Effects of Biological and Non-Biological Functionalized ZnO Nanoparticles on Biotechnologically Valuable Cyanobacteria

Nowadays, significant attention is paid to the surface functionalization of nanoparticles (NPs), as this approach can improve stability, prevent aggregation, enhance antimicrobial activity, and facilitate more efficient interactions with biological systems. This project aims to study the effects of ZnO NPs with different surface functionalizations, including cyanobacteria-derived and nonbiological (comparator) forms, on the morphology, growth, biochemical composition, and oxidative stress response of the biotechnologically valuable cyanobacterium Arthrospira (Spirulina) platensis. The dependence of ZnO NPs effects on cyanobacteria will be clarified with respect to both the nanoparticle core material and the nature of their surface functionalization. Cyanobacteria-functionalized NPs may alter nanoparticle-cell interactions differently from comparator-functionalized NPs, resulting in distinct effects on microorganism growth, biochemical composition, and oxidative stress markers.