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A special issue of Nanomaterials (ISSN 2079-4991). This special issue belongs to the section "Synthesis, Interfaces and Nanostructures".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (17 July 2023) | Viewed by 26169

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Prof. Dr. Luminiţa Andronic

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Faculty of Product Design and Environment, Department of Product Design, Mechatronics and Environment, Transilvania University of Brasov, Eroilor 29, 500036 Brasov, Romania
Interests: environmental engineering; optoelectronic materials; nanomaterials; ceramics; chemical synthesis of nanoparticles; advanced oxidation processes; photocatalysis; water and wastewater treatment; nanomaterials toxicity; life cycle assessment
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Dr. Jagpreet Singh

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1. Department of Chemical Engineering, Chandigarh University, Gharuan, Mohali 140413, India
2. University Centre for Research and Development, Chandigarh University, Gharuan, Mohali 140413, India
Interests: green chemistry; nanomaterials; sustainable synthesis; environmental remediation’s; advanced oxidation processes; heavy metal ion sensing; catalysis; photocatalysis; seed germination; antimicrobial activity
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The MDPI journal Nanomaterials welcomes contributions to a Special Issue entitled "Green Synthesis of Nanomaterials for Environmental and Biomedical Applications". The main objective of this Special Issue is to publish outstanding research/review papers presenting the latest research on the green/sustainable synthesis of nanomaterials and their applications in environmental and biomedical fields. This Special Issue aims to collect perspectives, review articles, and original research papers on topics including, but not limited to:

Green synthesis of nanomaterials using plant materials, microorganisms, bacteria, micro- and macro-algae, biopolymers, and various biowastes (e.g., vegetable waste, fruit peel waste, eggshell, agricultural waste), in the context of a clean environment—synthesis which uses environmentally friendly materials, is cost-effective, and avoids the use of hazardous and expensive precursors as well as the production of unwanted end products.
The environmental applications of green nanomaterials, including wastewater treatment, water remediation, air treatment, water and air pollutants monitoring, antimicrobial activity, and CO₂ capture and conversion.
NPs with antioxidant, antibacterial, and antimicrobial characteristics, making them suitable candidates for application in different biomedical applications (e.g., drug delivery, cancer therapy, bio-sensing, tissue engineering, dentistry).
The development of green nanomaterials to reduce energy consumption and raw materials as well as environmental impact during production, utilization, and release throughout the whole life cycle—therefore, life cycle impact and analysis, environmental impact, and toxicity are challenges.

Prof. Dr. Luminiţa Andronic
Prof. Dr. Jagpreet Singh
Guest Editors

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Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2900 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

nanomaterials
nanocomposites
metal/metal oxide
carbon-based nanomaterials
green synthesis
sustainable chemistry
life cycle assessment
toxicity
pollutants detection
wastewater
air
soil treatment
adsorption
photocatalysis
sensors
antimicrobial
antibacterial
drug delivery
cancer therapy
tissue engineering
dental implant

Published Papers (9 papers)

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Research

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19 pages, 3817 KiB

Open AccessArticle

An Analysis of the Toxicity, Antioxidant, and Anti-Cancer Activity of Cinnamon Silver Nanoparticles in Comparison with Extracts and Fractions of Cinnamomum Cassia at Normal and Cancer Cell Levels

by Y. G. El-Baz, A. Moustafa, M. A. Ali, G. E. El-Desoky, S. M. Wabaidur and M. M. Faisal

Nanomaterials 2023, 13(5), 945; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano13050945 - 05 Mar 2023

