Close

Green synthesized silver nanoparticles from Moringa: Potential for preventative treatment of SARS-CoV-2 contaminated water

Adebayo J. Bello, Omorilewa B. Ebunoluwa, Rukayat O. Ayorinde, Nneka Onyepeju, Joseph O. Shaibu, Adeniyi R. Adewole, Abeebat O. Adewole, Olusegun Adedeji, Ololade O. Akinnusi, Olajumoke B. Oladapo, Temitope S. Popoola, Oluwamodupe M. Arotiba, Joseph B. Minari, Luqman A. Adams, Joy Okpuzor, Mujeeb O. Shittu

Posted on: 14 November 2024

Preprint posted on 14 October 2024

Moringa power! Cost-effective, eco-friendly silver nanoparticles could revolutionize SARS-CoV-2 water decontamination in developing regions. Safer, cleaner water ahead and a sustainable win for global health.

Selected by Safieh Shah, Benjamin Dominik Maier

Background

The emergence of SARS-CoV-2 has underscored the critical need for effective antiviral agents, particularly in the realm of water purification. Contaminated water sources can serve as reservoirs for various pathogens, including viruses like SARS-CoV-2, which pose significant public health risks (1).

Traditional methods for water disinfection such as chlorination have their limitations, including the potential formation of harmful by-products for humans. Therefore, the exploration of alternative disinfection strategies is imperative. Alternatively, green chemistry approaches are methods of chemical synthesis that aim to reduce or eliminate the use and generation of hazardous substances. In this study, Moringa oleifera leaf extracts are used to synthesize silver nanoparticles. Moringa trees are native to South Asian countries as well as some African countries.

This eco-friendly method minimizes toxic chemicals and waste, making the process more sustainable and safer for the environment.

 


Preprint Figure 2: Scanning Electron Microscopy showing the particle size of the biosynthesized nanoparticles.
Reproduced under a CC-BY 4.0 International license 

The size and shape of silver nanoparticles are effective against microbes because of their small size and large surface area. These properties help them move easily through cell membranes and reach the target areas, boosting their antimicrobial power, while their positive surface charge helps them disrupt bacterial membranes more effectively. These are examples of how their physicochemical properties play a crucial role in determining the overall effectiveness and behavior of the nanoparticles in different environments. In this context, the use of nanoparticles, especially those synthesized through green chemistry approaches, offers a promising avenue due to their unique physicochemical properties and potential for broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity. 

This preprint explores the synthesis, characterization, and application of biogenic silver nanoparticles (AgNPmo) derived from Moringa oleifera leaf extracts. The study primarily aims to investigate the antimicrobial and antiviral efficacy of these nanoparticles, with a specific focus on SARS-CoV-2, the causative agent of COVID-19. 

Key findings 

Synthesis of Silver Nanoparticles 

The authors employed Moringa oleifera leaf extracts to synthesize biogenic silver nanoparticles (AgNPmo), leveraging the plant’s inherent reducing and stabilizing agents. The synthesis process involved mixing aqueous extracts of Moringa oleifera leaves with a silver nitrate solution, followed by incubation at room temperature. The color change from colorless to brown indicated the formation of AgNPmo. 

Characterization of AgNPmo 

Characterization of the synthesized nanoparticles was conducted using a suite of techniques, including UV-Vis spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and X-ray diffractometry (XRD). These analyses confirmed the successful synthesis of AgNPmo, revealing their spherical morphology as well as their crystalline nature. The UV-Vis spectroscopy showed a characteristic absorption peak around 430 nm, indicative of the presence of silver nanoparticles. FTIR analysis confirmed the presence of biomolecules from Moringa oleifera that capped and stabilized the nanoparticles. SEM images displayed uniform spherical nanoparticles with an average size of 20-30 nm, while XRD patterns confirmed their crystalline structure. 

Antimicrobial and Antiviral Activity 

The nanoparticles demonstrated significant antimicrobial activity against clinical bacterial isolates (Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus) and low cytotoxicity on Vero cells (kidney epithelial cell line derived from the African green monkey). In vitro studies showed that AgNPmo effectively reduced SARS-CoV-2 viral load, after 48-hours of incubation and at low concentrations. 

