Allotropy of selenium nanoparticles: Colourful transition, synthesis, and biotechnological applications

Abstract Elemental selenium (Se0) nanomaterials undergo allotropic transition from thermodynamically‐unstable to more stable phases. This process is significantly different when Se0 nanoparticles (NPs) are produced via physico‐chemical and biological pathways. While the allotropic transition of phys...

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Main Authors: Miguel A. Ruiz‐Fresneda, Lucian C. Staicu, Guillermo Lazuén‐López, Mohamed L. Merroun
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2023-05-01
Series:Microbial Biotechnology
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1111/1751-7915.14209
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author Miguel A. Ruiz‐Fresneda
Lucian C. Staicu
Guillermo Lazuén‐López
Mohamed L. Merroun
author_facet Miguel A. Ruiz‐Fresneda
Lucian C. Staicu
Guillermo Lazuén‐López
Mohamed L. Merroun
author_sort Miguel A. Ruiz‐Fresneda
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Elemental selenium (Se0) nanomaterials undergo allotropic transition from thermodynamically‐unstable to more stable phases. This process is significantly different when Se0 nanoparticles (NPs) are produced via physico‐chemical and biological pathways. While the allotropic transition of physico‐chemically synthesized Se0 is fast (minutes to hours), the biogenic Se0 takes months to complete. The biopolymer layer covering biogenic Se0 NPs might be the main factor controlling this retardation, but this still remains an open question. Phylogenetically‐diverse bacteria reduce selenium oxyanions to red amorphous Se0 allotrope, which has low market value. Then, red Se0 undergoes allotropic transition to trigonal (metallic grey) allotrope, the end product having important industrial applications (e.g. semiconductors, alloys). Is it not yet clear whether biogenic Se0 presents any biological function, or it is mainly a detoxification and respiratory by‐product. The better understanding of this transition would benefit the recovery of Se0 NPs from secondary resources and its targeted utilization with respect to each allotropic stage. This review article presents and critically discusses the main physico‐chemical methods and biosynthetic pathways of Se0 (bio)mineralization. In addition, the article proposes a conceptual model for the resource recovery potential of trigonal selenium nanomaterials in the context of circular economy.
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spelling doaj.art-5538903194aa4cb483b4a57ceda7bb0a2023-04-25T14:53:17ZengWileyMicrobial Biotechnology1751-79152023-05-0116587789210.1111/1751-7915.14209Allotropy of selenium nanoparticles: Colourful transition, synthesis, and biotechnological applicationsMiguel A. Ruiz‐Fresneda0Lucian C. Staicu1Guillermo Lazuén‐López2Mohamed L. Merroun3Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Sciences University of Granada Granada SpainInstitute of Bacterial Genetics, Faculty of Biology, University of Warsaw Warsaw PolandDepartment of Microbiology, Faculty of Sciences University of Granada Granada SpainDepartment of Microbiology, Faculty of Sciences University of Granada Granada SpainAbstract Elemental selenium (Se0) nanomaterials undergo allotropic transition from thermodynamically‐unstable to more stable phases. This process is significantly different when Se0 nanoparticles (NPs) are produced via physico‐chemical and biological pathways. While the allotropic transition of physico‐chemically synthesized Se0 is fast (minutes to hours), the biogenic Se0 takes months to complete. The biopolymer layer covering biogenic Se0 NPs might be the main factor controlling this retardation, but this still remains an open question. Phylogenetically‐diverse bacteria reduce selenium oxyanions to red amorphous Se0 allotrope, which has low market value. Then, red Se0 undergoes allotropic transition to trigonal (metallic grey) allotrope, the end product having important industrial applications (e.g. semiconductors, alloys). Is it not yet clear whether biogenic Se0 presents any biological function, or it is mainly a detoxification and respiratory by‐product. The better understanding of this transition would benefit the recovery of Se0 NPs from secondary resources and its targeted utilization with respect to each allotropic stage. This review article presents and critically discusses the main physico‐chemical methods and biosynthetic pathways of Se0 (bio)mineralization. In addition, the article proposes a conceptual model for the resource recovery potential of trigonal selenium nanomaterials in the context of circular economy.https://doi.org/10.1111/1751-7915.14209
spellingShingle Miguel A. Ruiz‐Fresneda
Lucian C. Staicu
Guillermo Lazuén‐López
Mohamed L. Merroun
Allotropy of selenium nanoparticles: Colourful transition, synthesis, and biotechnological applications
Microbial Biotechnology
title Allotropy of selenium nanoparticles: Colourful transition, synthesis, and biotechnological applications
title_full Allotropy of selenium nanoparticles: Colourful transition, synthesis, and biotechnological applications
title_fullStr Allotropy of selenium nanoparticles: Colourful transition, synthesis, and biotechnological applications
title_full_unstemmed Allotropy of selenium nanoparticles: Colourful transition, synthesis, and biotechnological applications
title_short Allotropy of selenium nanoparticles: Colourful transition, synthesis, and biotechnological applications
title_sort allotropy of selenium nanoparticles colourful transition synthesis and biotechnological applications
url https://doi.org/10.1111/1751-7915.14209
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