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2257

Abstract

In this work, the extract of cinnamon bark was used for the green synthesis of cinnamon-Ag nanoparticles (CNPs) and other cinnamon samples, including ethanolic (EE) and aqueous (CE) extracts, chloroform (CF), ethyl acetate (EF), and methanol (MF) fractions. The polyphenol (PC) and flavonoid (FC) contents in all the cinnamon samples were determined. The synthesized CNPs were tested for the antioxidant activity (as DPPH radical scavenging percentage) in Bj-1 normal cells and HepG-2 cancer cells. Several antioxidant enzymes, including biomarkers, superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), glutathione-S-transferase (GST), and reduced glutathione (GSH), were verified for their effects on the viability and cytotoxicity of normal and cancer cells. The anti-cancer activity depended on apoptosis marker protein levels (Caspase3, P53, Bax, and Pcl2) in normal and cancerous cells. The obtained data showed higher PC and FC contents in CE samples, while CF showed the lowest levels. The IC₅₀ values of all investigated samples were higher, while their antioxidant activities were lower than those of vitamin C (5.4 g/mL). The CNPs showed lower IC₅₀ value (55.6 µg/mL), whereas the antioxidant activity inside or outside the Bj-1 or HepG-2 was found to be higher compared with other samples. All samples execrated a dose-dependent cytotoxicity by decreasing the cells’ viability percent of Bj-1 and HepG-2. Similarly, the anti-proliferative potency of CNPs on Bj-1 or HepG-2 at different concentrations was more effective than that of other samples. Higher concentrations of the CNPs (16 g/mL) showed greater cell death in Bj-1 (25.68%) and HepG-2 (29.49%), indicating powerful anti-cancer properties of the nanomaterials. After 48 h of CNPs treatment, both Bj-1 and HepG-2 showed significant increases in biomarker enzyme activities and reduced glutathione compared with other treated samples or untreated controls (p < 0.05). The anti-cancer biomarker activities of Caspas-3, P53, Bax, and Bcl-2 levels were significantly changed in Bj-1 or HepG-2 cells. The cinnamon samples were significantly increased in Caspase-3, Bax, and P53, while there were decreased Bcl-2 levels compared with control. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Green Synthesis of Nanomaterials for Environmental and Biomedical Applications)

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17 pages, 4010 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Ag(I) Biosorption and Green Synthesis of Silver/Silver Chloride Nanoparticles by Rhodotorula mucilaginosa 1S1

by Antonio J. Muñoz, Francisco Espínola, Encarnación Ruiz, Manuel Moya and Eulogio Castro

Nanomaterials 2023, 13(2), 295; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano13020295 - 11 Jan 2023

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1495

Abstract

The efficiency of Rhodotorula mucilaginosa 1S1 as an Ag(I) biosorbent and at the same time its ability to biosynthesize recoverable silver nanoparticles is evaluated. Kinetic, equilibrium and thermodynamic tests are carried out for 19 °C, 27 °C and 37 °C, from which the process is adjusted to a pseudo second-order kinetics and to the Freundlich model, while optimal operational conditions are determined at 27 °C. The thermodynamic study shows positive values for enthalpy (ΔH: 133.23 kJ/mol) and entropy (ΔS: 0.4976 kJ/(mol K)), while the Gibbs free energy (ΔG) value is 12.136 kJ/mol. For a metal concentration of 459 mg/L, a maximum biosorption capacity (q_m) of 137.2 mg/g at 19 °C is obtained, while for 100 mg/L concentration a q_m value of 60.44 mg/g is obtained at the same temperature. The mechanisms involved in the biosorption process are studied by infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction and scanning and transmission electron microscopy, while the nanoparticle synthesis is evaluated by ultraviolet–visible spectrophotometry (UV-vis) and transmission electron microscopy. The results indicate that the biomass is a good biosorbent and also has the ability to synthesize silver nanoparticles (Ag/AgCl) with sizes between 12 nm and 20 nm. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Green Synthesis of Nanomaterials for Environmental and Biomedical Applications)

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17 pages, 2707 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Liposomal Formulations Loaded with a Eugenol Derivative for Application as Insecticides: Encapsulation Studies and In Silico Identification of Protein Targets

by Maria José G. Fernandes, Renato B. Pereira, Ana Rita O. Rodrigues, Tatiana F. Vieira, A. Gil Fortes, David M. Pereira, Sérgio F. Sousa, M. Sameiro T. Gonçalves and Elisabete M. S. Castanheira

Nanomaterials 2022, 12(20), 3583; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano12203583 - 13 Oct 2022

