RUI: In Planta Synthesis of Gold Nanoparticles: An Integrative Eco-friendly "Green Engineering" Approach

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Intellectual Merit: This research aims at developing a nanomaterial production system using a model plant. A commonly found cress thale (Arabidopsis thaliana) plant of cabbage family will be used to synthesize gold nanoparticles that find varieties of industrial applications. Nanotechnology is a fast emerging area of scientific development attracting immense research interests. This plant system will be used to study the fabrication of gold nanoparticles of various geometries and properties. To achieve an optimal production system, growth conditions such as dosages, pH of potassium aurochlorate solution, temperature and other factors influencing growth will be standardized. Various studies indicate plant-inspired synthesis of nanomaterials, but currently there is no knowledge about how these nanoparticles enter plant cells and get transported to different plant parts. Once the molecular mechanisms are deciphered, the production system can be easily manipulated for efficiency. The ultimate goal of this research is to engineer plants to increase the transport and production of gold nanoparticles. Conventional methods generate hazardous materials that have the potential to affect environment and human health. This research thus opens up a nonconventional approach of nanomaterial synthesis. The proposed green engineering production pipeline will generate minimal wastes, and thus minimal environmental concerns. Broader Impacts: This interdisciplinary research investigation will be an amalgamation of several disciplines including plant biology, molecular biology, and quantitative and analytical chemistry. Therefore, this research provides an excellent opportunity of educating and training undergraduate and graduate students in the multidisciplinary field of nanotechnology. Majority of the students that are likely to be benefitted from this research endeavor will be underrepresented or first-generation college attendees from rural and economically disadvantaged backgrounds from the Appalachia region. These students will be trained not only at Western Kentucky University, but also in an international setting through a collaborator's laboratory in India. The overall aim is to impart sufficient educational training for honing the skills of these students in various laboratory techniques, writing scientific papers and presentation of research works in national/international scientific meetings. It is anticipated that the project would develop human resources in the area of nanotechnology and thereby increasing diversity in the scientific community.