Green Synthesis of Silver Nanoparticles Using Megalaspis Cordyla Scutes: Characterization and Biological Activity
Main Article Content
Abstract
Fish processing industry generates substantial waste, including fish scales, creating environmental and disposal challenges. This study aimed at valorization of Megalaspis cordyla scutes for green synthesis of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) with antimicrobial and cytotoxic activity. An aqueous extract of M. cordyla scutes were used as a natural reducing and stabilizing agent for AgNP synthesis. The Megalaspis cordyla scutes silver nanoparticles (MSEAgNPs) were characterized using UV–Visible spectroscopy, FESEM–EDX, TEM–SAED, DLS, zeta potential, and ATR–FTIR. The MSEAgNPs were assessed for antimicrobial activity using agar well diffusion (alone or in combination with streptomycin or clotrimazole) and minimum inhibition concentration against E. coli, S. aureus and C. albicans, and for in vitro cytotoxicity against MCF-7 breast cancer cells. The MSEAgNPs exhibited crystalline spherical structure with size range from 6–12 nm, a distinct surface plasmon resonance at ~430 nm, and long-term structural stability (>1 year). The FTIR analysis indicated collagen-mediated reduction and surface stabilization. The nanoparticles demonstrated concentration-dependent antimicrobial activity against Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, and Candida albicans. The MSEAgNPs showed a dose-dependent cytotoxicity against MCF-7 breast cancer cells. This study demonstrates an eco-friendly valorization of scutes of M. cordyla for synthesis of stable multifunctional AgNPs. Our findings highlight the potential of MSEAgNPs as antimicrobial agents and valorization of fish processing waste as a viable resource for circular bioeconomy.
Article Details
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
References
I. Ahmad, W., & Bhuimbar, S. (2019). Current Status of Fish Waste Management In Karwar City. International Journal for Research in Applied Science & Engineering Technology, 7(IV), 3563–3568.
II. Alarcon, E. I., Udekwu, K., Skog, M., Pacioni, N. L., Stamplecoskie, K. G., González-Béjar, M., Polisetti, N., Wickham, A., Richter-Dahlfors, A., Griffith, M., & Scaiano, J. C. (2012). The biocompatibility and antibacterial properties of collagen-stabilized, photochemically prepared silver nanoparticles. Biomaterials, 33(19), 4947–4956. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biomaterials.2012.03.033
III. Asadabad, M. A., & Eskandari, M. J. (2016). Electron Diffraction. In M. Janecek & R. Kral (Eds.), Modern Electron Microscopy in Physical and Life Sciences (pp. 3–25). IntechOpen. https://doi.org/10.5772/61781
IV. Asmathunisha, N., & Kathiresan, K. (2013). A review on biosynthesis of nanoparticles by marine organisms. Colloids and Surfaces B: Biointerfaces, 103, 283–287. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.colsurfb.2012.10.030
V. Binsi, P. K. (2018). Overview of Waste Generation in Fish and Shellfish Processing Industry. 18–27.
VI. Boddolla, S., & Thodeti, S. (2018). A review on Characterization techniques of Nanomaterials. 7(1), 169–175.
VII. Burdușel, A.-C., Gherasim, O., Grumezescu, A. M., Mogoantă, L., Ficai, A., & Andronescu, E. (2018). Biomedical Applications of Silver Nanoparticles: An Up-to-Date Overview. Nanomaterials, 8(9), 681. https://doi.org/10.3390/nano8090681
VIII. Cardoso, V. S., Quelemes, P. V., Amorin, A., Primo, F. L., Gobo, G. G., Tedesco, A. C., Mafud, A. C., Mascarenhas, Y. P., Corrêa, J. R., Kuckelhaus, S. A., Eiras, C., Leite, J. R. S., Silva, D., & dos Santos Júnior, J. R. (2014). Collagen-based silver nanoparticles for biological applications: Synthesis and characterization. Journal of Nanobiotechnology, 12(1), 36. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12951-014-0036-6
IX. CLSI. (2012). Methods for dilution antimicrobial susceptibility tests for bacteria that grow aerobically; approved standard-Ninth Edition. (9th ed., Vol. 32). Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute.
