Interaction of silver nanoparticles (SNPs) with bacterial extracellular proteins (ECPs) and its adsorption isotherms and kinetics

Highlights: → Bacterial extracellular proteins stabilize the silver nanoparticles. → Adsorption process varies with pH and salt concentration of the interaction medium. → Adsorption process was strongly influenced by surface charge. → Adsorption equilibrium isotherms was fitted well by the Freundlich model. → Kinetics of adsorption was fitted by pseudo-second-order. -- Abstract: Indiscriminate and increased use of silver nanoparticles (SNPs) in consumer products leads to the release of it into the environment. The fate and transport of SNPs in environment remains unknown. We have studied the interaction of SNPs with extracellular protein (ECP) produced by two environmental bacterial species and the adsorption behavior in aqueous solutions. The effect of pH and salt concentrations on the adsorption was also investigated. The adsorption process was found to be dependent on surface charge (zeta potential). The capping of SNPs by ECP was confirmed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction. The adsorption of ECP on SNPs was analyzed by Langmuir and Freundlich models, suggesting that the equilibrium adsorption data fitted well with Freundlich model. The equilibrium adsorption data were modeled using the pseudo-first-order and pseudo-second-order kinetic equations. The results indicated that pseudo-second-order kinetic equation would better describe the adsorption kinetics. The capping was stable at environmental pH and salt concentration. The destabilization of nanoparticles was observed at alkaline pH. The study suggests that the stabilization of nanoparticles in the environment might lead to the accumulation and transport of nanomaterials in the environment, and ultimately destabilizes the functioning of the ecosystem.