Post on 08-Sep-2020
MICROTOMOGRAPHY STUDY OF BAMBOO IMPREGNATED
WITH SILVER NANOPARTICLES (Ag-NPs)
Omar Pandoli1,a
, Raquel Martins1
,Eric C. Romani2, Sidnei Paciornik
3, HaimonDiniz Lopes Alves
3,
Marcos Henrique de Pinho Maurício3, Fatima Ventura Pereira-Meirelles
1,b, Eric Lobo Luz,
Guilherme, B.Neumann4
, Khosrow Ghavami5,c
1DepartmentofChemistry, PontificiaCatholicUniversityof Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
2DepartmentofPhysic, PontificiaCatholicUniversityof Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
3Materials Eng. Department, PontificiaCatholicUniversityof Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
4DepartmentofBiology, Universidade Pontifícia Católica, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
5Civil Eng. Department, PUC-RIO andFZEA/USP-Pirassununga, São Paulo, Brazil
aomarpandoli@puc-rio.br,
bmeirelle@puc-rio.br,
cghavami@puc-rio.br
ABSTRACT:
Bamboo is an important non-conventional material used in different areas of engineering. A highly
resistant and malleable giant grass, it presents a high stiffness and strength-to-weight ratio superior
to any wood. Bamboo is composed of cellulose, hemicellulose and lignin and the mechanical
properties are attributed to its fibers. One of the main difficulties in the large-scale use of bamboo is
its low durability, mainly due to fungi and insect attacks. It has been shown that silver nanoparticles
(Ag-NPs) can be effective antimicrobial agent. This paper presents the result of an investigation
using Ag-NPs impregnation of bamboo Dedrocalamus giganteus to improve its resistance to the
attack by fungi, which is the main cause of vegetable decomposition. For this purpose, the starch of
culms was removed through several cycles of washing with warm water. Then, a 5x5x5mm sample
was impregnated with a colloidal solution of Ag-NPs through a vacuum system. X-ray
microtomography (µCT) was used to non-destructively analysis the nanoparticle’s 3D distribution
within the bamboo’s biological matrix. µCT is particularly suited in this case, given the large atomic
weight difference between the Ag particles and the bamboo matrix, leading to significant image
contrast. After image reconstruction and processing, followed by 3D rendering, it was shown that
impregnation was successful, with clusters of Ag-NPs distributed within the parenchyma only. The
antimicrobial activity of homemade and commercial Ag-NPs was evaluated against Aspergillus
niger.
Keywords: silver nanoparticle, impregnation, microtomography, bamboo antimicrobial.
INTRODUCTION:
In today's global vision, preserving the environment, research for sustainable energy sources and
decrease the cost of production has been a major challenge for all fields of technology.
Bamboo is a graminea (Poaceae), found in large quantities in Asia and South America [1,2].
Biocomposites are mainly composed of cellulose (55%), hemicellulose (20%) and lignin (25%), the
latter being responsible for its mechanical strength. The fibers are distributed anisotropically on
longitudinal position. It has rapid growth, with the maximum rate of 22 cm/day, given a kind of
giant bamboo reach up to 40 meters high in few months. Therefore, the use of bamboo has been
evaluated as an interesting alternative in lieu of some composites in various processes used in civil
engineering, textile industry, decoration materials and other industrial processes. Besides, it is also
used in soil remediation [2,3].
The implementation of Bamboo as unconventional materials has increased over the years. Due to
their chemical and mechanical properties, bamboo has shown high versatility. The replacement of
steel in civil construction by bamboo was evaluated in studies at PUC-Rio, obtaining satisfactory
results. According to this study, the values of the modulus of elasticity of bamboo found in the
internal parts, median and external are close to steel and concrete. These data linked to the results of
other tests, ensure the viability of this replacement [1,4]. In addition, the cellulose pulp can act as
reinforcement in the concrete to replace the asbestos fibers [5,6].
However, the application of bamboo has been limited due to their durability, which is affected by
microbiological degradation. Into parenchymal tissue of Bamboo’s biological matrix there are
starch granules, which is an energy source for the growth of microorganisms and is therefore prone
to their attacks, especially by fungi [7,8,9,10].
