Agar have long been used as a growth media for plants. Here, we made agar media with embedded fluidic channels to study the effect of exposure to nutrient solution on root growth and pull-out force. ...Black Eye bean (Vigna Unguiculata) and Mung bean (Vigna Radiata) were used in this study due to their rapid root development. Agar media were fabricated using casting process with removable cores to form channels which were subsequently filled with nutrient solution. Upon germination, beans were transplanted onto the agar media and allowed to grow. Pull-out force was determined at 96, 120 and 144 h after germination by applying a force on the hypocotyl above the gel surface. The effect of nutrients was investigated by comparing corresponding data obtained from control plants which have not been exposed to nutrient solution. Pull-out force of Black Eye bean plantlets grown in agar with nutrient solution in channels was greater than those grown in gel without nutrients and was 110% greater after 144 h of germination. Pull-out force of Mung bean plantlets grown in agar with and without nutrient solution was similar. Tap root lengths of Black Eye bean and Mung Bean plantlets grown in agar with nutrient solution are shorter than those grown without nutrient.
Research on synthesis of superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPION) and its surface modification for biomedical applications is of intense interest. Due to superparamagnetic property of ...SPION, the nanoparticles have large magnetic susceptibility, single magnetic domain and controllable magnetic behaviour. However, owing to easy agglomeration of SPION, surface modification of the magnetic particles with biocompatible materials such as silica nanoparticle has gained much attention in the last decade. In this review, we present recent advances in synthesis of SPION and various routes of producing silica coated SPION.
•We present recent advances in synthesis of SPION and various routes of producing silica coated SPION•The synthetic routes of producing SPION can be classified into three: physical, chemical and biological methods.•The chemical method is the most cited method of producing SPION and it sub-classified into liquid and gas phase.•The techniques of producing silica coated SPION is grouped into seeded and non-seeded methods.
In this study, zinc oxide (ZnO) nanorod arrays were synthesized using a simple hydrothermal reaction on ZnO seeds/n-silicon substrate. Several parameters were studied, including the heat-treatment ...temperature to produce ZnO seeds, zinc nitrate concentration, pH of hydrothermal reaction solution, and hydrothermal reaction time. The optimum heat-treatment temperature to produce uniform nanosized ZnO seeds was 400°C. The nanorod dimensions depended on the hydrothermal reaction parameters. The optimum hydrothermal reaction parameters to produce blunt tip-like nanorods (770 nm long and 80 nm in top diameter) were 0.1 M zinc nitrate, pH 7, and 4 h of growth duration. Phase analysis studies showed that all ZnO nanorods exhibited a strong (002) peak. Thus, the ZnO nanorods grew in a c-axis preferred orientation. A strong ultraviolet (UV) emission peak was observed for ZnO nanorods grown under optimized parameters with a low, deep-level emission peak, which indicated high optical property and crystallinity of the nanorods. The produced ZnO nanorods were also tested for their UV-sensing properties. All samples responded to UV light but with different sensing characteristics. Such different responses could be attributed to the high surface-to-volume ratio of the nanorods that correlated with the final ZnO nanorods morphology formed at different synthesis parameters. The sample grown using optimum synthesis parameters showed the highest responsivity of 0.024 A/W for UV light at 375 nm under a 3 V bias.
Protein corona has became a prevalent subject in the field of nanomedicine owing to its diverse role in determining the efficiency, efficacy, and the ultimate biological fate of the nanomaterials ...used as a tool to treat and diagnose various diseases. For instance, protein corona formation on the surface of nanoparticles can modify its physicochemical properties and interfere with its intended functionalities in the biological microenvironments. As such, much emphasis should be placed in understanding these complex phenomena that occur at the bio-nano interface. The main aim of this review is to present different factors that are influencing protein-nanoparticle interaction such as physicochemical properties of nanoparticle (
i.e.
