New Delhi: Scientists at Delhi Technological University (DTU) have made significant progress in producing nanoparticles from natural plant extracts with antibacterial properties. These particles have potential for various applications, particularly in treating water pollution caused by untreated wastewater, dyeing industry effluents, and other pollutants.
Dr. Mohan Singh Mehata, associate professor of engineering physics at DTU, has led pioneering research to develop nanomaterials using eco-friendly sources such as tulsi, neem and rice straw. Laboratory studies have shown positive results, with the liquid nanomaterials showing effective cleaning ability.
The scientific team believes that this innovation could help solve pollution problems in rivers, especially waterways like the Yamuna that are affected by industrial pollution.
The research group has published numerous papers documenting nanoparticles of different colors that come from different materials and each have unique properties.
The first nanoparticles measuring 10–20 nanometers were spherical silver particles prepared from Tulsi leaf extract. These showed a strong antibacterial effect against E. coli bacteria.
“The key active ingredients such as quercetin in tulsi played a crucial role in reducing metal ions into nanoparticles and enhancing their antibacterial effectiveness,” says his research paper published in Scientific Reports (Nature Publishing Group), which received widespread acclaim with over 824 citations. Based on this, Mehata continued to synthesize Silver nanoparticles from neem leaf extract, which exhibited remarkable antibacterial properties.
Their continued research produced silver nanoparticles from ginger extract that achieved 99 percent degradation of textile dye and provided an effective environmental solution.
“These nanoparticles showed a high degradation rate constant, making them a valuable tool for reducing environmental pollution in the textile industry,” he emphasized.
The work further extended to gold nanoparticles synthesized from Kalanchoe fedtschenkoi leaf extract, which demonstrated catalytic ability in the degradation of methylene blue dye, achieving a degradation rate of 94%. Among the latest findings, the research team also used blue-emitting graphene quantum dots (GQDs) from rice straw, which showed promising potential for non-invasive medical diagnostics.
“These nanoparticles, which are in soluble form and derived from various natural elements, have also successfully detected the presence of chromium ions as a contaminant in water bodies such as ponds or rivers. The research underscores the versatility of plant-based nanomaterials and underscores their importance in applications in healthcare and environmental sustainability,” Mehata said.
Research initially focused on understanding the properties of nanoparticles and their interactions with proteins and radiation, as well as finding solutions to water pollution.
“One of the many goals of the study was to combat environmental pollution. We originally used chemicals to develop the nanoparticles, but we discovered that they were very toxic. “So we turned to nature to find answers,” said the scientist.