Biosynthesis of Cu and bimetallic Cu and Ag nanoparticles and their uses in the cultivation of embryogenic soybean callus

• Grant number: 24/08113-3
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctoral
• Start date: January 01, 2025
• End date: December 31, 2026
• Field of knowledge: Physical Sciences and Mathematics - Chemistry - Analytical Chemistry
• Principal Investigator: Marco Aurelio Zezzi Arruda
• Grantee: Cristiane Renata Schmitt
• Host Institution: Instituto de Química (IQ). Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Campinas , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 18/25207-0 - Nanometallomics applied to soybean cultivation for studying the effects of metal-related nanoparticles, AP.TEM

Abstract

Due to the revolution in plant science studies, driven by nanotechnology, with the development of the concept of precision agriculture, which uses, among others, nanoparticles (NPs) as sensors, nanoencapsulated fertilizers, among others, the precise understanding of how NPs affect a plant crop has become of paramount importance. In this context, the objective of this project is to develop the synthesis of Cu nanoparticles (CuNPs) and combined Cu and Ag (CuAgNPs), through the biosynthesis technique, which uses plant extract as a metal reducing agent. This type of synthesis meets the premises of green chemistry and will be combined with innovative techniques for the formation of these nanoparticles. Biosynthesis using soybean callus extract will take place in microwave ovens (cavity or focused type), and its parameters such as power, temperature and synthesis time will be optimized. Biosyntheses will also occur using high-power ultrasound, which will evaluate the amplitude of agitation and reaction time. Subsequently, these nanoparticles will be characterized by techniques such as UV-Vis, DLS (Dynamic Light Scattering), TEM (Transmission electron miscrocopy), zeta potential assessment and single particle ICP-MS. Parameters such as size and morphology, agglomeration/aggregation state, concentration number, of CuNPs and CuAgNPs will also be discussed. After characterization, a study will be carried out on how these nanoparticles behave in soybean embriogenic sommatic callus cultivation, inside the area of nanobiotechnology The results obtained will provide important information for risk assessment and for elucidating processes involving nanoparticles and plant callus. In this sense, in addition to the area of analytical chemistry, this proposal will also contribute to other areas of knowledge, such as agriculture, biology and environmental sciences.