Ultrasound assisted synthesis of starch-capped Cu2O NPs towards the degradation of dye and its anti-lung carcinoma properties

A unique starch encapsulated Cu₂O nanoparticles were synthesized through a simple and ‘green’ route using ultrasonic irradiation. The polar functional groups on the starch (OH) facilitate the NP capping and stabilization. Structural features of the material were assessed over several advanced techniques like fourier transformed infra-red (FT-IR), UV–vis spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDX) elemental mapping, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray diffraction analysis (XRD), and inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometry (ICP-AES) analysis. It was catalytically explored in reducing an organic dye (Methylene blue - MB) in the presence of NaBH₄ at ambient conditions, being monitored in a UV–vis spectrophotometer. The nanocatalyst was recycled 11 times keeping consistency in its reactivity. Biologically, the nanocomposite exhibited excellent cytotoxicity against lung adenocarcinoma (PC-14, LC-2/ad and HLC-1) cell lines without affecting the normal (HUVEC) cell line. IC₅₀values of the nanocomposite were found at 618, 56 and 379 against HLC-1, LC-2/ad, and PC-14 cell lines respectively and accordingly, PC-14 afforded the best adenocarcinoma activity.