Ricerc@Sapienza

In this work, the electronic and molecular structure, as well as the morphology, of innovative nanostructured materials whose optical properties respond to the presence of heavy metals in water samples was investigated. In particular, the here discussed silver nanoparticles (NPs) stabilized by a hydrophilic ligand (sodium 3-mercapto-1-propanesulfonate, 3MPS) are able to reveal the presence of mercury ions at ppm levels.

We evaluate the early and late safety and efficacy of silver nanoparticle (AgNPs) in wound healing after circumcision. This multicenter prospective comparative non-randomized observational study compares wound dressing with AgNPs (group A) vs. gentamicin cream (group B). Follow-up included objective evaluation at 10 and 30 days by the Southampton Scoring System (SSS) and Stony Brook Scar Evaluation Scale (SBSES). We enrolled 392 males: 194 in group A, and 198 in group B.

Nowadays, silver nanoparticles receive increasing attention in nanomedicine, due to their characteristics which allow numerous biological applications. In this study, a biofabrication protocol was formulated to synthesize silver nanoparticles using a mangrove extract of Aegiceras corniculatum. The bio-physical characterization of mangrove-fabricated silver nanoparticles were carried out using UV–vis spectrophotometry, FTIR spectroscopy, XRD analysis and HRTEM.

Efficient direct electron transfer (DET) between cellobiose dehydrogenase from Corynascus thermophilus (CtCDH) and a novel gold electrode platform, obtained by covalent linking of green AuNPs and AgNPs modified with a dithiol self-assembled monolayer, consisting of biphenyl-4,4?-dithiol (BPDT), was presented. The green AuNPs and AgNPs were synthesized using quercetin as reducing agent at room temperature. TEM experiments showed that the AuNPs and AgNPs were circular in shape with an average diameter of 5 and 8 nm, respectively.

Silver nanoparticles capped with 3-mercapto-1propanesulfonic acid sodium salt (AgNPs-3MPS), able to interact with Ni2+or Co2+, have been prepared to detect these heavy metal ions in water. This system works as an optical sensor and it is based on the change of the intensity and shape of optical absorption peak due to the surface plasmon resonance (SPR) when the AgNPs-3MPS are in presence of metals ions in a water solution. We obtain a specific sensitivity to Ni2+and Co2+up to 500 ppb (part per billion).

This review provides a broad look on the recent investigations on the synthesis, characterization and physico-chemical properties of noble metal nanoparticles, mainly gold and silver nanoparticles, stabilized with ligands of different chemical nature. A comprehensive review of the available literature in this field may be far too large and only some selected representative examples will be reported here, together with some recent achievements from our group, that will be discussed in more detail.

Functionalized gold and silver nanoparticles have been prepared and
characterized by means of spectroscopic and morphological techniques together focused
on electrical measurements on cast deposited films. The Au and Ag nanoparticles have
been functionalized with a on purpose prepared conjugated dithiol, 9,9-didodecyl-2,7-bisthiofluorene
(FL), giving rise to organic solvents soluble AuNPs-FL and AgNPs-FL
samples, respectively. In the case of AuNPs-FL, well separated nanoparticles, with an

This study aims to determine the interaction (uptake and biological effects on cell viability and cell cycle progression) of glucose capped silver nanoparticles (AgNPs-G) on human epithelioid cervix carcinoma (HeLa) cells, in relation to amount, 2 x 10(3) or 2 x 10(4) NPs/cell, and exposure time, up to 48 h.

The production of silver nanoparticles (Ag-NPs) from bilberry waste (BW) and red currant waste (RCW) extracts was studied. Red fruit extracts were obtained by treating BW and RCW with aqueous ethanol (50% v/v) at 40 °C. The formation of nanoparticles was monitored spectrophotometrically by measuring the intensity of the surface plasmon resonance band (SPR) of silver. The effects of temperature (20–60 °C) and pH (8–12) on the reaction kinetics and on the properties of Ag-NPs were investigated.