The valorization of agricultural residues for synthesizing advanced nanomaterials has garnered significant attention in recent years. This study reports the environmentally benign and cost-effective extraction of cellulose from sugarcane bagasse (SCB), a prevalent agro-industrial byproduct for the synthesis of nanoparticles integrated with Zn (CNP-Zn). Cellulose was extracted from SCB through iterative alkali treatment and bleaching, followed by in situ zinc incorporation during nanoparticle formation via acid hydrolysis and physicochemically characterized. Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS) analysis indicated an average particle diameter of 341.52 nm (PDI 0.4786), whereas Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (FESEM) and High-Resolution Transmission Electron Microscopy (HR-TEM) images demonstrated quasi-spherical morphology (50 557.61 µg/ml) in the triple-negative breast cancer cell line MDA-MB-231. Apart from this, bio-stimulant and favourable biocompatibility have been monitored in plant assays (250-2500 µg/ml) on Vigna radiata. These nanoparticles also revealed moderate broad-spectrum UV protection with a Sun Protection Factor (SPF) of 13.54; CNP-Zn represents its good UV-protecting feature. These studies thus highlight the ability of agricultural waste-derived CNP-Zn as a sustainable nanomaterial for biomedical applications.
Verma et al. (Fri,) studied this question.