The influence of stabilizing agents on physicochemical properties of selenium nanoparticles obtained by chemical reduction

Nanočestice selena (SeNPs) su specifična forma ovog elementa koja je u poslednje vreme postala predmet brojnih istraživanja, pogotovo u oblasti biomedicine. Do sada je razvijeno više metoda sinteze SeNPs, među kojima se najčešće koriste one koje podrazumevaju redukciju iz njegovih jedinjenja. U ovom radu ispitan je uticaj dva stabilizatora na morfologiju, veličinu i kristalno uređenje SeNPs dobijenih redukcijom natrijum selenita askorbinskom kiselinom. Kao stabilizatori SeNPs korišćeni su goveđi serum albumin (BSA) ili poliglutaminska kiselina (PGA). Na osnovu rezultata dobijenih metodama skenirajuće elektronske mikroskopije (FESEM), transmisione elektronske mikroskopije (TEM), energetske disperzione spektroskopije (EDS), elektronske difrakcije sa selektovane površine (SAED) i merenjem zeta potencijala, utvrđeno je da mehanizam stabilizacije tj. izbor stabilizatora može prouzrokovati različito kristalno uređenje unutar SeNPs. BSA se pokazao kao efikasniji stabilizator jer omogućuje dobijanje uniformnijih, manjih i amorfnih nanočestica selena.Selenium nanoparticles (SeNPs) are specific form of this element that has recently become the subject of numerous research, especially in the field of biomedicine. Several synthesis procedures for obtaining SeNPs have been developed so far, among those including reduction of selenium salts are the most frequently used. In this work, it is examined the effect of two stabilizing agents on morphology, size, and crystallinity of obtained SeNPs. For this purpose, bovine serum albumin (BSA) and polyglutamic acid (PGA) were used as stabilizing agents while reduction of sodium selenite with ascorbic acid was elected as a synthesis procedure. Based on the results obtained from scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), selected area electron diffraction (SAED), and measurements of zeta potential, it was determined that the mechanism of stabilization i.e. choice of stabilizing agent can promote different crystalline arrangement within SeNPs. The BSA proved as a more effective stabilizing agent for SeNPs, as it provides obtaining the smaller, more uniform, and amorphous nanoparticles