What I like about the preprint 

I appreciate the innovative approach of using green synthesis for producing silver nanoparticles, which is both cost-effective and environmentally friendly.The dual antimicrobial and antiviral properties of AgNPmo make it a promising candidate for addressing waterborne infections, especially in resource-limited settings. The study’s findings could have significant implications for public health, particularly in preventing the spread of SARS-CoV-2 through contaminated water. 

Future directions  

Future research could focus on scaling up the production of AgNPmo and conducting in vivo studies to assess its efficacy and safety in animal models. It would also be valuable to explore the long-term stability and potential environmental impact of these nanoparticles which is beyond the scope of this current study.  

Questions for the authors  

  1. How can the synthesis process be optimized for larger-scale production?  
  2. What should AgNPmo be used in conjunction with to effectively reduce and clean water from SARS-CoV-2 virus?
  3. Does this current low concentration and reduced viral load of SAE-CoV-2 have any clinical significance in terms of preventing actual infection?  
  4. Are there other potential applications for AgNPmo beyond water purification for this particular virus? 
  5. Does the addition of AgNPmo interfere with the estimation of the COVID-19 prevalence from wastewater measurements? 

Tags: covid19, ecofriendly, moringa, nanotechnology, sustainablescience, wash

Read preprint (No Ratings Yet)

Have your say

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Sign up to customise the site to your preferences and to receive alerts

Register here

Also in the bioengineering category:

Engineered Nanotopographies Induce Transient Openings in the Nuclear Membrane

Einollah Sarikhani, Vrund Patel, Zhi Li, et al.

Selected by 23 September 2024

Sristilekha Nath

Bioengineering

Scalable and efficient generation of mouse primordial germ cell-like cells

Xinbao Ding, Liangdao Li, Jingyi Gao, et al.

Selected by 05 March 2024

Carly Guiltinan

Cell Biology

Generalized Biomolecular Modeling and Design with RoseTTAFold All-Atom

Rohith Krishna, Jue Wang, Woody Ahern, et al.

Selected by 24 January 2024

Saanjbati Adhikari

Bioengineering

Also in the cell biology category:

Motor Clustering Enhances Kinesin-driven Vesicle Transport

Rui Jiang, Qingzhou Feng, Daguan Nong, et al.

Selected by 16 November 2024

Sharvari Pitke

Biophysics

Cellular signalling protrusions enable dynamic distant contacts in spinal cord neurogenesis

Joshua Hawley, Robert Lea, Veronica Biga, et al.

Selected by 15 November 2024

Ankita Walvekar

Developmental Biology

Green synthesized silver nanoparticles from Moringa: Potential for preventative treatment of SARS-CoV-2 contaminated water

Adebayo J. Bello, Omorilewa B. Ebunoluwa, Rukayat O. Ayorinde, et al.

Selected by 14 November 2024

Safieh Shah, Benjamin Dominik Maier

Epidemiology

Also in the ecology category:

Precision Farming in Aquaculture: Use of a non-invasive, AI-powered real-time automated behavioural monitoring approach to predict gill health and improve welfare in Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) aquaculture farms

Meredith Burke, Dragana Nikolic, Pieter Fabry, et al.

Selected by 11 September 2024

Jasmine Talevi

Animal Behavior and Cognition

Gestational exposure to high heat-humidity conditions impairs mouse embryonic development

Avinchal Manhas, Amritesh Sarkar, Srimonta Gayen

Selected by 08 July 2024

Girish Kale, preLights peer support

Developmental Biology

Blue appendages and temperature acclimation increase survival during acute heat stress in the upside-down jellyfish, Cassiopea xamachana

Megan E. Maloney, Katherine M. Buckley, Marie E. Strader

Selected by 30 April 2024

Maitri Manjunath

Animal Behavior and Cognition

Also in the epidemiology category:

Green synthesized silver nanoparticles from Moringa: Potential for preventative treatment of SARS-CoV-2 contaminated water

Adebayo J. Bello, Omorilewa B. Ebunoluwa, Rukayat O. Ayorinde, et al.

