Novel Crystalline SiO₂ Nanoparticles via Annelids Bioprocessing of Agro-Industrial Wastes

Abstract

Abstract The synthesis of nanoparticles silica oxide from rice husk, sugar cane bagasse and coffee husk, by employing vermicompost with annelids (Eisenia foetida) is reported. The product (humus) is calcinated and extracted to recover the crystalline nanoparticles. X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) and dynamic light scattering (DLS) show that the biotransformation allows creating specific crystalline phases, since equivalent particles synthesized without biotransformation are bigger and with different crystalline structure.

Keywords

• Silica nanoparticles
• Worms
• Agricultural waste
• Bioprocessing