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Green synthesis of copper and silver nanoparticles and their comparative toxicity and antibacterial evaluation in pharmaceutical wastewater treatment

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Abstract

In this study, nanoparticles (Ag, Cu and Ag–Cu) were synthesized from Blighia sapida through an ecofriendly biological approach. The study characterized and comparatively investigated the antibacterial potential of the nanoparticles (NPs) on pharmaceutical wastewater-isolated bacteria. The toxicological implications due to wastewater treatment with the NPs were also investigated on liver and kidney function indices of Wistar rats. The synthesized NPs were revealed to be un-agglomerated spheres (Transmission Electron Microscopy), with hydrodynamic diameter between 70 and 90 nm and an overall surface zeta potential of – 28 to – 31 mV (Dynamic Light Scattering). Judging by the zone of inhibitions, minimum inhibitory concentrations and the minimum bactericidal concentrations values obtained in this study, the NPs could be said to have potentiated significant antibacterial effects with the most profound effect observed with the Ag–Cu NPs relative to Ag- and Cu NPs at 50 µg/ml. For the sub-acute toxicity evaluation, the NPs at 200 µg/kg showed signals of progressive onset of toxicity, marked by reduction in alkaline phosphatase, aspartate transaminase and gamma glutamyl transaminase activities in the liver and kidney of the NPs-treated groups (p > 0.05) compared to the control group. This result suggested that the synthesized NPs may not be safe for direct application at 200 µg/kg, and it is therefore recommended that safety precautions be adhered in the use of silver and copper nanoparticles.

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Availability of data and materials

Research data are available at the repository of the department of medical biochemistry and pharmacology, Faculty of Science, Kwara State University, Nigeria. Data are also available on request.

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Acknowledgements

The authors acknowledge support on non-financial logistics from the Department of Medical Biochemistry and Pharmacology, Faculty of Science, Kwara State University, Nigeria. The Research and Postgraduate Support of the Durban University of Technology is duly acknowledged for the assistance toward the analytical characterization of the NPs.

Funding

This research received no specific grant from any funding agency in the public, commercial or not-for-profit sectors.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Medical Biochemistry and Pharmacology, Faculty of Science, Kwara State University, P.M.B 1530, Ilorin, Kwara State, Nigeria

    Juwon Samuel Afolayan, Emmanuel Ajani, Rebecca Damilola Folorunsho & Mopelola Azeemat Abdullateef

  2. Department of Biotechnology and Food Science, Faculty of Applied Science, Durban University of Technology, P.O. Box 1334, Durban, 4000, South Africa

    Sabiu Saheed

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  1. Juwon Samuel Afolayan
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  2. Emmanuel Ajani
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  5. Mopelola Azeemat Abdullateef
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Contributions

EA was involved in research conception and supervision, SS was involved in experimental design, ASJ was involved in research implementation, and FDR and AAM were involved in literature reviews.

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Correspondence to Juwon Samuel Afolayan.

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Ethical statement

The protocols adopted in this study conform with the Guidelines for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals of the Institute for Laboratory Animal Research of the National Research Council, USA. Research facilities were also assessed and approved for the experiment by the designates of the Faculty of Science, Kwara State University, in accordance with the global standards.

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Afolayan, J.S., Ajani, E., Saheed, S. et al. Green synthesis of copper and silver nanoparticles and their comparative toxicity and antibacterial evaluation in pharmaceutical wastewater treatment. Nanotechnol. Environ. Eng. 8, 333–346 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s41204-022-00286-6

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