# Mini-Review: Potential of Diatom-Derived Silica for Biomedical Applications
## 5 Silica for Biomedical Applications: Advantages  
The main benefits of biosilica for biomedical purposes are as follows: plasticity of frustules for functionalization, biocompatibility, possibility of genetic transformation of living cultures for protein immobilization, and high availability of silica-derived diatoms. \begin{table}
\begin{tabular}{c c c c c c c} \hline \hline
**Treatment** & \begin{tabular}{c} **Principle for Organic** \\ **Matter Removal** \\ \end{tabular}  & **Diatom Species** & \begin{tabular}{c} **Diatom Silica** \\ **Source** \\ \end{tabular}  & **Advantages** & **Drawbacks** & **Reference(s)** \\ \hline \multirow{4}{*}{Pre-treatments} & \multirow{4}{*}{oxidizing washing} & _Nitzschis_ & freeze-dried & high purity of & possible frustule & \\  & & _clusterin_, & samples & frustules & depending on & [56] \\  & & _Thalassisisisis_ sp. & & & & acid strength & \\ \hline \multirow{4}{*}{Pre-treatments} & \multirow{4}{*}{oxidizing washing} & _Fragiliraopsis_ & & & & \\  & & _cylindins_, & & & & \\  & & _Regalentis_, & & & & \\  & & _Pseudomonas_, & & & & \\  & & _Serialata_, & wet pellets & & & \\  & & _Talassisisis_ & washed with & no frustule & removal of the & \\  & & _normalesionalis_, & sodium lauryl & erosion & only external & \\  & & _Thalassisisis_ & sulfate & & organic matter & \\  & & _activis_, & & & & \\  & & _Thalassisisis_ & & & & \\  & & _pseudomonas_, & & & & \\  & & _Talassisisis_ & & & & \\  & & _wissfaggi_ & & & & \\ \hline \multirow{4}{*}{baking} & \multirow{4}{*}{high temperature} & \multirow{4}{*}{_Nazicula_ sp.} & AJS- & \multirow{4}{*}{reduction in } & possible & \multirow{4}{*}{[60]} \\  & & & & & & \\  & & & & & & \\  & & & & & & \\  & & & & & & \\  & & & & & & \\ \hline \multirow{4}{*}{Treatments} & \multirow{4}{*}{ionised gas} & _Nazicula_, & desalted drops of & \multirow{4}{*}{no frustule} & \multirow{4}{*}{ \begin{tabular}{c} sulfate species, \\ expensive, \\ post-treatments \\ with chemicals \\ \end{tabular}  } & _Anphora_, & cultures, & freezes-dried & dissolution & post-treatments & [61; 62] \\  & & _Planethiatum_ spp. & samples & & with hazardous & \\  & & & & & chemicals & \\ \hline \multirow{4}{*}{Treatments} & \multirow{4}{*}{H\({}_{2}\)O\({}_{2}\)} & \multirow{4}{*}{oxidation} & DE, _Ni tzschis_ & \multirow{4}{*}{ \begin{tabular}{c} haszto incubation, \\ _Piranliaria_ and \\ \(\,\)spp., \\ _Talassisis_ \\ \end{tabular}  } & DE, _Ni tzschis_ & \multirow{4}{*}{ \begin{tabular}{c} haszto temperature \\ post-treatments \\ with chemicals \\ \end{tabular}  } & \multirow{4}{*}{[63; 64; 65; 66; 67]} \\  & & _Primalaria_ and & & desalted and & \\  & & _Tzschisis_ & freeze-dried & less dangerous & post-treatments & [54; 62; 63; 64; 65; 66; 67] \\  & & _Thalassisisis_ & cultures, diatom & than strong acids & needt to & \\  & & _pseudomonas_, & composites & & & \\  & & _Cylindotheroba_ & & & & \\  & & _clusterin_ & & & \\ \hline \multirow{4}{*}{H\({}_{2}\)SO\({}_{4}\)} & \multirow{4}{*}{strong oxidation} & _Thalassisisisis_ & \multirow{4}{*}{living cultures} & high efficiency in & hazardous & \multirow{4}{*}{[69; 70]} \\  & & _crutable_, & & & & & \\  & & _Casclimiscus_ & organic matter & & thin frustules, & time-consuming \\  & & _nutlesii_ & & & & \\  & & & & & & \\ \hline \multirow{4}{*}{H\({}_{2}\)SO\({}_{4}\) + PTFE filters} & \multirow{4}{*}{strong oxidation} & _Thalassisisisis_ & \multirow{4}{*}{ \begin{tabular}{c} living cultures \\ on a filter cloth \\ \end{tabular}  } & _Thailand_, & \multirow{4}{*}{\ \begin{tabular}{c} having cultures \\ on a filter cloth \\ \end{tabular}  } & reduced acid amounts & unsuitable for & [72] \\  & & _Scheit phenomena_, & & & \\  & & _Cosclimiscus_ & & & \\ \hline \multirow{4}{*}{HNO\({}_{3}\)} & \multirow{4}{*}{strong oxidation} & _Pinulararia sp._ & \multirow{4}{*}{ \begin{tabular}{c} haszto cells \\ _Cosclimiscus_ \\ \end{tabular}