4TH International Congress on Technology - Engineering & SCIENCE - Kuala Lumpur - Malaysia (2017-08-05)

Efficiency Of Phytofabrication For Synthesising Iron Nanoparticles With Consistent Properties
Generating iron nanoparticles through the reduction of iron salt precursors with various crude plant extracts has been widely demonstrated and has been hailed for its environmentally friendly nature and relatively low cost when compared to alternative methods. However, the reproducibility of results in terms of nanoparticle properties (i.e. size, shape, reactivity, mono-dispersity, oxidation potential, crystallinity etc.) presents a challenge. A number of differing bioactive molecules found within plant cells (e.g. polyphenols, proteins, reducing sugars and lipids) are likely to interact with iron precursors to influence nanoparticle formation and properties. The application of iron nanoparticles is vast; however, in particular their use in the environmental remediation of organic and inorganic pollutants has shown encouraging results. Within this study the leaves from different plant species were used to generate water soluble extracts capable of reacting with an iron precursor and generating iron nanoparticles. Characterization of particles was carried out via X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS), Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) and Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR). In addition, the properties of the plant extracts were assessed by measuring antioxidant capacity (TEAC), reducing powers, phenolic content, reducing sugars content and metal chelating capacities. The results show that iron nanoparticles were successfully generated with the same iron precursor from all plant extracts, resulting in amorphous iron oxide nanoparticles capped with plant biomolecules. However, differing plant extracts led to nanoparticles with different shape, size and agglomeration tendencies. Furthermore, plant extract preparation from dry or fresh plant biomass also altered nanoparticle properties. For most parameters tested, extracts from dried plant biomass exhibited higher concentrations and activities. This is likely due to an increase in biomolecule extractability from plant cells when dried as opposed to the formation of new biomolecules with increased antioxidant activity. This study demonstrates the difficulty in generating iron nanoparticles with consistent properties from plant extracts. Many different biomolecules within plants can interact with the iron precursor altering nanoparticle formation dynamics. For large scale industrial production of nanoparticles, consistency between particle concentrations, size, reactivity’s, shelf life and other properties is vital. Manufacturer’s product specifications between batches should remain consistent to meet customers’ expectations. Identification, isolation and utilisation of pure key plant-based biomolecules with the capacity to form nanoparticles and/or enhance desired traits may lead to the formation of particles with consistent and optimal properties. Once developed, these nanoparticles have the potential to be successfully used for numerous medical, material science and environmental remediation applications.
Adam Truskewycz, Ravi Shukla, Andy Ball