X. Das, R. K., Pachapur, V. L., Lonappan, L., Naghdi, M., Pulicharla, R., Maiti, S., Cledon, M., Dalila, L. M. A., Sarma, S. J., & Brar, S. K. (2017). Biological synthesis of metallic nanoparticles: Plants, animals and microbial aspects. Nanotechnology for Environmental Engineering, 2(1), 18. https://doi.org/10.1007/s41204-017-0029-4
XI. Desai, R., Mankad, V., Gupta, S. K., & Jha, P. K. (2012). Size distribution of silver nanoparticles: UV-visible spectroscopic assessment. 4(1), 30–34. https://doi.org/10.1166/nnl.2012.1278
XII. Devi, L., Kushwaha, P., Ansari, T. M., Kumar, A., & Rao, A. (2024). Recent Trends in Biologically Synthesized Metal Nanoparticles and their Biomedical Applications: A Review. Biological Trace Element Research, 202(7), 3383–3399. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12011-023-03920-9
XIII. Ehrlich, H. (2015). Fish Scales as Mineral-Based Composites. In H. Ehrlich (Ed.), Biological Materials of Marine Origin: Vertebrates (pp. 213–236). Springer Netherlands. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-5730-1_4
XIV. Gahlawat, G., & Choudhury, A. R. (2019). A review on the biosynthesis of metal and metal salt nanoparticles by microbes. RSC Advances, 9(23), 12944–12967. https://doi.org/10.1039/C8RA10483B
XV. Ganguly, R. K., & Chakraborty, S. K. (2023). Valorization of fish wastes for circular bioeconomy: A concern toward antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) contaminants for environmental safety. In K. Huang, S. Ahmad Bhat, & G. Cui (Eds.), Fate of Biological Contaminants During Recycling of Organic Wastes (pp. 71–100). Elsevier. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-323-95998-8.00001-7
XVI. Ghaly, A., Ramakrishnan, V., Brooks, M., Budge, S., & Dave, D. (2013). Fish Processing Wastes as a Potential Source of Proteins, Amino Acids and Oils: A Critical Review. Journal of Microbial & Biochemical Technology, 05(04), 107–129. https://doi.org/10.4172/1948-5948.1000110
XVII. Ghatage, M. M., Mane, P. A., Gambhir, R. P., Parkhe, V. S., Kamble, P. A., Lokhande, C. D., & Tiwari, A. P. (2023). Green synthesis of silver nanoparticles via Aloe barbadensis miller leaves: Anticancer, antioxidative, antimicrobial and photocatalytic properties. Applied Surface Science Advances, 16, 100426. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apsadv.2023.100426
XVIII. Joseph, T. C., Remya, S., Renuka, V., & Jha, A. K. (2019). Fishery industry waste: A resource to be valorised. In T. C. Joseph, A. K. Jha, V. Renuka, & S. Remya (Eds.), FishTech-19, Fishery Waste Management: Challanges and Business Opportunities in Gujarat-Souvenir. (pp. 14–24). Veraval Research Center of ICAR-CIFT.
XIX. Mathew, P. (2010). Fish waste utilisation in India. In B. Meenakumari, M. R. Boopendranath, L. Edwin, T. V. Sankar, N. Gopal, & G. Ninan (Eds.), Proceedings of the National Seminar on Conservation and Sustainability of Coastal Living Resources of India (pp. 463–479). Society of Fisheries Technologists.
XX. Mikhailova, E. O. (2020). Silver Nanoparticles: Mechanism of Action and Probable Bio-Application. Journal of Functional Biomaterials, 11(4), 84. https://doi.org/10.3390/jfb11040084
XXI. Mohanty, B., kim, H., Swain, S., & Swain, S. (2020). A review on fish processing wastes generation in India and its further utilization prospects into different value added compounds. 10(60), 24177–24182.
