engleski

Optimization of the Enzymatic Synthesis of Gold Nanoparticles

Use of metal and metal oxide nanoparticles (NPs) such as gold, silver, zinc and iron oxide, in various fields of research, including textile, pharmaceutical, packaging and food industry, is increasing daily. Application of those NPs can result in new or in improvements of existing functional properties of products such as their antimicrobial activity and hydrophobicity. Therefore, it is of high importance to develop ecologically, energetically and economically acceptable methods of NPs synthesis that doesn’t include the use of toxic chemicals. One of them is an enzymatic synthesis in which enzymes, as completely biodegradable proteins, are employed as catalysts and reducing agents. Gold nanoparticles (Au-NPs) are commonly used as therapeutic, antibiotic, antifungal and antimicrobial agents when added to coatings, nanofibers and textiles. In this research, Au- NPs synthesis by using enzyme urease was optimized by using the Design of Experiments (DoE) method. Reaction kinetics and mechanism was measured spectrophotometrically. Synthesized Au- NPs were characterized by Nanoparticle Tracking Analysis (NTA) method and scanning electron microscope with energy dispersive spectroscopy (SEM-EDS). According to the obtained DoE model, Au-NPs of smaller size will be produced when synthesis reaction is conducted with higher initial metal salt concentration, temperature and stirring rate, as well as with lower concentration of potassium carbonate which stabilizes the pH of the reaction. The results showed that Au-NPs with size in the range of 120 and 260 nm were successfully synthesized using an eco-friendly enzymatic method. Therefore, in the following research, this reaction will be up- scaled and synthesized Au-NPs will be used to modify polymer materials foreseen as antimicrobial medical textiles.

Nanoparticles, Gold, Enzyme, Optimization

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