Food-directed synthesis of cerium oxide nanoparticles and their neurotoxicity effects

The use of food-directed and natural products for the synthesis of different nanoparticles (e.g., metal and metal oxide) is of enormous interest to modern nanoscience and nanotechnology. We have developed a facile and green chemistry method with bio-directed, and low cost materials for the synthesis of cerium oxide nanoparticles (CeO2-NPs) using honey. In this method, the conversion of cerium cations into CeO2-NPs was achieved via a sol–gel process in aqueous honey solutions. The synthesized CeO2-NPs were characterized by the following title: UV–vis spectroscopy, field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), thermogravimetric (TGA–DTA) analysis, Energy dispersive spectrum (EDS), and powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD). Spherical CeO2-NPs were synthesized at different calcination temperatures and FESEM imaging along with its corresponding particles size distribution indicated the formation of nanoparticles in size of about 23 nm. The PXRD analysis revealed fluorite cubic structure for CeO2-NPs with preferential orientation at (111) reflection plane. In vitro cytotoxicity studies on neuro2A cells, a dose dependent toxicity with non-toxic effect of a concentration below about 25 µg/mL was illustrated. The synthesis of CeO2-NPs in aqueous honey solutions was found to be comparable to those obtained from conventional reduction methods that uses hazardous materials proving to be an excellent alternative for the preparation of CeO2-NPs, using food and bio-derived materials.