www.wjpr.net Vol 3, Issue 3, 2014. 4625
PHYTOSYNTHESIS OF MAGNESIUM NANOPARTICLES USING
LICHENS
T Devasena*, Vandhana Ashok, Nibedita Dey and Arul Prakash F
Centre for Nanoscience and Technology, ACT Campus, Anna University, Chennai, India-
600025
ABSTRACT
With the world moving toward a green economy, incorporation of the
term “Green” in the field of bio and nanotechnology is also picking up
its pace. The symbiosis between algae and fungi (the lichens) has been
used for synthesizing metal nanoparticle because they work as good
alternatives for their environmental friendliness, low toxicity and low
processing conditions. In the present study Lichen extracts was used to
reduce magnesium salts into magnesium nanoparticles in an
eco-friendly way. The synthesized magnesium nanoparticles were
characterized using dynamic light scattering and UV spectroscopy. The
UV spectroscopy shows absorbance at 261nm. The size of the
nanoparticle was found to be 23 nm and is expected to possess several
biomedical applications due to the capping by bioactive components of lichens. As
magnesium is used in bone grafting material for peri-implant defect, this green synthesised
magnesium nanoparticles will emerge as a poteintial implant component.
Keywords:- Lichens, Magnesium nanoparticles, Dynamic light scattering, UV-Vis spectroscopy.
INTRODUCTION
Nanoparticles refer to those particles in the size range of 1- 100 nanometers. They
possess various unexpected properties depending on the material used to produce the
nanoparticle. There are various physical, chemical and mechanical routes for the
synthesis of these particles. Green synthesis is the use of floral and natural in the
synthesis of nanoparticles. Production of nanoparticles under nontoxic green conditions
is of vital importance to address growing concerns on the overall toxicity of
nanoparticles for medical and technological applications. The rapid green synthesis of
Article Received on 08 March 2014,
Revised on 30 March 2014, Accepted on 23April 2014
*Correspondence for
Author
Dr. T Devasena
www.wjpr.net Vol 3, Issue 3, 2014. 4626 gold nanoparticles using Allium cepa extract has been demonstrated in 2011 by a series
of characterizations. [1] Symbiosis is a term used to indicate the close and usually long term
relationship between two or more biological species. Of the various forms of symbiosis
available mutualism is the relationship between individuals of different species where
both individuals benefit [2] Lichens are an outstanding example. [3]
Lichens are mutualistic organisms which harbour a mycobiont and a photobiont, together
for their mutual benefits. [2] Their, biochemistry physiology and morphology of the
lichens is entirely different from their individual component species. In cyanobacterium
containing species, complementing activity is noticed by nitrogen fixation. [4] They are
informally classified based on their growth form as follows Crustose (flat paint like), Foliose
(leafy), Fruticose (Branched), Filamentous (hair-like) and Squamulose (consisting of
scalelike structure). Lichen extracts show a wide variety of organic metabolites like
Carotenoids, Steroids, Naphthaquinones, Chromones, Lactonecarboxylic acids, Amino acid,
Cyclopeptides in the different pathways taking place in them. [5] Other than these
compounds, they also produce alcohols, mono and hetero saccharides due to their
photosynthetic pathways as well as exerting wide range of actions consisting of
anti-mycobacterial, anti-inflammatory, anti-proliferative, etc. [6] Extracts of lichens were seemed
to be effective against various Bacillus species, [7] Gram negative species [8] and MRSA or
VRE infections. [9] Its broad antimicrobial spectrum when compared with other analogues has
lead to the stimulation for further development of these compounds as preservative agents. [10]
It has been considered in sunscreens [11] due to their UV light screening properties. [12] They
have been found to degrade these prions to cure prion associated diseases [13] and
significantly antigenotoxic activity in bacterial systems. [14]
Magnesium is a alkaline earth metal with symbol Mg and atomic number 12 being the eighth,
ninth and fourth most abundant element in the Earth's crust, universe and the Earth as a whole
respectively. They are sour to the taste, and impart natural bitterness to water in low
concentrations. Metallicion is a common additive to fertilizers. Magnesium ion is one of the
most abundant divalent cation and the second most intracellular element in the body with the
total body magnesium in blood plasma measuring up to one percent. It has recently
manifested itself as a potential candidate for biocompatible and biodegradable implants. [15]
They play a major role in manipulating ATP, enzymes, DNA and RNA. Medicinally
www.wjpr.net Vol 3, Issue 3, 2014. 4627 and blood spasms. As magnesium alloys are more non-corrosive, they could be potential
candidates for fabrication of degradable implants. [16] VC-PMG has been found to reduce has
sunscreen application due to melanin reduction property. [17] They are also preferred to act as
stabilizers for cosmetics. [18]
Air dried and grounded lichen sample was used for the extraction process in acetone.
