Akhil Ranjan Das

GOLD NANOPARTICLES: MICROBIAL SYNTHESIS AND APPLICATION IN WATER HYGIENE MANAGEMENT

A green chemical method to synthesize nanogold-bioconjugate and its eco-friendly promising role to purify contaminated waters has been described. Gold nanoparticles of 10 nm average diameter are produced on the surface of Rhizopus oryzae , a fungal strain, by in situ reduction of chloroauric acid (HAuCl(4)). The nanogold-bioconjugate (NGBC) showed strong adsorption capacity toward different organophosphorous pesticides. The EDXA study confirms adsorption of pesticides on the conjugate material surface. Morphological changes of the NGBC material after adsorption of organophosphorous pesticides were detected by atomic force micrographs. NGBC shows high antimicrobial activity against several Gram-negative and Gram-positive pathogenic bacteria as well as the yeasts Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Candida albicans . The treatment of microbial cells with NGBC caused rupture of cell membrane as revealed in scanning electron and fluorescence micrographs. These unique characteristics of NGBC have been successfully utilized to obtain potable water free from pathogens and pesticides in a single operation.

Microbial Synthesis of Multishaped Gold Nanostructures

The development of methodologies for the synthesis of nanoparticles of well-defined size and shape is a challenging one and constitutes an important area of research in nanotechnology. This Full Paper describes the controlled synthesis of multishaped gold nanoparticles at room temperature utilizing a simple, green chemical method by the interaction of chloroauric acid (HAuCl4 x 3H20) and cell-free extract of the fungal strain Rhizopus oryzae. The cell-free extract functions as a reducing, shape-directing, as well as stabilizing, agent. Different shapes of gold nanocrystals, for example, triangular, hexagonal, pentagonal, spherical, spheroidal, urchinlike, two-dimensional nanowires, and nanorods, are generated by manipulating key growth parameters, such as gold ion concentration, solution pH, and reaction time. The synthesized nanostructures are characterized by UV/Vis and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and energy dispersive X-ray analysis studies. Electron diffraction patterns reveal the crystalline nature of the nanoparticles and a probable mechanism is proposed for the formation of the different structural entities.

Micellization and interfacial behavior of binary and ternary mixtures of model cationic and nonionic surfactants in aqueous NaCl medium

Mixed micelle formation and interfacial properties of aqueous binary and ternary combinations of hexadecyltrimethylammonium bromide (C(16)Br), hexadecylbenzyldimethylammonium chloride (C(16)BzCl) and polyoxyethylene (20) cetyl ether (Brij58) at 25 degrees C in 30 mM aqueous NaCl have been studied in detail employing tensiometric and fluorimetric techniques. The micellar and adsorption characteristics like composition, activity coefficients, mutual interaction parameters and free energy of micellization have been estimated using the theoretical approaches of Clint, Rosen, Rubingh, Blankschtein et al., Rubingh-Holland and Maeda. A comprehensive account of the comparative performance of these models on the selected cationic-cationic-nonionic surfactant mixtures at constant ionic strength has been presented. The Blankschtein model predicted lower synergism than from Rubinghs method because it neglects the contribution due to steric interaction between surfactant head groups of different sizes and charges. Free energy of micellization calculated using Maedas approach, which employs interaction parameter and micellar mole fraction from Rubinghs model as inputs, shows good correlation with that calculated from commonly used phase separation model. The present study also reveals that the modified Rubingh-Holland method along with the Rosens model can be applied to analyze the interfacial characteristics of ternary surfactant mixtures with a fair degree of success thereby widening the domain of applicability of this model.

Interfacial and self-aggregation of binary mixtures of anionic and nonionic amphiphiles in aqueous medium.

Interfacial and bulk properties of sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS), polyoxyethylene (20) sorbitan monooleate (Tween-80), and their binary mixtures in aqueous medium have been investigated using surface tension, conductance, and fluorescence measurements at different temperatures. The critical micelle concentration (CMC), counterion binding, polarity index, aggregation number, thermodynamics of interfacial adsorption, and micellization are evaluated. The entropic contribution is found to be the predominant factor in micelle formation. The aggregation number and the polarity index of the micelle interior estimated by the pyrene fluorescence technique show interesting temperature dependence. The size and composition of the mixed micelles vary with the total concentration. The micellar compositions, activities of the individual components in the mixed species, and intersurfactant interactions are also estimated following regular solution theory, excess thermodynamic functions, and a molecular thermodynamic model. The surfactant mixtures are found to be nonideal with a lower degree of counterion binding compared to the individual members. Mixed micelles are nonspherical in nature at all temperatures when the mole fraction (α) of the ionic part in mixtures is high but transform to spherical when α(SDS) is ≤0.50.

Silver-nano biohybride material: synthesis, characterization and application in water purification.

A green chemical synthesis of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) through in situ reduction of silver nitrate (AgNO(3)) by a fungal strain of Rhizopus oryzae is described along with the promising eco-friendly role of the synthesized nano-silver bioconjugate (NSBC) material in water purification process. The NSBC has been characterized using UV-vis spectroscopy, high resolution transmission electron (HRTEM) microscopy, and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. The NSBC exhibits strong antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli and Bacillus subtilis and high adsorption capacity towards different organophosphorous pesticides. Fluorescence and electron microscopic images reveal NSBC binds on the bacterial cell wall, which cause irreversible membrane damage eventually leading to cell death. Proteomic analysis further demonstrates down regulation of protein expression, inhibition of cytosolic and membrane proteins and leakage of cellular content following binding of NSBC with bacterial cell wall. NSBC has been exploited to obtain potable water free from pathogens and pesticides in one step process.