, size and size distribution, shape, composition, surface chemistry, and coatings) and the effect of biological microenvironments. Apart from that, the effect of ignored factors at the bio-nano interface such as temperature, plasma concentration, plasma gradient effect, administration route, and cell observer were also addressed.
Synthesis of magnetite (Fe
3
O
4
) nanoparticles (NPs) with high purity, stability, and small sizes for biomedical applications is in high demand. The research on Fe
3
O
4
NPs has been rapidly ...expanding and holds considerable promise for advancing new technologies and enhancing existing ones. Herein, Fe
3
O
4
was synthesized from iron ferrous chloride (II) and sodium hydroxide (NaOH) on air, and then coated with gum Arabic (GA) in a single step. The characterizations were investigated using UV–Vis absorption, ultra-high-resolution scanning electron microscope (SEM), Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD), and vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM). Compared to bare Fe
3
O
4
, GA-coated magnetite nanoparticles (GA-Fe
3
O
4
) showed a uniform cubic morphology with a mean size of 8.61 ± 1.31 nm. Stability studies were performed via dynamic light scattering (DLS) technique, zeta (ζ) potential, and observing the precipitation of NPs over 5 weeks. GA-Fe
3
O
4
showed higher stability of -34.5 mV compared to -23.1 mV for bare Fe
3
O
4
. Further, GA-Fe
3
O
4
NPs demonstrate interesting magnetic properties that can be efficiently separated from the reaction medium with the aid of an external magnet. The magnetic properties of GA-Fe
3
O
4
were confirmed through VSM analysis, revealing a significantly high saturation magnetism of approximately 226 emu/g. GA-Fe
3
O
4
NPs are promising magnetic NP
S
that can offer several benefits in biomedical applications, such as increased biocompatibility, improved stability, and enhanced functionality.
Graphical Abstract
Abstract
A highly stable and magnetized citric acid (CA)-functionalized iron oxide aqueous colloidal solution (Fe
3
O
4
@CA) was synthesized by using a simple and rapid method of one-step ...co-participation via a chemical reaction between Fe
3+
and Fe
2+
in a NaOH solution at 65 °C, followed by CA addition to functionalize the Fe
3
O
4
surface in 25 min. The NPs were synthesized at lower temperatures and shortened time compared with conventional methods. Surface functionalization is highly suggested because bare Fe
3
O
4
nanoparticles (Fe
3
O
4
NPs) are frequently deficient due to their low stability and hydrophilicity. Hence, 19 nm-sized Fe
3
O
4
NPs coated with CA (Fe
3
O
4
@CA) were synthesized, and their microstructure, morphology, and magnetic properties were characterized using X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, Zeta potential, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and vibrating sample magnetometer. CA successfully modified the Fe
3
O
4
surface to obtain a stabilized (homogeneous and well dispersed) aqueous colloidal solution. The Zeta potential value of the as-prepared Fe
3
O
4
@CA increases from − 31 to − 45 mV. These CA-functionalized NPs with high magnetic saturation (54.8 emu/g) show promising biomedical applications.
Sonochemistry uses ultrasound to improve or modify chemical reactions. Sonochemistry occurs when the ultrasound causes chemical effects on the reaction system, such as the formation of free radicals, ...that intensify the reaction. Many studies have investigated the synthesis of nanomaterials by the sonochemical method, but there is still very limited information on the detailed characterization of these physicochemical and morphological nanoparticles. In this comprehensive review, recent advances in the sonochemical synthesis of nanomaterials based on iron oxide nanoparticles (Fe
O
NP), gold nanoparticles (AuNP) and iron oxide-coated gold nanoparticles (Fe
O
@Au NP) are discussed. These materials are the most studied materials for various applications, such as medical and commercial uses. This review will: (1) address the simple processing and observations on the principles of sonochemistry as a starting point for understanding the fundamental mechanisms, (2) summarize and review the most relevant publications and (3) describe the typical shape of the products provided in sonochemistry. All in all, this review's main outcome will provide a comprehensive overview of the available literature knowledge that promotes and encourages future sonochemical work.