Selected by 14 November 2024

Safieh Shah, Benjamin Dominik Maier

Epidemiology

Multimodal interactions in Stomoxys navigation reveals synergy between olfaction and vision

Merid N Getahun, Steve Baleba, John Ngiela, et al.

Selected by 06 February 2024

Maitri Manjunath

Animal Behavior and Cognition

Mapping current and future thermal limits to suitability for malaria transmission by the invasive mosquito Anopheles stephensi

Sadie J. Ryan, Catherine A. Lippi, Oswaldo C. Villena, et al.

Selected by 02 January 2023

Sophia Friesen

Epidemiology

Also in the microbiology category:

Green synthesized silver nanoparticles from Moringa: Potential for preventative treatment of SARS-CoV-2 contaminated water

Adebayo J. Bello, Omorilewa B. Ebunoluwa, Rukayat O. Ayorinde, et al.

Selected by 14 November 2024

Safieh Shah, Benjamin Dominik Maier

Epidemiology

Intracellular diffusion in the cytoplasm increases with cell size in fission yeast

Catherine Tan, Michael C. Lanz, Matthew Swaffer, et al.

Selected by 18 October 2024

Leeba Ann Chacko, Sameer Thukral

Cell Biology

Significantly reduced, but balanced, rates of mitochondrial fission and fusion are sufficient to maintain the integrity of yeast mitochondrial DNA

Brett T. Wisniewski, Laura L. Lackner

Selected by 30 August 2024

Leeba Ann Chacko

Cell Biology

Also in the molecular biology category:

Green synthesized silver nanoparticles from Moringa: Potential for preventative treatment of SARS-CoV-2 contaminated water

Adebayo J. Bello, Omorilewa B. Ebunoluwa, Rukayat O. Ayorinde, et al.

Selected by 14 November 2024

Safieh Shah, Benjamin Dominik Maier

Epidemiology

Non-disruptive inducible labeling of ER-membrane contact sites using the Lamin B Receptor

Laura Downie, Nuria Ferrandiz, Megan Jones, et al.

Selected by 15 October 2024

Jonathan Townson

Cell Biology

HIF1A contributes to the survival of aneuploid and mosaic pre-implantation embryos

Estefania Sanchez-Vasquez, Marianne E. Bronner, Magdalena Zernicka-Goetz

Selected by 11 October 2024

Anchel De Jaime Soguero

Developmental Biology

Also in the plant biology category:

Green synthesized silver nanoparticles from Moringa: Potential for preventative treatment of SARS-CoV-2 contaminated water

Adebayo J. Bello, Omorilewa B. Ebunoluwa, Rukayat O. Ayorinde, et al.

Selected by 14 November 2024

Safieh Shah, Benjamin Dominik Maier

Epidemiology

Plasmodesmal closure elicits stress responses

Estee E. Tee, Andrew Breakspear, Diana Papp, et al.

Selected by 12 June 2024

Yueh Cho

Plant Biology

Generalized Biomolecular Modeling and Design with RoseTTAFold All-Atom

Rohith Krishna, Jue Wang, Woody Ahern, et al.

Selected by 24 January 2024

Saanjbati Adhikari

Bioengineering

Also in the cell biology category:

BSCB-Biochemical Society 2024 Cell Migration meeting

This preList features preprints that were discussed and presented during the BSCB-Biochemical Society 2024 Cell Migration meeting in Birmingham, UK in April 2024. Kindly put together by Sara Morais da Silva, Reviews Editor at Journal of Cell Science.

 



List by Reinier Prosee

‘In preprints’ from Development 2022-2023

A list of the preprints featured in Development's 'In preprints' articles between 2022-2023

 



List by Alex Eve, Katherine Brown

preLights peer support – preprints of interest

This is a preprint repository to organise the preprints and preLights covered through the 'preLights peer support' initiative.

 



List by preLights peer support

The Society for Developmental Biology 82nd Annual Meeting

This preList is made up of the preprints discussed during the Society for Developmental Biology 82nd Annual Meeting that took place in Chicago in July 2023.

