Synthesis, partial characterization of nanochitosan from cuttlebone waste of Sepia prashadi and its in vitro anticancer potentials.

Abstract

Cuttlebone waste, a marine byproduct, was used as a sustainable source for the extraction of chitosan and synthesis of nanochitosan. This study looks into how to make nanochitosan from the cuttlebone waste of Sepia prashadi and some of its properties. It shows that this material could be used in environmentally friendly ways. Nanochitosan was prepared using a sustainable extraction method followed by ionic gelation. Physicochemical properties were analyzed using Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM), revealing its nanostructured morphology and functional group integrity. The cytotoxicity of nano chitosan was evaluated in vitro against human oral cancer cell lines (KB) using MTT assay. Nanochitosan typically exhibits characteristic FTIR peaks, including an amide II peak with N-H stretching at 2880 cm⁻¹ and C-H stretching at 1531 cm⁻¹, confirming its functional groups. SEM studies show that nanochitosan particles range from 70 to 135 nm in size, characterized by their small, uniform morphology, contributing to their unique biological and chemical properties. Nanochitosan exhibited significant dose-dependent cytotoxicity, indicating its potential as an anticancer agent. This study demonstrates both the eco-friendly synthesis and the promising anticancer potential of nanochitosan derived from marine biowaste.