Fabrication and Characterization of Ag-Graphene Nanocomposites and Investigation of Their Cytotoxic, Antifungal and Photocatalytic Potential

Sidra Batool Malik; Asma Gul; Javed Iqbal Saggu; Banzeer Ahsan Abbasi; Beenish Azad; Javed Iqbal; Mohsin Kazi; Wadie Chalgham; Seyed Arshia Mirjafari Firoozabadi

doi:10.3390/molecules28104139

Fabrication and Characterization of Ag-Graphene Nanocomposites and Investigation of Their Cytotoxic, Antifungal and Photocatalytic Potential

Molecules. 2023 May 17;28(10):4139. doi: 10.3390/molecules28104139.

Authors

Sidra Batool Malik¹, Asma Gul¹, Javed Iqbal Saggu², Banzeer Ahsan Abbasi³, Beenish Azad¹, Javed Iqbal⁴, Mohsin Kazi⁵, Wadie Chalgham⁶, Seyed Arshia Mirjafari Firoozabadi⁷

Affiliations

¹ Department of Biological Sciences, International Islamic University, Islamabad 44000, Pakistan.
² Department of Physics, Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad 45320, Pakistan.
³ Department of Botany, Rawalpindi Women University, 6th Road, Satellite Town, Rawalpindi 46300, Pakistan.
⁴ 2Department of Botany, Bacha Khan University, Charsadda 24420, Pakistan.
⁵ Department of Pharmaceutics, College of Pharmacy, King Saud University, P.O. Box 2457, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia.
⁶ Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA.
⁷ Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA.

Abstract

In the present study, we aimed to synthesize (Ag)_1-x(GNPs)_x nanocomposites in variable ratios (25% GNPs-Ag, 50% GNPs-Ag, and 75% GNPs-Ag) via an ex situ approach to investigate the incremental effects of GNPs (graphene nanoparticles) on AgNPs (silver nanoparticles). The prepared nanocomposites were successfully characterized using different microscopic and spectroscopic techniques, including X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, ultraviolet spectroscopy, and Raman spectroscopic analysis. For the evaluation of morphological aspects, shape, and percentage elemental composition, SEM and EDX analyses were employed. The bioactivities of the synthesized nanocomposites were briefly investigated. The antifungal activity of (Ag)_1-x(GNPs)_x nanocomposites was reported to be 25% for AgNPs and 66.25% using 50% GNPs-Ag against Alternaria alternata. The synthesized nanocomposites were further evaluated for cytotoxic potential against U87 cancer cell lines with improved results (for pure AgNPs IC₅₀: ~150 µg/mL, for 50% GNPs-Ag IC₅₀: ~12.5 µg/mL). The photocatalytic properties of the nanocomposites were determined against the toxic dye Congo red, and the percentage degradation was recorded as 38.35% for AgNPs and 98.7% for 50% GNPs-Ag. Hence, from the results, it is concluded that silver nanoparticles with carbon derivatives (graphene) have strong anticancer and antifungal properties. Dye degradation strongly confirmed the photocatalytic potential of Ag-graphene nanocomposites in the removal of toxicity present in organic water pollutants.

Keywords: antifungal; cell viability; degradation; graphene; nanocomposites; silver nanoparticles.

MeSH terms

Anti-Bacterial Agents
Antifungal Agents / pharmacology
Antineoplastic Agents* / pharmacology
Graphite* / chemistry
Graphite* / pharmacology
Metal Nanoparticles* / chemistry
Nanocomposites* / chemistry
Silver / chemistry
Silver / pharmacology
Spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared
X-Ray Diffraction

Substances

Graphite
Antifungal Agents
Silver
Antineoplastic Agents
Anti-Bacterial Agents

Grants and funding

The authors would like to extend their sincere appreciation to the Researchers Supporting Project Number (RSP2023R301), King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.