Author(s)

Shilpi Show, Brajadulal Chattopadhyay^*

Department of Physics, Jadavpur University, Kolkata, India.

Background: The silica leaching activity of some of the mystifying non-pathogenic BKH1 bacteria present in the cluster of hot springs (temperatures range 35°C - 80°C) at Bakreshwar (West Bengal, India, 23°52'48"N; 87°22'40"N) has provided some significant advancements in the field of nanotechnology. The present investigation was designed to synthesis the silica particles using bioremediase protein at different pH conditions. Methods: A secretary bacterial protein bioremediase (UniProt Knowledgebase Accession Number P86277) isolated from a thermophilic non-pathogenic bacterium BKH1 (GenBank Accession No. FJ177512) has been used to synthesis the silica particles at different pH conditions (pH at 3.0, 5.0, 8.0, 10.0, and 12.0 respectively). The silica particles were synthesized by the action of bioremediase protein on Tetra-ethyl-orthosilicate (TEOS) under ambient condition. Morphological and compositional studies of the biosynthesized silica particles were characterized by Field emission scanning electron microscope (FE-SEM) equipped with Energy dispersive X-ray analyser (EDX). Results: The Fourier transformed infra-red (FTIR) spectroscopic analysis confirmed the nature as well as occurrence of several functional groups surrounded on the silica particles. The amorphous nature of the prepared silica particles was confirmed by X-ray diffractometer (XRD) study. The Zeta potential (ζ) study revealed the stability of silica particles in neutral pH environment. The Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) surface area measurement confirmed the porosity variation in all biosynthesized silica particles prepared at different pH conditions. Raman spectra analytically depend on their respective specific surface (BET) area. Thermogravimetry tool was used to monitor the effects of the thermal treatment on the surface properties of all the samples. Conclusions: The method for the synthesis of silica particles at different pH condition using the protein bioremediase has a special implication as it is an environmentally benign, cost-effective and facile technique which may have conceivable application in chromatographic packing. In addition, controlling of size as well as porosity of the silica particles can be achievable by pH as an only variable.

Bioremediase Protein, Tetraethyl Orthosilicate, Green Chemistry, Silica Particles, Porosity

Show, S. and Chattopadhyay, B. (2016) Protein Mediated Silica Particles with pH Controlled Porosity and Morphology. Advances in Microbiology, 6, 986-998. doi: 10.4236/aim.2016.614093.