Discipline: Nanoscience
Subcategory: Materials Science
Session: 3
Room: Park Tower 8216
Nadja M. Maldonado-Luna - University of Puerto Rico-Mayaguez
Co-Author(s): Sonia J. Bailon-Ruiz, University of Puerto Rico, Ponce, P.R.; Myrna Reyes-Blas, University of Puerto Rico, Mayaguez, P.R.; Oscar Perales-Perez, University of Puerto Rico, Mayaguez, P.R.
Nanoparticles have become increasingly prominent in the biomedical field in the last few decades, giving rise to a new area, Nanomedicine, that focuses on the development of nanomaterials that could be used for the prevention and treatment of different diseases [1–3]. Selenium is commonly used as an anti-fungal agent [4], and as a nutritional supplement due to its strong antioxidant properties. The use of selenium-based nanoparticles forms the foundation of a new type of treatment based on bio-essential elements that will be inherently less toxic to normal cells. Based on these considerations, this research is addressed on the generation of selenium-based nanoparticles, and the evaluation of their ability to generate toxic species such as reactive oxygen species (ROS). This study describes a single step synthesis of selenium and CdSe/S nanoparticles through microwave-assisted synthesis in presence of ethylene glycol, NaCl, PVP, NaOH, and Na2SeO4. The synthesis was carried out in eight minutes at 180˚C. UV-vis measurements evidenced the presence of selenium nanoparticles as evidenced by the strong surface plasmon resonance at 260 nm. In turn, CdSe/S Quantum dots (QDs) were synthesized by contacting cadmium sulfate and reduced selenide solution in a microwave digestion vessel in presence of thioglycolic acid for 30 minutes at 190˚C. The photoluminescence spectra for CdSe/S QDs revealed a high emission peak at 568 nm, and a full width ad half maximum of ̴ 53 nm, characteristic to these nanoparticles [5]. Both kinds of nanoparticles were also characterized by high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy. Ongoing research includes the evaluation of the selenium nanoparticles capacity to generate ROS. References: [1] P. Sonkusre, S.S. Cameotra, Biogenic selenium nanoparticles induce ROS-mediated necroptosis in PC-3 cancer cells through TNF activation, J. Nanobiotechnology. 15 (2017) 1–13. doi:10.1186/s12951-017-0276-3. [2] L. Kong, Q. Yuan, H. Zhu, Y. Li, Q. Guo, Q. Wang, X. Bi, X. Gao, The suppression of prostate LNCaP cancer cells growth by Selenium nanoparticles through Akt/Mdm2/AR controlled apoptosis, Biomaterials. 32 (2011) 6515–6522. doi:10.1016/j.biomaterials.2011.05.032. [3] L. Shang, K. Nienhaus, G.U. Nienhaus, Engineered nanoparticles interacting with cells: size matters., J. Nanobiotechnology. 12 (2014) 5. doi:10.1186/1477-3155-12-5. [4] Q. Wang, A. Mejía Jaramillo, J.J. Pavon, T.J. Webster, Red selenium nanoparticles and gray selenium nanorods as antibacterial coatings for PEEK medical devices, J. Biomed. Mater. Res. – Part B Appl. Biomater. 104 (2016) 1352–1358. doi:10.1002/jbm.b.33479. [5] S. Bailon-Ruiz, L. Alamo-Nole, O. Perales-Perez, Synthesis and Surface Functionalization of Water-soluble Quantum Dots, Curr. Nanosci. 8 (2012) 202–207.
Funder Acknowledgement(s): Thanks to funding and support from the Nanomaterials Processing Laboratory at the UPRM, PR-LSAMP, CREST, and MARC.
Faculty Advisor: Oscar Perales-Perez, oscarjuan.perales@upr.edu
Role: All parts of this research were conducted by me along side Myrna Reyes-Blas (Ph.D candidate) and mentoring.