One proposal to inhibit or reduce the degradation of the vegetable matrix is the treatment with
antifungal compositions. One of the advanced researches, in this regard, is the use of silver
nanoparticles, which actually possess the ability to interfere with the metabolism of microorganisms
[11,12,13,14]. The fungal inhibition mechanism by means of Ag+ ion is not exactly established, but
its effect is cited in few articles, in different fields [15,16,17]. Some studies have been done on the
treatment of natural fibers with nanoparticles, yielding also the antifungal protection for the same
[11,13]. Extending the application to this biological matrix, the functionalization of bamboo with
silver nanoparticles also could prove to be effective to protect against microbiological attacks [18,
19]. Ag-NPs filled up the bamboo matrix could inhibit the proliferation of fungi and thus increase
its durability. The Ag-NPs impregnation can take place advantage of the hydrophilic surface
properties of bamboo fibers [20]. To enhance the dispersion of the Ag-NPs the right choice of
surfactant ligand of Ag-NPs is critical for their loading in to bamboo matrix.
The microtomography (μCT) imaging technique was choice to localize the metal deposition into a
bamboo matrix. Microtomography is a non-destructive technique that relies on the interaction and
attenuation of the radiation when passing through a sample. The technological advancements on X-
ray tubes with smaller focal spot sizes and flat panel detectors made resolution of the micron scale
possible, which, in turn, urged its spread throughout many small to medium laboratories. The result
of μCT is a grayscale image of the internal composition of the sample, which allows for 3D analysis
of the same parameters that were usually limited to a 2D evaluation and provides information on
their distribution. Considering that μCT offers thousands of images, the statistics are far superior to
any other available non-destructive technique. The possibilities of study have been worldly
recognized from several areas of expertise such as orthodontics, biology, earth sciences,
archaeology, and many others [21-30].
In this work, synthesis of Ag-NPs was carried out with microreactor technology, [31, 32] computed
microtomography technique was used to verify the distribution of Ag-NPs into bamboo fibers, and
biological testes were explored to assess the antifungical action of commercial and homemade Ag-
NPs.
EXPERIMENTAL SECTION
Material and Methods. Silver nitrate (AgNO3, >99.9% pure), sodium borohydride (NaBH4, >99%
pure), and trisodium citrate (Na3Citrate, > 99% pure), were purchased from Sigma Aldrich (Brazil).
Double deionized (DI) water with a measured resistivity of 18.2 mΩ cm-1
was used to make all the
solutions for the desired reactions. For the synthesis of silver nanoparticle, in flow mode, were used
two syringe pumps purchased from Future Chemistry and one glass micro reactor from Micronit.
The syringe pumps are able to inject the solutions of silver precursor and organic ligand into the
micro channel device to improve the mixing and the formation of the organic-metal complex in a
real short time compare with the batch mode. PFA (perfluoroalkoxyalkane) tubes and PEEK
(polyetheretherketone) connections, purchased from UpChurch, were used to inject the two
solutions into the microreactor with 6 μL internal volume. The bamboo impregnation experiments
were carried out using a 4 years old Dendrocalamus giganteus bamboo culm obtained from
FZEA/USPPirassununga, SP.Commercial silver colloids Ag-NPs, with diameters of 20, 40 and 60
nm purchased from TED –Pella Inc, were supplied in water with a negative surface charge of
sodium citrate. Microbiological tests were performed with the fungus Aspergillus niger strains,
grown in liquid Sabouroud, Kasvi supplied by Slabor.
Synthesis of silver nanoparticles. Silver nanoparticles (Ag-NPs) were synthesized employing
NaBH4 as reducing agent, and the organic ligand, Na3Citrate, as stabilizer. At first step of organic-
metal complex formation, Na3Citrate organic ligand with three carboxylate functional groupies able
to complex silver ion (Ag+) into the microchannel devise. At the second step, during the chemical
reduction of Ag+ to silver metal nanoparticle, Na3Citrate acts as capping agents to prevent the
aggregation of Ag-NPs. The reduction process was conducted in continuous flow reaction, where
AgNO3 solution (10-2
and 10-3
mol L-1
) was mixed with sodium citrate organic ligand (10-2
and 10-
3mol L
-1) into a glass microreactor system. The two solutions were injected by means of two syringe
pumps at flow rate of 0,25mL min-1
. The Ag+: ligand complex flowing out from the micro reactor
dropped directly into the fresh NaBH4 solution(10-2
and 10-3
mol L-1
) under vigorous stirring at room
temperature. The home made silver colloids (NP-01 at 10-2
mol L-1
and NP-02 at 10-3
mol L-1
) were
characterized with UV-VIS spectrophotometer (Perkin-Elmer 950 lambda) and Scanning
Transmission Electron Microscopy (STEM). The colloidal solutions NP-01 and NP-02 were used
for the anti microbial tests, meanwhile only the higher concentrated solution NP-01 was used for
impregnation test of a bamboo specimen.