Adsorption behavior of mercury on functionalized aspergillus versicolor mycelia: atomic force microscopic study.

The adsorption characteristics of mercury on Aspergillus versicolor mycelia have been studied under varied environments. The mycelia are functionalized by carbon disulfide (CS(2)) treatment under alkaline conditions to examine the enhance uptake capacity and explore its potentiality in pollution control management. The functionalized A. versicolor mycelia have been characterized by scanning electron microscopy-energy dispersive X-ray analysis (SEM-EDXA), attenuated total reflection infrared (ATR-IR), and atomic force microscopy (AFM) probing. SEM and AFM images exhibit the formation of nanoparticles on the mycelial surface. ATR-IR profile confirms the functionalization of the mycelia following chemical treatment. ATR-IR and EDXA results demonstrate the binding of the sulfur groups of the functionalized mycelia to the mercury and consequent formation metal sulfide. AFM study reveals that the mycelial surface is covered by a layer of densely packed domain like structures. Sectional analysis yields significant increase in average roughness (R(rms)) value (20.5 +/- 1.82 nm) compared to that of the pristine mycelia (4.56 +/- 0.82 nm). Surface rigidity (0.88 +/- 0.06 N/m) and elasticity (92.6 +/- 10.2 MPa) obtained from a force distance curve using finite element modeling are found to increase significantly with respect to the corresponding values of (0.65 +/- 0.05 N/m and 32.8 +/- 4.5 MPa) of the nonfunctionalized mycelia. The maximum mercury adsorption capacity of the functionalized mycelia is observed to be 256.5 mg/g in comparison to 80.71 mg/g for the pristine mycelia.

Synthesis of Sb2Se3 nanorod using β-cyclodextrin

Abstract A novel method is described for the preparation of antimony selenide nanorod in the presence of β-cyclodextrin. The nanorod is obtained by the addition of β-cyclodextrin (5 mM) in a reaction mixture of potassium antimony oxide tartrate and sodium selenosulfate in alkaline pH (∼10.80), while chainlike structures of antimony selenide are formed at a lower concentration of β-cyclodextrin (2 mM).

Rheological and fluorescence investigation of interaction between hexadecyltrimethylammonium bromide and methylcellulose in the presence of hydrophobic salts.

The interaction of hexadecyltrimethylammonium bromide (HTAB) and methylcellulose (MC) has been investigated in aqueous medium employing rheological and fluorescence probing experiments. The associated physicochemical properties of the polymer-surfactant mixed system such as critical aggregation concentration (cac), critical micelle concentration (cmc), micellar aggregation number (N), micellar micropolarity index (pyrene I(1)/I(3) values), and viscosity curve are studied as a function of HTAB concentration. The effects of sodium benzoate (NaBz), sodium hexanoate (NaHx) and sodium chloride (NaCl) on the behavior of the polymer-surfactant solution have been followed systematically. The obtained experimental findings unfold significant information with respect to the effects of the salts on the solution behavior of the mixed system in addition to gelation characteristics.

Structural and nanomechanical properties of Termitomyces clypeatus cell wall and its interaction with chromium(VI).

Alterations of cell surface properties accompanying the complex life cycle of Termitomyces clypeatus have been monitored using atomic force microscopy (AFM). A new hyphae/mycelium is developed on cell division, and the cell wall of the mycelium undergoes a process of internal reorganization (or maturation) followed by morphological and chemical alterations. The changes of the surface ultrastructures during the growth process are correlated to the corresponding changes in relative viscoelasticity and rigidity of the cell wall by employing force spectroscopy. The cell wall rigidity and elasticity are found to be 0.34+/-0.02 N/m and 27.5+/-2.1 MPa, respectively, at the early logarithmic phase, on maturation increase to reach 0.81+/-0.08 N/m and 92.5+/-12 MPa, respectively, at the stationary phase, and thereafter decrease to 0.62+/-0.06 N/m and 61.6+/-6.6 MPa at the death phase. The alterations of the ultrastructural and nanomechanical properties of the cell surface as functions of growth phases affect the interaction involving chromium and T. clypeatus.

Biosorptive removal of chromium by husk of Lathyrus sativus: Evaluation of the binding mechanism, kinetic and equilibrium study

The adsorption of tri‐ and hexavalent chromium by the husk of Lathyrus sativus (HLS), which is an agro‐waste has been investigated to find a potential solution to environmental pollution. The pH‐dependent adsorption process finds the optimum values for trivalent and hexavalent chromium ions at about pH 5.0 and pH 2.0, respectively. The process is very fast initially and attains an equilibrium within 90 min following pseudo second‐order rate kinetics. Equilibrium adsorption data can best elucidated by the Langmuir–Freundlich dual model (r2 = 0.998) in comparison with other isotherm models examined indicating that both physi‐ and chemisorption are components of the binding mechanism of chromium ions on HLS. The results show that one gram of HLS can adsorb 24.6 mg Cr3+ and 44.5 mg Cr6+. Fourier transform infrared data and functional group modification experiments indicate that –NH2, ‐COOH, ‐OH, ‐PO43− groups of the biomass interact chemically with the chromium ions. SEM‐energy dispersive X‐ray analysis and X‐ray diffraction spectrum analysis were used to further assess the morphological changes and the mechanisms of chromium ion interaction with HLS. The analysis signified that the biosorption process involved surface morphological changes, complexation and an ion exchange mechanism. The amorphous nature of HLS facilitating metal biosorption was indicated by the X‐ray diffraction analysis.