•We demonstrate the effect of ultrasonic irradiation on the crystalinity, stability, biocompatibility, and magnetic properties of chitosan-coated superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles ...(CS-SPIONs) by sonochemical method.•The sharp peaks of the XRD pattern were disappearing with increase in the sonication period but decrease in acoustic power.•Cell cytotoxicity and uptake show that above 70% of cells were viable at the highest concentration and the longest incubation duration.•The uptake and internalization of the sample by the cells were dose-dependent.
Due to unique reaction conditions of the acoustic cavitation process, ultrasound-assisted synthesis of nanoparticles has attracted increased research attention. In this study, we demonstrate the effect of ultrasonic irradiation on the crystallinity, stability, biocompatibility, and magnetic properties of chitosan-coated superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (CS-SPIONs). CS solution and colloidal suspension of SPIONs were mixed and sonicated using an ultrasonic probe of 1.3 cm tip size horn, frequency (20 kHz), and power (750 W). Different samples were sonicated for 1.5, 5, and 10 min with corresponding acoustic powers of 67, 40 and 36 W, and the samples were denoted S1.5, S5, and S10, respectively. The samples were characterized using X-ray diffractometer (XRD), Energy dispersive X-ray (EDX), Transmission electronic microscope (TEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), Zeta sizer, and vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM). Cell cytotoxicity and cell uptake were investigated with human embryonic kidney 293 (HEK-293) cells through MTT assay and Prussian blue staining, respectively. The sharp peaks of the XRD pattern were disappearing with an increase in the sonication period but a decrease in acoustic power. EDX analysis also demonstrates that atomic and weight percentages of the various elements in the samples were decreasing with an increase in the sonication period. However, the Zeta potential (ζ) values increase with an increase in the sonication period.The saturation magnetization (Ms) of the S1.5 before and after the coating is 62.95 and 86.93 emu/g, respectively. Cell cytotoxicity and uptake of the S1.5 show that above 70% of cells were viable at the highest concentration and the longest incubation duration. Importantly, the CS-SPIONs synthesized by the sonochemical method are non-toxic and biocompatible.
Platinum nanoparticles (Pt NPs) have attracted interest in catalysis and biomedical applications due to their unique structural, optical, and catalytic properties. However, the conventional synthesis ...of Pt NPs using the chemical and physical methods is constrained by the use of harmful and costly chemicals, intricate preparation requirement, and high energy utilization. Hence, this review emphasizes on the green synthesis of Pt NPs using plant extracts as an alternative approach due to its simplicity, convenience, inexpensiveness, easy scalability, low energy requirement, environmental friendliness, and minimum usage of hazardous materials and maximized efficiency of the synthesis process. The underlying complex processes that cover the green synthesis (biosynthesis) of Pt NPs were reviewed. This review affirms the effects of different critical parameters (pH, reaction temperature, reaction time, and biomass dosage) on the size and shape of the synthesized Pt NPs. For instance, the average particle size of Pt NPs was reported to decrease with increasing pH, reaction temperature, and concentration of plant extract.
Gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) are becoming increasingly popular as drug carriers due to their unique properties such as size tenability, multivalency, low toxicity and biocompatibility. AuNPs have ...physical features that distinguish them from bulk materials, small molecules and other nanoscale particles. Their unique combination of characteristics is just now being fully realized in various biomedical applications. In this review, we focus on the research accomplishments and new opportunities in this field, and we describe the rising developments in the use of monodisperse AuNPs for diagnostic and therapeutic applications. This study addresses the key principles and the most recent published data, focusing on monodisperse AuNP synthesis, surface modifications, and future theranostic applications. Moving forward, we also consider the possible development of functionalized monodisperse AuNPs for theranostic applications based on these efforts. We anticipate that as research advances, flexible AuNPs will become a crucial platform for medical applications.
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