Green synthesis of gold nanoparticles using Gracilaria crassa leaf extract and their ecotoxicological potential: Issues to be considered

• Published in: Environmental research Vol. 213; p. 113711
• Main Authors: Kamaraj, Chinnaperumal, Karthi, Sengodan, Reegan, Appadurai Daniel, Balasubramani, Govindasamy, Ramkumar, Govindaraju, Kalaivani, Kandaswamy, Zahir, A. Abduz, Deepak, Paramasivam, Senthil-Nathan, Sengottayan, Rahman, Md Mostafizur, Md Towfiqul Islam, Abu Reza, Malafaia, Guilherme
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Inc 01-10-2022
• Subjects: Anopheles stephensi; AuNPs; Ecotoxicology; Gracilaria crassa; Green nanoparticles; Green nanoparticles; Gracilaria crassa; Anopheles stephensi; Ecotoxicology; AuNPs
• ISSN: 0013-9351; 1096-0953
• DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2022.113711

The use of vegetal species for gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) biosynthesis can constitute an alternative to replacing the extensive use of several hazardous chemicals commonly used during NPs synthesis and, therefore, can reduce biological impacts induced by the release of these products into the natural environment. However, the “green nanoparticles” and/or “eco-friendly nanoparticles” label does not ensure that biosynthesized NPs are harmless to non-target organisms. Thus, we aimed to synthesize AuNPs from seaweed Gracilaria crassa aqueous extract through an eco-friendly, fast, one-pot synthetic route. The formation of spherical, stable, polycrystalline NPs with a diameter of 32.0 nm ± 4.0 nm (mean ±SEM) was demonstrated by UV–vis spectroscopy, field emission scanning electron microscopy, and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray and X-ray diffraction measurement, and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy analysis. In addition, different phytocomponents were identified in the biosynthesized AuNPs, using Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS). However, both G. crassa aqueous extract and the biosynthesized AuNPs showed high ecotoxicity in Anopheles stephensi larvae exposed to different concentrations. Therefore, our study supports the potential of seaweed G. crassa as a raw material source for AuNPs biosynthesis while also shedding light on its ecotoxicological potential, which necessitates consideration of its risk to aquatic biota.
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•Biosynthesis of metal nanoparticles is an emerging field of nanotechnology research.•Gracilaria crassa leaf extract is used for the synthesis of AuNPs.•AuNPs are biosynthesized through an eco-friendly, fast, one-pot synthetic route.•Biosynthesized AuNPs induces high toxicity in Anopheles stephensi larvae.•Toxicity of biosynthesized AuNPs requires attention to its danger to aquatic biota.