Photodeposition mediated synthesis of silver-doped indium oxide nanoparticles for improved photocatalytic and anticancer performance

• Published in: Environmental science and pollution research international Vol. 30; no. 3; pp. 6055 - 6067
• Main Authors: Alaizeri, ZabnAllah M., Alhadlaq, Hisham A., Aldawood, Saad, Akhtar, Mohd Javed, Ahamed, Maqusood
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Berlin/Heidelberg Springer Berlin Heidelberg 2023
• Subjects: Aquatic Pollution; Atmospheric Protection/Air Quality Control/Air Pollution; Earth and Environmental Science; Ecotoxicology; Environment; Environmental Chemistry; Environmental Health; Humans; Metal Nanoparticles - chemistry; Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; Nanoparticles; Research Article; Silver - chemistry; Silver - pharmacology; Spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared; Ultraviolet Rays; Waste Water Technology; Water Management; Water Pollution Control; Characterization; Photocatalytic degradation; Ag-doped in; Rhodamine B dye; Cancer cells; Cytotoxicity; Biocompatibility; O; Ag-doped in2O3
• ISSN: 0944-1344; 1614-7499
• DOI: 10.1007/s11356-022-22594-9

Indium oxide nanoparticles (In
2
O
3
NPs) are being investigated for a number of applications including gas-sensing, environmental remediation, and biomedicine. We aimed to examine the effect of silver (Ag) doping on photocatalytic and anticancer activity of In
2
O
3
NPs. The Ag-doped (2%, 4%, and 6%weight) In
2
O
3
NPs were synthesized by the photodeposition method. Prepared samples were characterized via X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), UV–Vis spectroscopy, and the photoluminescence (PL). XRD data showed that Ag-doping increases the crystallinity of In
2
O
3
NPs. SEM and TEM images indicated that In
2
O
3
NPs have spherical morphology with smooth surfaces, and Ag-doping increases the size without affecting the particle’s shape. XPS spectra showed the oxidation state and the presence of Ag in In
2
O
3
NPs. Band gap energy of In
2
O
3
NPs decreases with increasing the concentration of Ag (3.41 eV to 3.12 eV). The peak intensity of PL spectra of In
2
O
3
NPs also reduces with the increment of Ag ions suggesting the hindrance of the recombination rate of e
−
/h
+
. The photocatalytic activity was measured by the degradation of Rh B dye under UV irradiation. The degradation efficiency of Ag-doped (6%) In
2
O
3
NPs was 92%. Biochemical data indicated that Ag-doping enhances the anticancer performance of In
2
O
3
NPs against human lung cancer cells (A549). Moreover, Ag-doped In
2
O
3
NPs displayed excellent biocompatibility in normal human lung fibroblasts (IMR90). Overall, this study demonstrated that Ag-doping enhances the photocatalytic activity and anticancer efficacy of In
2
O
3
NPs. This study warrants further investigation on the environmental and biomedical applications of Ag-In
2
O
3
NPs.