Abstract

SYNTHESIS AND CHARACTERISATION OF IRON NANO PARTICLES USING ARTOCARPUS HETEROPHYLLUS TENDER LEAF EXTRACT AND EVALUATION OF CYTOTOXIC ACTIVITY

Dr. Beena Jose* and Anjali P. S.

Abstract

The iron nanoparticle synthesized using Artocarpus heterophyllus tender leaf extract was characterized using UV-Vis spectroscopy, FTIR spectroscopy, Scanning electron microscope (SEM) and Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) analyses. Results obtained from the above analyses revealed the efficient capping and stabilization properties of these nanoparticles. SEM results showed that the particles synthesized using the plant extract are in nano size varies between 560.36 and 461.74 nm. This also supported by the shifts and difference in the areas of the peaks obtained in the FTIR analysis. TEM results also showed that the iron nanoparticles are in cubical shape and the mean diameter size of this nanoparticle was found to be 51 nm. FTIR spectroscopy confirms that Artocarpus heterophyllus tender leaf extract has the ability to act as reducing agents and stabilizers of the iron nanoparticles. The FTIR spectra shows the presence of O-H, C-H, C=O, C-O-C and Fe- O bonds. As the size of the nanoparticles decreases, the band gap increases and thus the optical absorbance increases as compared to that of the bulk particles and therefore their color changes. The absorption maxima of thus synthesized nano particles is in the range of 220- 240nm. From the optical absorbance data the optical energy band gap has been calculated. It was found to be about 2.3 eV. For iron nanoparticles the optical energy band gap is in between 2 to 2.5 eV. This further confirmed the formation of iron nanoparticles. From the cytotoxicity analysis, it is observed that the formed iron nanoparticle has the ability to destroy the cells which are formed from the abnormal growth of tumour cells. It opened a new way to the nano medicinal field for the drug designing against cancer.

Keywords: Artocarpus heterophyllus, green synthesis, iron nanoparticles, cytotoxicity, drug designing.