XXII. Murugan, K., Subramaniam, J., Rajaganesh, R., Panneerselvam, C., Amuthavalli, P., Vasanthakumaran, M., Jayashanthini, S., Dinesh, D., Anitha, J., Wang, L., Hwang, J.-S., Dahms, H.-U., Mudigonda, S., & Aziz, A. T. (2021). Efficacy and side effects of bio-fabricated sardine fish scale silver nanoparticles against malarial vector Anopheles stephensi. Scientific Reports, 11(1), 19567. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-98899-5
XXIII. Okafor, F., Janen, A., Kukhtareva, T., Edwards, V., & Curley, M. (2013). Green Synthesis of Silver Nanoparticles, Their Characterization, Application and Antibacterial Activity. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 10(10), 5221–5238. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph10105221
XXIV. Pal, S., Tak, Y. K., & Song, J. M. (2007). Does the Antibacterial Activity of Silver Nanoparticles Depend on the Shape of the Nanoparticle? A Study of the Gram-Negative Bacterium Escherichia coli. Applied and Environmental Microbiology, 73(6), 1712–1720. https://doi.org/10.1128/AEM.02218-06
XXV. Panda, P. K., Kumari, P., Patel, P., Samal, S. K., Mishra, S., Tambuwala, M. M., Dutt, A., Hilscherová, K., Mishra, Y. K., Varma, R. S., Suar, M., Ahuja, R., & Verma, S. K. (2022). Molecular nanoinformatics approach assessing the biocompatibility of biogenic silver nanoparticles with channelized intrinsic steatosis and apoptosis. Green Chemistry, 24(3), 1190–1210. https://doi.org/10.1039/D1GC04103G
XXVI. Pantidos, N., & Horsfall, L. E. (2014). Biological Synthesis of Metallic Nanoparticles by Bacteria, Fungi and Plants. Journal of Nanomedicine & Nanotechnology, 5(5), 223. https://doi.org/10.4172/2157-7439.1000233
XXVII. Quan, H., Yang, W., Lapeyriere, M., Schaible, E., Ritchie, R. O., & Meyers, M. A. (2020). Structure and Mechanical Adaptability of a Modern Elasmoid Fish Scale from the Common Carp. Matter, 3(3), 842–863. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.matt.2020.05.011
XXVIII. Rajeshirke, A., & Jadhav, U. (2025). Characterization and biological evaluation of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) synthesized from the scales of red tail golden Asian arowana (Scleropages formosus). International Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Studies, 13(2), 115–120. https://doi.org/10.22271/fish.2025.v13.i2b.3058
XXIX. Sinha, T., Ahmaruzzaman, M., Sil, A. K., & Bhattacharjee, A. (2014). Biomimetic synthesis of silver nanoparticles using the fish scales of Labeo rohita and their application as catalysts for the reduction of aromatic nitro compounds. Spectrochimica Acta Part A: Molecular and Biomolecular Spectroscopy, 131, 413–423. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.saa.2014.04.065
XXX. Sire, J.-Y., Donoghue, P. C. J., & Vickaryous, M. K. (2009). Origin and evolution of the integumentary skeleton in non-tetrapod vertebrates. Journal of Anatomy, 214(4), 409–440. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1469-7580.2009.01046.x
XXXI. Srivastava, S., Usmani, Z., Atanasov, A. G., Singh, V. K., Singh, N. P., Abdel-Azeem, A. M., Prasad, R., Gupta, G., Sharma, M., & Bhargava, A. (2021). Biological Nanofactories: Using Living Forms for Metal Nanoparticle Synthesis. Mini-Reviews in Medicinal Chemistry, 21(2), 245–265. https://doi.org/10.2174/1389557520999201116163012
XXXII. Thakkar, K. N., Mhatre, S. S., & Parikh, R. Y. (2010). Biological synthesis of metallic nanoparticles. Nanomedicine: Nanotechnology, Biology and Medicine, 6(2), 257–262. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nano.2009.07.002
XXXIII. Vadivelu, B., Meyyazhagan, A., Palanisamy, S., Arumugam, V. A., Kamyab, H., Balasubramanian, B., Chelliapan, S., & Yadav, K. K. (2020). Synthesis of silver nanoparticles from fish scale extract of cyprinus carpio and its ecolorization activity of textile dyes. Journal of Environmental Treatment Techniques, 8(3), 870–874.
XXXIV. Vasileiadou, A. (2024). From Organic Wastes to Bioenergy, Biofuels, and Value-Added Products for Urban Sustainability and Circular Economy: A Review. Urban Science, 8(3), 121. https://doi.org/10.3390/urbansci8030121
XXXV. Vineela, D., Reddy, S. J., & Kumar, B. K. (2017). Preparation, synthesis and characterisation of silver nanoparticles by fish scales of Catla catla and their antibacterial activity against fish pathogen, Aeromonas veronii. European Journal of Pharmaceutical and Medical Research, 4(4), 537–545.