Vallesia glabra (Vg) is a species that has been used in traditional medicine due to its secondary metabolites (alkaloids, saponins, flavonoids, phenols, and cardiac glucosides) for the treatment of measles, rheumatism, muscle aches, and eye inflammation. The biosynthesis of magnetite nanoparticles (Fe₃O₄ NPs) was carried out using an aqueous leaf extract of Vg and was characterized using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Afterward, the magnetic adsorbent was tested for its potential to remove cationic dye from aqueous solutions at different pH and adsorbent mass and its reusability after several adsorption/desorption cycles. The XRD pattern and SEM micrographs resulted in an average size of NPs of 12.2 nm. Regarding the removal of MB from an aqueous solution, the kinetic and isotherm adsorption behavior is governed by the pseudo-second-order model and a Langmuir isotherm which describes an ionic exchange and chemisorption process between the positive partial charges of MB and Vg compounds stabilizing Fe₃O₄ NPs following a thermodynamically favorable process. Therefore, the green synthesis of NPs from Vg leaf extract is considered a sustainable alternative to removing dyes from aqueous solutions.

The versatile combination of metal nanoparticles with chemotherapy agents makes designing multifunctional drug delivery systems attractive. In this work, we reported cisplatin’s encapsulation and release profile using a mesoporous silica-coated gold nanorods system. Gold nanorods were synthesized by an acidic seed-mediated method in the presence of cetyltrimethylammonium bromide surfactant, and the silica-coated state was obtained by modified Stöber method. The silica shell was modified first with 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane and then with succinic anhydride to obtain carboxylates groups to improve cisplatin encapsulation. Gold nanorods with an aspect ratio of 3.2 and silica shell thickness of 14.74 nm were obtained, and infrared spectroscopy and ζ potential studies corroborated surface modification with carboxylates groups. On the other hand, cisplatin was encapsulated under optimal conditions with an efficiency of ~58%, and it was released in a controlled manner over 96 h. Furthermore, acidic pH promoted a faster release of 72% cisplatin encapsulated compared to 51% in neutral pH.

La contaminación del agua causada por metales pesados y compuestos orgánicos representa un grave problema ambiental y de salud pública, particularmente en regiones como Sonora, México. En este contexto, la síntesis de nanopartículas (NPs) ha cobrado relevancia como alternativa eficiente para la remediación del agua. Este artículo de revisión presenta los fundamentos de la microfluídica como una tecnología emergente para la síntesis de NPs, destacando sus ventajas frente a métodos tradicionales. Se discuten los principios básicos de diseño de dispositivos microfluídicos, los mecanismos de síntesis, así como los tipos de NPs obtenidas y sus características fisicoquímicas. Asimismo, se analiza la aplicabilidad de estas NPs en la adsorción y degradación de contaminantes presentes en el agua. La microfluídica permite un control preciso de parámetros como el flujo, pH y temperatura, favoreciendo la producción de NPs homogéneas y personalizadas. Finalmente, se abordan los beneficios, limitaciones y perspectivas futuras de esta tecnología en el tratamiento sostenible del agua, posicionándose como una herramienta prometedora para enfrentar los desafíos ambientales actuales.