A State-of-the-Art Systemic Review on Selenium Nanoparticles: Mechanisms and Factors Influencing Biogenesis and Its Potential Applications.

Selenium is a trace element required for the active function of numerous enzymes and various physiological processes. In recent years, selenium nanoparticles draw the attention of scientists and researchers because of its multifaceted uses. The process involved in chemically synthesized SeNPs has been found to be hazardous in nature, which has paved the way for safe and ecofriendly SeNPs to be developed in order to achieve sustainability. In comparison to chemical synthesis, SeNPs can be synthesized more safely and with greater flexibility utilizing bacteria, fungi, and plants. This review focused on the synthesis of SeNPs utilizing bacteria, fungi, and plants; the mechanisms involved in SeNP synthesis; and the effect of various abiotic factors on SeNP synthesis and morphological characteristics. This article discusses the synergies of SeNP synthesis via biological routes, which can help future researchers to synthesize SeNPs with more precision and employ them in desired fields.

Synthesis of Biocompatible Cellulose-Coated Nanoceria with pH-Dependent Antioxidant Property.

Recent developments in nanomedicine have validated nanoceria as an antioxidant of therapeutic potential. However, its clinical application is far too limited in view of its poor stability in vivo and the use of hazardous solvents during its synthesis. There is a pertinent need for development of improved strategies for nanoceria to work better, especially by complexation with a matrix to improve upon its antioxidant property without toxicity. In the present study, cellulose has been used as a matrix of nanobiocomposite in which nanoceria are embedded, adopting solution plasma process (SPP). This resulted in cellulose-nanoceria(C/nanoceria) biocomposite by plasma reactions for 15 min using cellulose powder and Ce(NO3)2. Three-dimensional scaffold of the C/nanoceria biocomposite was prepared by lyophilization. The biocomposite was characterized adopting UV-vis spectroscopy, FTIR, FESEM equipped with EDS, and HRTEM analysis. The cubical nanoceria, in the size range 3.2-32 nm, were successfully internalized in the cellulose nanomatrix without agglomeration and exhibited excellent antioxidant property in pH-dependent manner. The nanobiocomposite is not cytotoxic to HeLa cell at a concentration as high as >1 mg.mL-1 as revealed in the cytotoxicity assay. Thus, we describe for the first time synthesis of C/nanoceria, in a manner that is green and sustainable, which has potential in external clinical applications as an effective antioxidative green material for scavenging reactive oxygen species.