Synthesis of bio-functional nanoparticles from sono-responsive amino acids using high frequency ultrasound

Sukhvir Kaur Bhangu; Muthupandian Ashokkumar; Francesca Cavalieri

doi:10.1016/j.ultsonch.2020.104967

Synthesis of bio-functional nanoparticles from sono-responsive amino acids using high frequency ultrasound

Ultrason Sonochem. 2020 May:63:104967. doi: 10.1016/j.ultsonch.2020.104967. Epub 2020 Jan 10.

Authors

Sukhvir Kaur Bhangu¹, Muthupandian Ashokkumar², Francesca Cavalieri³

Affiliations

¹ School of Chemistry, University of Melbourne, VIC 3010, Australia.
² School of Chemistry, University of Melbourne, VIC 3010, Australia. Electronic address: masho@unimelb.edu.au.
³ School of Science, RMIT University, Melbourne, VIC 3001, Australia; Dipartimento di Scienze e Tecnologie Chimiche, Universita' degli Studi di Roma "Tor Vergata", via della ricerca scientifica 1, 00133 Rome, Italy. Electronic address: francesca.cavalieri@rmit.edu.au.

PMID: 31978711
DOI: 10.1016/j.ultsonch.2020.104967

Abstract

A simple, one-pot high frequency ultrasonication (490 kHz) methodology to convert hydrophobic and amphipathic amino acids into nanostructures was investigated. The approach involved the oxidative coupling of aromatic amino acids (phenylalanine and tryptophan) in aqueous solutions to form high molecular weight dimers and oligomers. The role of cavitation bubble surface and ultrasonic power to trigger the out-of-equilibrium self-assembly of dimers and trimers to spherical and uniform nanostructures with controlled size has been discussed. The synthesized particles exhibited fluorescence in blue, green and red spectral regions and a strong antioxidant activity.

Keywords: Nanoparticles; Phenylalanine; Self-assembly; Tryptophan; Ultrasound.

MeSH terms

Food Handling
Nanoparticles*
Phenylalanine / chemistry*
Spectrum Analysis
Tryptophan / chemistry*
Ultrasonic Waves*

Substances

Phenylalanine
Tryptophan