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2878

Abstract

A recently synthesized new eugenol derivative, ethyl 4-(2-methoxy-4-(oxiran-2-ylmethyl)phenoxy)butanoate, with a high insecticidal activity against Sf9 (Spodoptera frugiperda) insect cells, was encapsulated in the liposomal formulations of egg-phosphatidylcholine/cholesterol (Egg-PC:Ch) 70:30 and 100% dioleoylphosphatidylglycerol (DOPG), aiming at the future application as insecticides. Compound-loaded DOPG liposomes have sizes of 274 ± 12 nm, while Egg-PC:Ch liposomes exhibit smaller hydrodynamic diameters (69.5 ± 7 nm), high encapsulation efficiency (88.8 ± 2.7%), higher stability, and a more efficient compound release, thus, they were chosen for assays in Sf9 insect cells. The compound elicited a loss of cell viability up to 80% after 72 h of incubation. Relevantly, nanoencapsulation maintained the toxicity of the compound toward insect cells while lowering the toxicity toward human cells, thus showing the selectivity of the system. Structure-based inverted virtual screening was used to predict the most likely targets and molecular dynamics simulations and free energy calculations were used to demonstrate that this molecule can form a stable complex with insect odorant binding proteins and/or acetylcholinesterase. The results are promising for the future application of compound-loaded nanoliposome formulations as crop insecticides. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Green Synthesis of Nanomaterials for Environmental and Biomedical Applications)

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15 pages, 2205 KiB

Open AccessArticle

A Hydrofluoric Acid-Free Green Synthesis of Magnetic M.Ti₂CT_x Nanostructures for the Sequestration of Cesium and Strontium Radionuclide

by Jibran Iqbal, Kashif Rasool, Fares Howari, Yousef Nazzal, Tapati Sarkar and Asif Shahzad

Nanomaterials 2022, 12(18), 3253; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano12183253 - 19 Sep 2022

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1828

Abstract

MAX phases are the parent materials used for the formation of MXenes, and are generally obtained by etching using the highly corrosive acid HF. To develop a more environmentally friendly approach for the synthesis of MXenes, in this work, titanium aluminum carbide MAX phase (Ti₂AlC) was fabricated and etched using NaOH. Further, magnetic properties were induced during the etching process in a single-step etching process that led to the formation of a magnetic composite. By carefully controlling etching conditions such as etching agent concentration and time, different structures could be produced (denoted as M.Ti₂CT_x). Magnetic nanostructures with unique physico-chemical characteristics, including a large number of binding sites, were utilized to adsorb radionuclide Sr²⁺ and Cs⁺ cations from different matrices, including deionized, tap, and seawater. The produced adsorbents were analyzed using X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The synthesized materials were found to be very stable in the aqueous phase, compared with corrosive acid-etched MXenes, acquiring a distinctive structure with oxygen-containing functional moieties. Sr²⁺ and Cs⁺ removal efficiencies of M.Ti₂CT_x were assessed via conventional batch adsorption experiments. M.Ti₂CT_x-A_III showed the highest adsorption performance among other M.Ti₂CT_x phases, with maximum adsorption capacities of 376.05 and 142.88 mg/g for Sr²⁺ and Cs⁺, respectively, which are among the highest adsorption capacities reported for comparable adsorbents such as graphene oxide and MXenes. Moreover, in seawater, the removal efficiencies for Sr²⁺ and Cs⁺ were greater than 93% and 31%, respectively. Analysis of the removal mechanism validates the electrostatic interactions between M.Ti₂C-A_III and radionuclides. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Green Synthesis of Nanomaterials for Environmental and Biomedical Applications)

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18 pages, 5332 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Palladium Nanoparticles Synthesized by Laser Ablation in Liquids for Antimicrobial Applications

by Mónica Fernández-Arias, Ana M. Vilas, Mohamed Boutinguiza, Daniel Rodríguez, Felipe Arias-González, Pablo Pou-Álvarez, Antonio Riveiro, Javier Gil and Juan Pou

Nanomaterials 2022, 12(15), 2621; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano12152621 - 29 Jul 2022

