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The issue of industrial dyes has risen to the forefront of environmental concerns, as they are now recognized as a prevalent form of industrial waste that pollutes our surroundings. As such, it is imperative that efforts be made to address their toxicity, with a view to safeguarding the environment and public health. To this end, the application of nanotechnologies presents a promising solution to the challenge of mitigating the harmful effects of industrial dyes on our environment. Copper oxide nanoparticles (CuO NPs) have been found to possess strong photocatalytic properties and are effective in degrading toxic dyes in polluted water and industrial effluents. In this experimental work, CuO NPs were synthesized using Citrus limon leaves extract as source of bioactive molecules to obtain stable NPs. Microscopic and spectroscopic analyses confirmed the formation of CuO NPs with size range of 20–25 nm with spherical shape. In addition, the prepared NPs utilized as photocatalyst against Remazol Brilliant Blue R (RBBR) dye, which shows remarkable potency within 180 min with degradation efficiency ∼90%. Thus, CuO NPs can be used as sustainable, cost-effective and efficient alternative for the removal of toxic industrial effluents from water bodies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The quest for novel nanoscale materials for different applications necessitates that they are easy to obtain and have excellent physical properties and low toxicity. Moreover, considering the ongoing environmental impact of noxious chemical waste products, it is important to adopt eco-friendly approaches for nanoparticle synthesis. In this work, a natural polymer (medium molecular weight chitosan) derived from chitin was employed as a reducing agent to obtain gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) with a chitosan shell (AuNPs@CS) by a microwave oven. The chitosan is economically viable and cost-competitive in the market showing also nontoxic behavior in the environment and living organisms. The synthesized AuNPs@CS-FITC NPs were fully characterized by spectroscopic and microscopic characterization techniques. The size distribution of NPs was about 15 nm, which is a suitable dimension to use in biomedical applications due to their high tissue penetration, great circulation in blood, and optimal clearance as well as low toxicity. The prepared polymer-capped NPs were further functionalized with a fluorescent molecule, i.e., Fluorescein-5-isothiocyanate (FITC), to perform imaging in the cell. The results highlighted the goodness of the synthesis procedure, as well as the high internalization rate that resulted in an optimal fluorescence intensity. Thus, this work presents a good sustainable/green approach-mediated polymer nanocomposite for various applications in the field of diagnostic imaging. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Green synthesis from plant waste involves the generation of functional nanoparticles (NPs), offering significant potential for a wide range of applications. Numerous studies have focused on the use of plant extracts to produce AuNPs suitable for various applications in the medical field, particularly in photothermal therapy and cancer therapy, owing to their plasmonic properties. Moreover, NP-mediated immunostimulation and immunosuppression is an intriguing field of research, focusing on how manipulation of NP physicochemical properties can influence their inter-action with immune cells and immune modulation. However, to date, few investigations have been conducted on the modulation of the inflammatory response mediated by green-synthesized nanostructures. To this aim, we synthesized AuNPs using extracts of Laurus nobilis , which exhibit high crystallinity and are inherently coated by a dense network of polyphenols, thus maintaining stability on their surface through the green synthesis approach. Then, in order to explore how these green-synthesized nanostructures can enhance or suppress the inflammatory cellular responses, we investigated the response of free polyphenols and AuNPs@polyphenols in murine bone marrow derived dendritic cells (BMDCs), by means of morphomechanical analysis and biochemical assays. Our findings demonstrated that DCs exposed to both free polyphenol extract and AuNPs@polyphenols were able to inhibit the secretion of crucial inflammatory mediators in response to lipopolysaccharide (LPS) administration. Therefore, polyphenols immobilized on Au surface were more effective in the inflammation suppression. These evidence paving the way for a powerful strategy to develop edible anti-inflammatory adjuvants, overcoming the limitations associated with the use of free polyphenols in clinical practice. [Display omitted] • free polyphenols and AuNPs@polyphenols in BMDCs were investigated by morphomechanical analysis and biochemical assays. • BMDCs exposed to both free polyphenols extract and AuNPs@polyphenols are able to suppress the secretion of crucial inflammatory mediators. • AuNPs@polyphenols are powerful tools to develop edible anti-inflammatory adjuvants and overcome the limitations associated to free polyphenols in clinical practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]