fabrication and characterization of a composite composed of gold nanoparticles with optimal chemical and biological properties for cancer and biotechnology applications: a review

Gold nanoparticles (aunps) have garnered considerable interest in the field of medical research, particularly in the realm of cancer therapy, due to their exceptional optical and physical properties. these attributes make them highly promising candidates for a wide range of applications. an important advantage of aunps is their ability to be precisely engineered in terms of size and surface chemistry, facilitating targeted interactions with cancer cells and tissues. this study investigates the incorporation of au-nps into an alginate matrix for potential biomedical applications. the effects of au-nps on the composite material’s biological properties, crystallinity, and morphology are examined. scanning electron microscopy (sem) analysis reveals a homogeneous distribution of au-nps within the alginate matrix, with nanoparticle sizes ranging from 5 to 10 microns. at lower concentrations (5 wt% au-nps), the nanoparticles are well-dispersed and exhibit minimal agglomeration. however, at higher concentrations (10 wt% and 15 wt% au-nps), increased nanoparticle density leads to greater agglomeration. x-ray diffraction (xrd) patterns demonstrate the highly crystalline nature of pure au-nps and the presence of additional diffraction peaks representing the alginate crystal structure in the composite material. these findings provide valuable insights into the structural characteristics and potential applications of the au-np-incorporated alginate matrix in biomedical fields. aunps possess the ability to selectively absorb and scatter light in a controlled manner, offering numerous possibilities for utilization. when exposed to specific wavelengths of light, aunps can generate localized heat, facilitating photothermal therapy. additionally, aunps can function as contrast agents in medical imaging, enhancing tumor visibility and aiding in their detection and characterization. the synthesis of aunps is a critical aspect of their application in cancer therapy, and various methods have been developed to produce aunps with specific properties. preclinical studies have demonstrated the effectiveness of aunps in photothermal therapy, drug/gene delivery, and imaging. however, several challenges must be overcome to facilitate their translation into clinical use, such as ensuring safety, and biocompatibility, improving targeting efficiency, and scaling up production. despite these obstacles, ongoing research efforts are focused on fully harnessing the potential of aunps for effective and personalized cancer treatments in the future.