Abstract
Biosynthesis of monodispersed nanoparticles, along with determination of potential responsible biomolecules, is the major bottleneck in the area of bionanotechnology research. The present study focuses on an ecofriendly, ambient temperature protocol for size controlled synthesis of gold nanoparticles, using the fungusAspergillus terreusIF0. Gold nanoparticles were formed immediately, with the addition of chloroauric acid to the aqueous fungal extract. Synthesized nanoparticles were characterized by UV-Vis spectroscopy, TEM-EDX, and XRD analysis. Particle diameter and dispersity of nanoparticles were controlled by varying the pH of the fungal extract. At pH 10, the average size of the synthesized particles was in the range of 10–19 nm. Dialysis to obtain high and low molecular weight fraction followed by FTIR analysis revealed that biomolecules larger than 12 kDa and having –CH, –NH, and –SH functional groups were responsible for bioreduction and stabilization. In addition, the synthesized gold nanoparticles were found to be selectively bactericidal against the pathogenic gram negative bacteria,Escherichia coli.
Highlights
Metal nanoparticles have been gaining importance in the past years because of their unique properties
Earlier studies have revealed that microorganisms such as bacteria [27] and fungus [18, 22] were capable of reducing gold ions to gold nanoparticles (GNPs), whereas the time required for the bioreduction process ranged from 24 to 48 h
GNP synthesis occurred within few seconds of adding gold salt to the extract, confirming bioreduction
Summary
Metal nanoparticles have been gaining importance in the past years because of their unique properties. Several physicochemical methods have been used for GNP synthesis [10,11,12,13] These synthetic protocols are hazardous and energy consuming, and pose a major disadvantage of adsorption of toxic chemical species onto the surface of nanoparticles making them unsuitable for biomedical applications [14]. Biological approach towards nanoparticle synthesis involves the use of an environmentally acceptable solvent system along with nontoxic reducing and capping agents [15]. A number of biological agents like bacteria, algae, fungus, and plant extracts have been employed for biogenic nanoparticle synthesis [16,17,18,19]. Identification of the variables involved, along with elucidation of the responsible biomolecules, can greatly assist in achieving
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