Filtering the solvent and concentrating it through an air current at room temperature
(approximately 22 °C) yielded 0.138 g of extract. [14] Air-dried lichen were grounded, and
mixed in methanol, filtered concentrated in rotary vacuum evaporator to obtain methanolic
extracts. [19] Successive 5 extractions of cleaned and dried lichens in distilled water were left
for a certain time with occasional mixing and dried till required mass was obtained. [20] Cold
maceration in ethanol extract were filtered and concentrated in a fume chamber for further
study. [21] Extraction by acetone and methanol in a Soxhlet apparatus was discussed by
Rankovic et al in 2008. [22]
The lichen polyphenol extract has excellent antibacterial, antioxidant properties which has
application in the medical field. Magnesium has biocompatibility, which allows us to use it
in dermal applications. The symbiosis between algae and fungi has been used for
synthesizing metal nanoparticle because they work as good alternatives for their
environmental friendliness, low toxicity and low processing conditions. In the present study
Lichen extracts containing numerous metabolites can be used for the preparation of
magnesium nanoparticles from its salts.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
The materials used for the study were as follows Lichen (Cladonia rangiferina), Lichen
extract, Magnesium Sulphate (Sigma Aldrich, Mumbai, India), Acetone (Fischer scientific,
Mumbai, India), Millipore Water.
Preparation of Lichen Extraction
The method used for extraction from lichen is the Soxhlet Extraction where the sample is
extracted many times with a non-polar solvent and heated in a round bottom. Vapours
produced are condensed to their saturation point to leach its active material, and the solvent
is send back to the flask to repeat the process. Fig 1 shows a basic setup of Soxhlet
www.wjpr.net Vol 3, Issue 3, 2014. 4628 Fig 1. Green synthesis setup for nanoparticle synthesis
The characterization of nanoparticles was done by Particle Size analysis and dynamic light
scattering.
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION Particle Size Analysis
The size of the nanoparticle was determined using Malvern Zetasizer Nano S. It is
also known to be dynamic light scattering with working principle as time- dependent
oscillations of the coherent light causing scattering by the suspended particles. The average
size of the magnesium was found to be 23 nm. Most of the magnesium nanoparticles ranged
from 30-70 nm, which is well under the nanometer scale. Hence the particles may exhibit
unique properties like high surface to volume ratio, high surface energy, etc.
Fig 2. The PSA of synthesized magnesium nanoparticles.
UV-Visible Spectrophotometry
UV studies were done in a UV-1800 SHIMADZU UV Spectrophotometer where the
wavelengths ranged from 200nm to 1100nm .Ultraviolet–visible Spectroscopy refers to
www.wjpr.net Vol 3, Issue 3, 2014. 4629 region. The absorbance of the nanoparticle obtained was 262nm which is in the range of the
characteristic absorbance of magnesium in millipore water
Fig 3. UV-Vis studies for magnesium nanoparticles.
The absorbance of bulk Mg is around 450nm. The absorbance of the nanoparticle obtained
was 262nm which is in the range of the characteristic absorbance of magnesium in millipore
water. [23] The shift in the peak from red to blue may be due surface Plasmon effect caused by
the reduced size.
Previous reports suggest that green synthesised nanoparticles possess better biomedical
application than bulk counterparts. [24] With this view, we suggest that the phytosynthesised
magnesium nanoparticles may have their surface functionalized with the beneficial
phytochemicals of lichens. This may offer advantage over their bulk counterpart. Our
hypothesis is in line with our own previous report that phytosynthesised nanoparticles have
better biomedical activity, lesser toxicity and are also more ecofriendly.[24] Thus the
magnesium nanoparticles synthesised using lichens is expected to have many biomedical
activityes.
The use of magnesium substrates were already proposed to be good bone implants with
improved cytocompatibility similar to that of natural bone [25] and magnesium
nanoparticles for hyperthermia effect in nanomedicine. [26] The use of nano magnesium
oxide particle for analgesic and inflammation reduction has already been studied and
proved by L. Jahangiri et.al in 2013.[27] So, we can speculate that our magnesium
nanoparticle could also contain the same properties as proposed by its oxide
counterpart previously due to the capping with the active phenolic components of the
www.wjpr.net Vol 3, Issue 3, 2014. 4630 magnesium as a promising candidate in bone tissue engineering.[28] Previous report
suggest that the green synthesised nanoparticles will have better biomedical efficacy than the
chemically synthesised ones, probably due to the phytochemcial caps on their surface.[24] Our
reports, together with other previous findings reveal that the magnesium nanoparticles may
have potential applications in biocompatible implants. Altogether, our results suggest that the
protocol that we optimized using lichen extract is valid for the green synthesis of magnesium
nanoparticles with potential applications as an implant component.
CONCLUSION
Thus, the synthesis of magnesium nanoparticles by green synthesis prese nt ed here is an
eco friendly method to produce biocompatible nanoparticles which can be put to better use
in the medical field. The particle size obtained is well within the nano range. Based on the
literature evidence presented previously we were able to suggest some valuable properties of
this nanoparticle namely anti-inflammatory and bio compatibility. Hence this material can
be given as a coating to make anti-inflammation patches and as coatings on biomedical
devices for better biocompatibility and to resist inflammation a nd oxidation by radicals.
Stability, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory & antioxidant activity of the extract is to be
checked in future. The synthesized particle is expected to possess several biomedical
applications due to the capping by bioactive components of lichens.
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