a crystallite size of 17.4 nm, while HRTEM showed particle sizes ranging from 5 to 100 nm. The biogenic TiO₂ NPs exhibited strong photocatalytic degradation of methylene blue, achieving 97.8% efficiency under sunlight and 98.5% under UV within 180 min. They also demonstrated significant antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus (23.0 mm) and Escherichia coli (29.5 mm), along with biofilm inhibition rates of 86.57% and 70.34%, respectively. The study highlights the novelty of using Cocos nucifera pollen as a biogenic reducing agent and demonstrates the potential of the synthesized nanoparticles for wastewater treatment and antimicrobial applications.

Graphical abstract

Background

Current medical problems are complex and require a new approach. Nanomaterials can address these complications. Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs), in particular green-synthetized particles, because of their unique properties have attract the attention of scientist. The objective of this work deals with using Elaeagnus angustifolia (EA) leaf extract as a reducing agent for biofabrication of AgNPs and investigation of its antibacterial and anti-cancer properties.

Method

UV–Visible spectroscopy (UV–Vis), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM), Scanning-Transmission Electron Microscope (STEM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM) techniques were used for characterization of the biosynthesized AgNPs. Antimicrobial efficacy was measured through disk diffusion and minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) methods, while cytotoxic effects on PC-3 cancer cells were evaluated using the MTT assay.

Result

The biosynthesized AgNPs exhibited a strong surface plasmon resonance peak at approximately 441 nm, confirming successful synthesis. XRD analysis indicated a face-centered cubic structure, with crystallite sizes 27.04 nm. Antibacterial tests revealed significant activity against E. coli and K. pneumoniae, with AgNPs demonstrating comparable efficacy to standard antibiotics. In particular, AgNPs demonstrated successful activity on E. coli with an MIC value of 113.24 ± 14.36 and an inhibition zone of 24.32 ± 1.25 mm, comparable to standard antibiotics Furthermore, the AgNPs displayed notable cytotoxic effects on PC-3 cells, with an IC₅₀ value of 58.77 µg/mL.

Conclusion

The results explore the potential of leaf extract of Elaeagnus angustifolia as an effective agent for the green synthesis of AgNPs that have significant antibacterial properties. This study supports the application of green synthesis in medical therapies.