Cited by 12 | Viewed by 4164

Abstract

Antibiotic resistance is a leading cause of death worldwide. In this paper, we explore new alternatives in the treatment of infections. Noble metal nanoparticles could help to mitigate this problem. In this work, palladium nanoparticles were synthesized by laser ablation in order to explore their antimicrobial capacity. To obtain palladium nanoparticles, a palladium plate immersed in water, or methanol, was ablated, using two pulsed lasers that emit radiation with wavelengths of 532 nm and 1064 nm, respectively. Pure Pd-NPs with crystalline microstructure and rounded shape were obtained. The nanoparticles’ size is more homogeneous if the laser wavelength is 532 nm, and it decreases when methanol is used as solvent, reaching mean diameters smaller than 6 nm. With the objective of studying antimicrobial activity against Staphylococcus aureus, the Pd-NPs were immobilized on the surface of titanium discs. The release of palladium ions was recorded during the first seven days, and the cytotoxicity of the immobilized NPs was also tested with L929 mouse fibroblast cell line. Palladium nanoparticles synthesized by means of the infrared laser in methanol showed a strong inhibitory effect on S. aureus and good cytocompatibility, with no toxic effect on fibroblast cells. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Green Synthesis of Nanomaterials for Environmental and Biomedical Applications)

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17 pages, 4841 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Visible-Light-Active Black TiO₂ Nanoparticles with Efficient Photocatalytic Performance for Degradation of Pharmaceuticals

by Luminita Andronic, Daniela Ghica, Mariana Stefan, Catalina Gabriela Mihalcea, Aurel-Mihai Vlaicu and Smagul Karazhanov

Nanomaterials 2022, 12(15), 2563; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano12152563 - 26 Jul 2022

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 1843

Abstract

Special attention has recently been paid to surface-defective titanium dioxide and black TiO₂ with advanced optical, electrical, and photocatalytic properties. Synthesis of these materials for photodegradation and mineralization of persistent organic pollutants in water, especially under visible radiation, presents interest from scientific and application points of view. Chemical reduction by heating a TiO₂ and NaBH₄ mixture at 350 °C successfully introduced Ti³⁺ defects and oxygen vacancies at the surface of TiO₂, with an increase in the photocatalytic degradation of amoxicillin—an antibiotic that is present in wastewater due to its intense use in human and animal medicine. Three TiO₂ samples were prepared at different annealing temperatures to control the ratio between anatase and rutile and were subjected to chemical reduction. Electron paramagnetic resonance investigations showed that the formation of surface Ti³⁺ defects in a high concentration occurred mainly in the anatase sample annealed at 400 °C, contributing to the bandgap reduction from 3.32 eV to 2.92 eV. The reduced band gap enhances visible light absorption and the efficiency of photocatalysis. The nanoparticles of ~90 m²/g specific surface area and 12 nm average size exhibit ~100% efficiency in the degradation of amoxicillin under simulated solar irradiation compared with pristine TiO₂. Mineralization of amoxicillin and by-products was over 75% after 48 h irradiation for the anatase sample, where the Ti³⁺ defects were present in a higher concentration at the catalyst’s surface. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Green Synthesis of Nanomaterials for Environmental and Biomedical Applications)

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23 pages, 5510 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Green Synthesis via Eucalyptus globulus L. Extract of Ag-TiO₂ Catalyst: Antimicrobial Activity Evaluation toward Water Disinfection Process

by Jacqueline Torres-Limiñana, Ana A. Feregrino-Pérez, Marina Vega-González, Luis Escobar-Alarcón, José Antonio Cervantes-Chávez and Karen Esquivel

Nanomaterials 2022, 12(11), 1944; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano12111944 - 06 Jun 2022