 



List by Joyce Yu, Katherine Brown

CSHL 87th Symposium: Stem Cells

Preprints mentioned by speakers at the #CSHLsymp23

 



List by Alex Eve

Journal of Cell Science meeting ‘Imaging Cell Dynamics’

This preList highlights the preprints discussed at the JCS meeting 'Imaging Cell Dynamics'. The meeting was held from 14 - 17 May 2023 in Lisbon, Portugal and was organised by Erika Holzbaur, Jennifer Lippincott-Schwartz, Rob Parton and Michael Way.

 



List by Helen Zenner

9th International Symposium on the Biology of Vertebrate Sex Determination

This preList contains preprints discussed during the 9th International Symposium on the Biology of Vertebrate Sex Determination. This conference was held in Kona, Hawaii from April 17th to 21st 2023.

 



List by Martin Estermann

Alumni picks – preLights 5th Birthday

This preList contains preprints that were picked and highlighted by preLights Alumni - an initiative that was set up to mark preLights 5th birthday. More entries will follow throughout February and March 2023.

 



List by Sergio Menchero et al.

CellBio 2022 – An ASCB/EMBO Meeting

This preLists features preprints that were discussed and presented during the CellBio 2022 meeting in Washington, DC in December 2022.

 



List by Nadja Hümpfer et al.

Fibroblasts

The advances in fibroblast biology preList explores the recent discoveries and preprints of the fibroblast world. Get ready to immerse yourself with this list created for fibroblasts aficionados and lovers, and beyond. Here, my goal is to include preprints of fibroblast biology, heterogeneity, fate, extracellular matrix, behavior, topography, single-cell atlases, spatial transcriptomics, and their matrix!

 



List by Osvaldo Contreras

EMBL Synthetic Morphogenesis: From Gene Circuits to Tissue Architecture (2021)

A list of preprints mentioned at the #EESmorphoG virtual meeting in 2021.

 



List by Alex Eve

FENS 2020

A collection of preprints presented during the virtual meeting of the Federation of European Neuroscience Societies (FENS) in 2020

 



List by Ana Dorrego-Rivas

Planar Cell Polarity – PCP

This preList contains preprints about the latest findings on Planar Cell Polarity (PCP) in various model organisms at the molecular, cellular and tissue levels.

 



List by Ana Dorrego-Rivas

BioMalPar XVI: Biology and Pathology of the Malaria Parasite

[under construction] Preprints presented at the (fully virtual) EMBL BioMalPar XVI, 17-18 May 2020 #emblmalaria

 



List by Dey Lab, Samantha Seah

1

Cell Polarity

Recent research from the field of cell polarity is summarized in this list of preprints. It comprises of studies focusing on various forms of cell polarity ranging from epithelial polarity, planar cell polarity to front-to-rear polarity.

 



List by Yamini Ravichandran

TAGC 2020

Preprints recently presented at the virtual Allied Genetics Conference, April 22-26, 2020. #TAGC20

 



List by Maiko Kitaoka et al.

3D Gastruloids

A curated list of preprints related to Gastruloids (in vitro models of early development obtained by 3D aggregation of embryonic cells). Updated until July 2021.

 



List by Paul Gerald L. Sanchez and Stefano Vianello

ECFG15 – Fungal biology

Preprints presented at 15th European Conference on Fungal Genetics 17-20 February 2020 Rome

 



List by Hiral Shah

ASCB EMBO Annual Meeting 2019

A collection of preprints presented at the 2019 ASCB EMBO Meeting in Washington, DC (December 7-11)

 



List by Madhuja Samaddar et al.

EMBL Seeing is Believing – Imaging the Molecular Processes of Life

Preprints discussed at the 2019 edition of Seeing is Believing, at EMBL Heidelberg from the 9th-12th October 2019

 



List by Dey Lab

Autophagy

Preprints on autophagy and lysosomal degradation and its role in neurodegeneration and disease. Includes molecular mechanisms, upstream signalling and regulation as well as studies on pharmaceutical interventions to upregulate the process.

