ORIGINAL ARTICLES   

Minerva Biotecnologica 2016 June;28(2):86-8

Copyright © 2016 EDIZIONI MINERVA MEDICA

lingua: Inglese

A simple biological method for copper nanoparticles synthesis

Hamid R. GHORBANI

Department of Chemical Engineering, Central Tehran Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran

BACKGROUND: The development of reliable and environmental processes for synthesis of copper nanoparticles is an essential step in the field of application of nanotechnology. In this work, we report the biosynthesis of copper nanoparticles employing the bacterium Escherichia coli.
METHODS: Copper nanoparticles were synthesized through the reduction of aqueous Cu2+ ion using the growth culture supernatants. Copper nanoparticles were formed within 1 hour of copper ion coming in contact with the cell filtrate.
RESULTS: To confirm the synthesis of nanoparticles, characterization was done by UV-Vis spectrophotometer, transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and dynamic light scattering (DLS). An absorption peak at 572 nm in UV-Vis spectrophotometer was detected indicating the presence of Cu nanoparticles. The DLS analysis showed Cu nanoparticles with size of 90±15 nm.
CONCLUSIONS: In this work, Copper nanoparticles in the range of ~75-105 nm are synthesized by the supernatant of E. coli when it is added to copper (II) nitrate. This study would therefore lead to an easy procedure for producing copper nanoparticles with the added advantage of biosafety.