Gold Nanoparticles from Antarctic Bacteria helps in Clinical trials

The National Centre for Polar and Ocean Research and the Goa University have synthesized gold nano particles. They have synthesized the particles using psychrotolerant Antarctic bacteria.

Highlights

The scientists have adopted a non-toxic, eco-friendly and low-cost method to synthesize the gold nano particles. These nano particles are to be used in anti-cancer, anti-diabetic and anti-viral drugs.

The scientists reduced the gold ions into Gold Nano Particles using the Psychrotolerant Antarctic bacteria.

What are Psychrotolerant bacteria?

The Psychrotolerant micro-organisms are those organisms that can grow only in low temperatures. They favour temperatures between −20 °C to +10 °C and are thus common in Arctic and Antarctic regions and also in deep sea.

Significance

The Gold Nano Particles melt at lower temperature (300 ^°C) than that of the bulk gold (1064 ^°C). They are used in therapeutic imaging for their following properties

• The Biocompatibility, stability and nontoxicity of gold nano particles make them suitable for applications in therapeutic uses. The therapeutic uses include diagnosis and detection of diseases.
• The Gold Nano Particles can act as potential drug carriers.

Other uses of Gold Nano Particles

Apart from medical and biotechnology, the Gold Nano Particles are widely used in electronics industry as well. Scientists have constructed transistor known as NOMFET (Nanoparticle Organic Memory Field-Effect Transistor) by embedding Gold Nano Particles to porous Manganese Oxides. These transistors are now used to mimic human cognitive processes.

Month: Current Affairs - June, 2020