The microwave-assisted synthesis of silica nanoparticles and their applications in a soy plant culture

Author(s)

Freitas, Daniel Carneiro ; Mazali, Italo Odone ; Sigoli, Fernando Aparecido ; Francischini, Danielle da Silva ; Arruda, Marco Aurelio Zezzi

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: RSC ADVANCES; v. 13, n. 39, p. 9-pg., 2023-09-08.

Abstract

A rapid and environmentally friendly synthesis of thermodynamically stable silica nanoparticles (SiO2-NPs) from heating via microwave irradiation (MW) compared to conductive heating is presented, as well as their evaluations in a soy plant culture. The parameters of time and microwave power were evaluated for the optimization of the heating program. Characterization of the produced nanomaterials was obtained from the dynamic light scattering (DLS) and zeta potential analyses, and the morphology of the SiO2-NPs was obtained by transmission electron microcopy (TEM) images. From the proposed synthesis, stable, monodisperse, and amorphous SiO2-NPs were obtained. Average sizes reported by DLS and TEM techniques were equal to 11.6 nm and 13.8 nm, respectively. The water-stable suspension of SiO2-NPs shows a zeta potential of -31.80 mV, and the homogeneously spheroidal morphology observed by TEM corroborates with the low polydispersity values (0.300). Additionally, the TEM with fast Fourier transform (FFT), demonstrates the amorphous characteristic of the nanoparticles. The MW-based synthesis is 30 times faster, utilizes 4-fold less reagents, and is ca. 18-fold cheaper than conventional synthesis through conductive heating. After the synthesis, the SiO2-NPs were added to the soil used for the cultivation of soybeans, and the homeostasis for Cu, Ni, and Zn was evaluated through the determination of their total contents by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) in soy leaves and also through bioimages obtained using laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS). Although the results corroborate through both techniques, they also show the influence of these nanoparticles on the elemental distribution of the leaf surface with altered homeostasis of such elements from both transgenic crops compared to the control group. A rapid and environmentally friendly synthesis of thermodynamically stable silica nanoparticles (SiO2-NPs) from heating via microwave irradiation (MW) compared to conductive heating is presented, as well as their evaluations in a soy plant culture. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 19/24445-8 - EMU granted in process 2018/25207-0: inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer
• Grantee: Marco Aurelio Zezzi Arruda
• Support Opportunities: Multi-user Equipment Program
• FAPESP's process: 19/00063-9 - Quantitative bioimaging of Cd and Pb through laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS imaging) to tree rings and speleothems
• Grantee: Danielle da Silva Francischini
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate (Direct)
• FAPESP's process: 14/50906-9 - INCT 2014: in Functional Complex Materials
• Grantee: Fernando Galembeck
• Support Opportunities: Research Projects - Thematic Grants
• FAPESP's process: 14/50867-3 - INCT 2014: National Institute of Science and Technology in Bioanalysis
• Grantee: Marco Aurelio Zezzi Arruda
• Support Opportunities: Research Projects - Thematic Grants
• FAPESP's process: 19/00018-3 - Study of inert supports as solid matrix for the quantification of Zn and Cu in tree rings and speleothems using LA-ICP-MS
• Grantee: Pedro dos Santos Moreau
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Master
• FAPESP's process: 21/06326-1 - Luminescence of lanthanide ions: an optical tool against counterfeiting
• Grantee: Fernando Aparecido Sigoli
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• FAPESP's process: 18/25207-0 - Nanometallomics applied to soybean cultivation for studying the effects of metal-related nanoparticles
• Grantee: Marco Aurelio Zezzi Arruda
• Support Opportunities: Research Projects - Thematic Grants
• FAPESP's process: 20/08543-7 - A speciomic toolkit to investigate fatty acid-mediated changes in plasma zinc speciation and their physiological effects
• Grantee: Marco Aurelio Zezzi Arruda
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants