Solution Plasma Process and Bioactivity Against Yeast and Bacteria for Selenium Nanoparticle Synthesis in an Ethanol–Water Mixture

Purpose The solution plasma process (SPP) is a novel electrical discharge process for the green synthesis of nanomaterials, in which an atmospheric nonequilibrium plasma is generated at room temperature in a liquid environment such as water or an organic solvent; or a mixture of both. Methods In this study, SPP was employed as a green approach for synthesizing selenium nanoparticles (Se NPs) in an ethanol–water solution at room temperature. The prepared Se NPs were comprehensively characterized using ultraviolet–visible (UV–Vis) spectrophotometry, fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, dynamic light scattering particle size analysis, scanning electron microscopy, and transmission electron microscopy. Results The results showed that the Se NPs in the ethanol–water solution were uniform flower-like nanostructures with diameters ranging from 50 to 100 nm. The as-prepared Se NPs were of high purity and underwent partial oxidation. Conclusion The synthesized Se NPs exhibited notable antimicrobial properties against the pathogenic Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus bacteria, and Candida albicans yeast. Graphical Abstract