# Selenium Nanoparticles Decorated by Blueberry Pomace Polysaccharides Improve the Protection Effects Against Erythrocyte Hemolysis

## TL;DR

This study shows that blueberry pomace polysaccharides improve the stability and antioxidant effects of selenium nanoparticles, protecting red blood cells from damage.

## Contribution

The novel use of blueberry pomace polysaccharides as a stabilizer for selenium nanoparticles is introduced.

## Key findings

- BP-SeNPs showed better stability under various environmental conditions compared to SeNPs.
- BP-SeNPs enhanced protection against erythrocyte hemolysis by boosting antioxidant enzyme activities.
- The nanoparticles preserved membrane integrity by maintaining ATPase function and sialic acid levels.

## Abstract

In this study, selenium nanoparticles (SeNPs) were synthesized using polysaccharides extracted from blueberry pomace (BP) as a stabilizing agent. BP was characterized as an acidic polysaccharide with a molecular weight of 5.4 × 105 Da. The resulting BP-SeNPs were monodisperse spheres with an average size of 94.33 nm, as confirmed by TEM, DLS, FT-IR, XRD, and EDX analyses. Compared to SeNPs, BP-SeNPs demonstrated superior stability under varying conditions of storage time, temperature, pH, and ionic strength. Furthermore, in vitro evaluation using AAPH-induced rabbit erythrocytes revealed that BP-SeNPs offered enhanced protection against hemolysis. This protective effect was attributed to their ability to significantly bolster antioxidant enzyme activities (SOD, CAT, and GSH-Px) and preserve membrane integrity by maintaining ATPase function and sialic acid content. These results establish BP as an effective stabilizer for SeNPs and suggest the promising potential of BP-SeNPs as antioxidant agents in functional food or nutraceutical applications.