Morphological characterization (STEM).For morphological characterization of silver
nanoparticles using microscopy, a small drop (2.5 μL) of nanoparticles solution (NP-02) was placed
on a carbon transmission electron microscopy grid (holey carbon) and allowed to evaporate
completely in air before analysis. A field emission scanning electron microscope (FEG-SEM)
(JEOL, JSM-6701F) was operated in the transmission mode (STEM) at 30 kV with a work distance
of 6.0 mm using the bright-filed detector.
Microbiological Test. The antimicrobial activity of Ag-NPs was evaluated. For this purpose,
Aspergillus niger was cultivated in Sabouroud liquid medium at 29oC and 160 rpm in the presence
and absence of Ag-NPs. Medium without Ag-NPs and/or cells were used as negative and positive
controls, respectively. Moreover, a commercial colloidal solution of Ag-NPs (CO) with diameters of
20 nm, 40 nm and 60 nm was also used for comparison. The growth of the fungi was performed in
15 ml tubes and 50 ml erlenmyer, being accompanied by 24 and 48 hours. After the growth 48hs,
the systems (yeast + medium) were vacuum filtered, dried in oven at 60oC and weighed on
analytical balance accuracy.
Bamboo impregnation. A cubic section of bamboo with the follow dimensions, 5x5x5 mm, was
placed into test tube with 0,50mL of colloidal solution of Ag-NPs (NP-01). It was submitted to five
impregnation cycles through a vacuum system. After each cycle a new fresh NP-02 was used. Soon
after, the impregnated bamboo with Ag-NPs was analysed in with X-ray microtomograph.
X-Ray Microtomography (MicroCT).It was used a Zeiss X radia Versa 510 microtomograph for
the X-ray microtomography experiment. This system consists of a X-ray microfocus source, up to
160 kV voltage and 10 W power and a detector where a two-stage magnification technique is
employed: i. geometric magnification as with conventional µCT, ii. a scintillator converts X-rays to
visible light, which is then optically magnified. Achievable true spatial resolution up to 0.7 µm.
The bamboo sample was scanned with the following setup:
Voltage (kv) 80
Power (w) 7
Pixel size (µm) 4
Exposure Time (s) 0.2
Number of Projections 1600
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
Surface plasmons resonance (SPR) band of a diluted silver colloidal solution is presented in figure 1.
According with UV-VIS spectra, the maximum wavelength (λmax) of the SPR band is centred at
390.7 nm and 394 nm respectively to NP-01 and NP-02. This λmax is characteristic for nanoparticles
with size diameter between 10-20 nm. The size nanoparticle was estimated by the empirical
equation (1) with a value of 11.46 nm and 16,19 nm, respectively. The relation between the
diameter of the silver nanoparticles and the absorption maximum is given by the following relation,
in which D is the particle diameter in nm and λmax
is the absorption maximum of the nanoparticles in
nm:
D = - 0,005441λ2max + 5,654λmax – 1367 (1)
300 350 400 450 500 550 600 650 700
0,0
0,2
0,4
0,6
0,8
1,0
1,2
Ab
so
rbâ
ncia
(nm)
NP-01
NP-02
CO-20
CO-40
CO-60
Figure 1. UV-VIS spectra of diluted colloidal solution of homemade Citrate capped Ag-NPs with
λmax of the SPR band centered at 390.7 nm and 394 to NP-01 and NP-02, respectively.
On the same graph, one can see the spectra of commercial nanoparticles of 20 nm, 40 nm and 60 nm,
which have absorption at the following wavelengths: 398 nm, 409 nm and 430 nm. For the reading
in the spectrophotometer, all nanoparticles were diluted in the ratio 1: 4, with the exception of the
NP-01, was diluted in the ratio 1:40.
The validity of calculated empirical diameter value of Ag-NPs was confirmed by STEM analysis.
Figure 2 shows a typical STEM image of the silver nanoparticles synthesized by the reduction of
AgNO3 in the presence of sodium citrate and NaBH4 (NP-01). In order to extract statistical
distribution of silver nanoparticles, image analysis (IA) method using a routine created in the image
J program was applied. For image analysis, intensity threshold, segmentation and post-processing
methods were used in order to detect the individual silver nanoparticles [33]. Using this procedure,
it was possible to measure the major axis, minor axis among others morphological attributes of
silver nanoparticles. The inset of figure 2 shows the histogram on the statistical distribution of the
diameter of the silver nanoparticles with a mean value of 14.3 ± 3.6 nm obtained using the image
analysis procedure. This histogram was constructed from the average of the series statistics on
major and minor axes of the silver nanoparticles.
