Evaluation of collision/reaction gases in single-particle ICP-MS for sizing selenium nanoparticles and assessment of their antibacterial activity

Author(s)

Freire, Bruna Moreira ; Cavalcanti, Yasmin Tavares ; Lange, Camila Neves ; Pieretti, Joana Claudio ; Pereira, Rodrigo Mendes ; Goncalves, Marcelly Chue ; Nakazato, Gerson ; Seabra, Amedea Barozzi ; Batista, Bruno Lemos

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: Nanotechnology; v. 33, n. 35, p. 12-pg., 2022-08-27.

Abstract

Selenium nanoparticles (SeNPs) have recently attracted attention because they combine the benefits of Se and lower toxicity compared to other chemical forms of this element. In this study, SeNPs were synthesized by a green method using ascorbic acid as the reducing agent and polyvinyl alcohol as stabilizer. The nanoparticles were widely characterized. To determine the total concentration of Se by ICP-MS, several isotopes and the use of He as collision gas were evaluated, which was effective in minimizing interferences. A method for sizing SeNPs by single particle ICP-MS (SP-ICP-MS) was developed. For this purpose, He and H-2 were evaluated as collision/reaction gases, and the second one showed promising results, providing an average diameter of 48 nm for the SeNPs. These results agree with those obtained by TEM (50.1 nm). Therefore, the SP-ICP-MS can be implemented for characterizing SeNPs in terms of size and size distribution, being an important analytical tool for Se and other widely studied nanoparticles (e.g. Ag, Au, Ce, Cu, Fe, Zn). Finally, the antibacterial activity of SeNPs was assessed. The SeNPs showed bacteriostatic activity against three strains of Gram-positive bacteria and were particularly efficient in inhibiting the growth E. faecalis even at very low concentrations (MIC < 1.4 mg l(-1)). In addition, a bactericidal activity of SeNPs against S. aureus was observed. These nanoparticles may have potential application in pharmaceutical industry, biomedicine and agriculture. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 20/00284-2 - Evaluation of the use of selenium nanoparticles for biofortification of rice grains
• Grantee: Bruna Moreira Freire
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate
• FAPESP's process: 18/08194-2 - Essential oil amended with metal nanoparticles functionalized with nitric oxide as a strategy to control plant pathogens in the agriculture
• Grantee: Amedea Barozzi Seabra
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• FAPESP's process: 16/10060-9 - Multi-user equipment (MUE) approved in Grant FAPESP project 2014/05151-0: inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer hyphenated to an high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC-ICP-MS)
• Grantee: Bruno Lemos Batista
• Support Opportunities: Multi-user Equipment Program
• FAPESP's process: 14/05151-0 - Arsenic and rice: monitoring and (bio)remediation studies for food safety
• Grantee: Bruno Lemos Batista
• Support Opportunities: Research Grants - Young Investigators Grants