Synthesis and Characterization of Nano Selenium Using Plant Biomolecules and Their Potential Applications

The present study reports the eco-friendly synthesis of selenium nanoparticles (SeNps) and their characterization. Synthesis of SeNps was carried out by incubating aqueous sodium selenite (Na 2 SeO 3 ) with an alcoholic extract of guava ( Psidium guajava) leaf. The biosynthesis was completed in 3 h which was confirmed by UV-Vis spectroscopy and the surface plasmon resonance observed at 381 nm. FTIR spectroscopy data reveals that ascorbic acid and phenolic compounds present in guava leaves are responsible for the synthesis of nanoparticles. Transmissions electron microscopy (TEM) analysis shows the synthesized SeNps are spherical, having a diameter in the range of 8–20 nm. The synthesized nanoparticles show antibacterial effect on both gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) reveals that SeNps disrupt the bacterial cell structure. The bactericidal effect was studied by fluorescence microscopy. The toxicity was analyzed by MTT assay against HepG2 cell and CHO cells lines. The nanoparticles were found to be biocompatible with potent antibacterial properties.