Figure 2. STEM image of silver nanoparticles with Na3Citrate as organic stabilizer. Inset: size
diameter histogram for Ag-NPs (NP-01) used for the bamboo impregnation.
X-Ray Microtomography analysis is presented in figures 3 and 4, where 3D images show bamboo
samples, respectively, before and after silver colloids impregnation. In figure 3, the internal section
of pure bamboo is showed. The light gray colour shows the lignificated vegetal cells of the
sclerenchyma tissue around the bundle vessel. The dark gray colour represents the parenchyma
structure of the bamboo matrix.
Figure3.MicroCTimages of bamboo specimen before Ag-NPs colloidal solution treatment.
In figure 4, 3D images with different contrast colours allow to identify silver aggregates inside
bamboo sample. In this case: red colour represents the bamboo matrix, while yellow colour
represents silver aggregates deposited on it. Although the X-Ray Microtomography analysis didn’t
show nanoparticles deposition, due to the limitation of the spatial resolution of this technique,
different perspectives of the specimen help us to identify in which regions silver aggregates are
penetrated and concentrated. Silver aggregates with dimensions between 10-20 μm were found
concentrated preferentially into parenchyma structure. This can be explained because the
parenchyma structure is the tissue in which the vegetal cell are still alive, where the biopolymer
lignin, whom supports the vegetal cells, is opened and let go in and out water, mineral salt and other
materials useful to sustain life cell.
Figure 4. MicroCT 3D images of bamboo after five cycles impregnation of Ag-NPs. Red and yellow
colours represent, respectively, bamboo matrix and silver aggregates.
Figure 5 presents the results obtained from antimicrobial test, in tests on tubes. It can be seen that
cell dry weight obtained after 48 of cultivation on the tube containing NP-01 was superior to the
control. While in the tubes NP-02 and CO-20, we observe the greater growth inhibition.
Figure 5. Dry-weight of fungi culture in the absence or presence of Ag-NPs. CO is the commercial
colloidal solution of Ag-NPs with different diameters (20,40 and 60nm).
Many factors can interfere with the development of microorganisms, such as temperature, oxygen
availability and amount of nutrients. However, the development of concurrent experiment with the
control, assures us that the change in the mycelium growth is related to the unique modified
variable: the presence and the nature of the nanoparticles. Thus, it is understood that the mycelium
weight decreased or increased by the presence of the Ag-NPs. In this sense, NP-02 showed greater
efficiency in inhibiting the mycelium growth compared not only to the NP-01, but also in relation to
the commercial Ag-NPs. When we compare CO-20, CO-40 and CO-60, it is also noticed that as
greater is the size of NP as lower is the inhibition effect.
As NP-02 was the most effective in the previous test, it was used as follows, in the experiments in
shaken-flasks (Table 2). Table 2 shows the results obtained after 48 and 72h of cultivation. The
images confirm the results obtained in the experiment conducted in the tube where the NP-02 lead
to the lower growth.
Table 2 - Micelium aggregation images of Aspergillus niger grown in the absence (Control) or in
presence of Ag-NPs (NP-02) and commercial Ag-NPs (CO-20) in 50 mL erlenmeyer flasks
(a)
Control NP-02 CO-20
48 h
72 h
CONCLUSIONS
In our best knowledge this is the first report in which X-Ray Microtomography analysis is used to
study a biocomposite metal-biological matrix, where is possible identify a penetration and the
deposition of metal silver into bamboo parenchyma structure. Further studies are focused on the
radial distribution of Ag-NPs into bamboo fibers, as well as the variation of impregnation as a
function of the number of impregnation cycles. Further research will evaluate the effect of different
electric charged surfactants for the Ag-NPs on their dispersion, and the impact on bamboo
degradation. Possible previous chemical treatments of bamboo fibers can directly interfere with
adhesion of the nanoparticles and improve the impregnation of the Ag-NPs.
From the antimicrobial tests, NP-02 was more effective to inhibit mycelium formation. Due to
different inhibition degree obtained with NP-02 and CO-20, it can be suggested that they act in a
different way over the fungi culture. It is well known the effect of NP-Ag in bacteria, prokaryotic
cells, but there are few works with fungi, eukaryotic cells. It´s worth mentioning that bamboo is also
eukaryotic. Thus, it is important to thoroughly investigate the interaction between Ag-NPs and
fungi, and understand it, in order to use Ag-NPs as protector of bamboo biological matrix against
fungi.
Finally, our results suggest that homemade silver colloidal solution with NP-02 can be used in the
further impregnation experiments and assess the bamboo durability decreasing fungi proliferation
into biological vegetal matrix.
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