Cited by 9 | Viewed by 2306

Abstract

The problem of water pollution by persistent substances and microorganisms requires solutions that materials such as silver-modified titanium dioxide can provide due to their excellent photocatalytic and antimicrobial properties. However, the synthesis methods conventionally used to obtain these materials involve toxic chemical reagents such as sodium borohydride (NaBH₄). The search for alternative synthesis methods that use environmentally friendly substances, such as the biosynthesis method, was evaluated. Silver-titanium dioxide (Ag-TiO₂) was synthesized by a Eucalyptus globulus L. extract as a reductive agent through sol-gel and microwave-assisted sol-gel processes. Four different solvents were tested to extract secondary metabolites to determine their roles in reducing silver nanoparticles. Titanium dioxide nanoparticles with sizes from 11 to 14 nm were obtained in the anatase phase, and no narrowing of the bandgap was observed (3.1–3.2 eV) for the Ag-TiO₂ materials compared with the pure TiO₂. Interestingly, the bacterial inhibition values were close to 100%, suggesting an effective antimicrobial mechanism related to the properties of silver. Finally, by the physicochemical characterization of the materials and their antimicrobial properties, it was possible to obtain a suitable biosynthesized Ag-TiO₂ material as a green option for water disinfection that may be compared to the conventional methods. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Green Synthesis of Nanomaterials for Environmental and Biomedical Applications)

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22 pages, 5033 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Green Synthesis of Phosphorous-Containing Hydroxyapatite Nanoparticles (nHAP) as a Novel Nano-Fertilizer: Preliminary Assessment on Pomegranate (Punica granatum L.)

by Hala M. Abdelmigid, Maissa M. Morsi, Nahed Ahmed Hussien, Amal Ahmed Alyamani, Nawal Abdallah Alhuthal and Salim Albukhaty

Nanomaterials 2022, 12(9), 1527; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano12091527 - 01 May 2022

Cited by 24 | Viewed by 4560

Abstract

Nano-fertilizers are innovative materials created by nanotechnology methodologies that may potentially replace traditional fertilizers due to their rapid absorption and controlled distribution of nutrients in plants. In the current study, phosphorous-containing hydroxyapatite nanoparticles (nHAP) were synthesized as a novel phosphorus nano-fertilizer using an environmentally friendly green synthesis approach using pomegranate peel (PPE) and coffee ground (CE) extracts. nHAPs were physicochemically characterized and biologically evaluated utilizing the analysis of biochemical parameters such as photosynthetic activity, carbohydrate levels, metabolites, and biocompatibility changes in Punica granatum L. Cytocompatibility with mammalian cells was also investigated based on MTT assay on a Vero cell line. Dynamic light scattering (DLS) and zeta potential analysis were used to characterize the nHAPs for size and surface charge as well as morphology using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The nHAPs were found to have different shapes with average sizes of 229.6 nm, 120.6 nm (nHAPs_PPE) and 167.5 nm, 153 nm (nHAPs_CE) using DLS and TEM, respectively. Overall, the present results showed that the synthesized nHAPs had a negative impact on the selected biochemical, cytotoxic, and genotoxic parameters, indicating that the evaluation of nHAP synthesized by this approach has a wide range of applications, especially as a nano-fertilizer. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Green Synthesis of Nanomaterials for Environmental and Biomedical Applications)

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Review

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22 pages, 2270 KiB

Open AccessReview

Recent Advances in Green Synthesis of Ag NPs for Extenuating Antimicrobial Resistance

by Simerjeet Parmar, Harwinder Kaur, Jagpreet Singh, Avtar Singh Matharu, Seeram Ramakrishna and Mikhael Bechelany

Nanomaterials 2022, 12(7), 1115; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano12071115 - 28 Mar 2022

Cited by 45 | Viewed by 3458

Abstract

Combating antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is an on-going global grand challenge, as recognized by several UN Sustainable Development Goals. Silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) are well-known for their efficacy against antimicrobial resistance, and a plethora of green synthesis methodologies now exist in the literature. Herein, this review evaluates recent advances in biological approaches for Ag NPs, and their antimicrobial potential of Ag NPs with mechanisms of action are explored deeply. Moreover, short and long-term potential toxic effects of Ag NPs on animals, the environment, and human health are briefly discussed. Finally, we also provide a summary of the current state of the research and future challenges on a biologically mediated Ag-nanostructures-based effective platform for alleviating AMR. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Green Synthesis of Nanomaterials for Environmental and Biomedical Applications)

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