The College of Education for Pure Sciences Discusses a Master’s Thesis on Semiconductor Nanostructures.
The Chemistry Department at the College of Education for Pure Sciences, University of Kerbala, discussed a Master’s thesis entitled:
(Semiconductor Nanostructures: An Experimental Study of Synthesis, Characterization, and Anticancer Activity)
The thesis was presented by student Sarah Fadhil Saleh, under the supervision of Prof. Dr. Ola Mahdi Abdul Ali (first supervisor) and Asst. Prof. Dr. Ibtihal Ismail (second supervisor).
The study aimed to prepare manganese dioxide nanoparticles (MnO2 NPs) using two different methods: chemical precipitation using chemical shielding agents, and the green method using flaxseed extract. The biological activity was evaluated by testing the cytotoxicity of the prepared particles on a pancreatic cancer cell line using a viability assay and calculating the IC50 value for both methods.
The study concluded that both methods demonstrated cytotoxic and inhibitory activity against cancer cells. In the pancreas, nanoparticles synthesized using a green method demonstrated higher anticancer efficacy (IC₅₀ = 39.6 µg/ml) compared to chemically synthesized nanoparticles (IC₅₀ = 73.5 µg/ml).
The study recommended further development of manganese dioxide nanoparticles by modifying their surface and doping them with metallic or non-metallic elements to enhance their antimicrobial and anticancer activity. It also recommended investigating their biological mechanisms of action, specifically their generation of reactive oxygen species and damage to cell membranes and DNA/RNA.