 



List by Sandra Malmgren Hill

Lung Disease and Regeneration

This preprint list compiles highlights from the field of lung biology.

 



List by Rob Hynds

Cellular metabolism

A curated list of preprints related to cellular metabolism at Biorxiv by Pablo Ranea Robles from the Prelights community. Special interest on lipid metabolism, peroxisomes and mitochondria.

 



List by Pablo Ranea Robles

BSCB/BSDB Annual Meeting 2019

Preprints presented at the BSCB/BSDB Annual Meeting 2019

 



List by Dey Lab

MitoList

This list of preprints is focused on work expanding our knowledge on mitochondria in any organism, tissue or cell type, from the normal biology to the pathology.

 



List by Sandra Franco Iborra

Biophysical Society Annual Meeting 2019

Few of the preprints that were discussed in the recent BPS annual meeting at Baltimore, USA

 



List by Joseph Jose Thottacherry

ASCB/EMBO Annual Meeting 2018

This list relates to preprints that were discussed at the recent ASCB conference.

 



List by Dey Lab, Amanda Haage

Also in the molecular biology category:

2024 Hypothalamus GRC

This 2024 Hypothalamus GRC (Gordon Research Conference) preList offers an overview of cutting-edge research focused on the hypothalamus, a critical brain region involved in regulating homeostasis, behavior, and neuroendocrine functions. The studies included cover a range of topics, including neural circuits, molecular mechanisms, and the role of the hypothalamus in health and disease. This collection highlights some of the latest advances in understanding hypothalamic function, with potential implications for treating disorders such as obesity, stress, and metabolic diseases.

 



List by Nathalie Krauth

BSCB-Biochemical Society 2024 Cell Migration meeting

This preList features preprints that were discussed and presented during the BSCB-Biochemical Society 2024 Cell Migration meeting in Birmingham, UK in April 2024. Kindly put together by Sara Morais da Silva, Reviews Editor at Journal of Cell Science.

 



List by Reinier Prosee

‘In preprints’ from Development 2022-2023

A list of the preprints featured in Development's 'In preprints' articles between 2022-2023

 



List by Alex Eve, Katherine Brown

CSHL 87th Symposium: Stem Cells

Preprints mentioned by speakers at the #CSHLsymp23

 



List by Alex Eve

9th International Symposium on the Biology of Vertebrate Sex Determination

This preList contains preprints discussed during the 9th International Symposium on the Biology of Vertebrate Sex Determination. This conference was held in Kona, Hawaii from April 17th to 21st 2023.

 



List by Martin Estermann

Alumni picks – preLights 5th Birthday

This preList contains preprints that were picked and highlighted by preLights Alumni - an initiative that was set up to mark preLights 5th birthday. More entries will follow throughout February and March 2023.

 



List by Sergio Menchero et al.

CellBio 2022 – An ASCB/EMBO Meeting

This preLists features preprints that were discussed and presented during the CellBio 2022 meeting in Washington, DC in December 2022.

 



List by Nadja Hümpfer et al.

EMBL Synthetic Morphogenesis: From Gene Circuits to Tissue Architecture (2021)

A list of preprints mentioned at the #EESmorphoG virtual meeting in 2021.

 



List by Alex Eve

FENS 2020

A collection of preprints presented during the virtual meeting of the Federation of European Neuroscience Societies (FENS) in 2020

 



List by Ana Dorrego-Rivas

ECFG15 – Fungal biology

Preprints presented at 15th European Conference on Fungal Genetics 17-20 February 2020 Rome

 



List by Hiral Shah

ASCB EMBO Annual Meeting 2019

A collection of preprints presented at the 2019 ASCB EMBO Meeting in Washington, DC (December 7-11)

 



List by Madhuja Samaddar et al.

Lung Disease and Regeneration

This preprint list compiles highlights from the field of lung biology.

 



List by Rob Hynds

MitoList

This list of preprints is focused on work expanding our knowledge on mitochondria in any organism, tissue or cell type, from the normal biology to the pathology.

 



List by Sandra Franco Iborra
Close