Abstract
Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) have attracted great interest due to their applications in various areas. In the present study ecofriendly biosynthesis of extracellular silver nanoparticles was carried out using Candida utilis NCIM 3469. Characterization of synthesized AgNPs was done by UV–visible spectroscopy, Scanning electron microscopy and antibacterial activity. AgNPs are found spherical in shape with size in the range of 20–80 nm. AgNPs showed antibacterial activity against pathogenic organisms such as Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus, and Escherichia coli. The SEM analysis confirms the antibacterial activity of Ag nanoparticles due to damage of cytoplasmic membrane. AgNPs synthesized by C. utilis could be applicable in the development of antibacterial water filters for treatment of water.
Highlights
Silver nanoparticles have recently attracted a lot of interest due to their distinctive properties such as large surface areas, unique physical, chemical and biological properties (Sharma et al 2009; Zhou et al 2009)
The outbreak of infectious diseases caused by different pathogenic bacteria as well as the development of antibiotic resistance (Hsueh 2010; Kumarasamy et al 2010; Pitout 2010) has prompted pharmaceutical companies and researchers to search for new antibacterial agents
The synthesis of silver nanoparticles was monitored in three flasks: (1) in presence of supernatant at 30 °C; (2) in presence of supernatant at temperature 120 °C for 15 min; (3) in the presence of cell biomass of C. utilis
Summary
Silver nanoparticles have recently attracted a lot of interest due to their distinctive properties such as large surface areas, unique physical, chemical and biological properties (Sharma et al 2009; Zhou et al 2009). Different studies have been performed to check the bactericidal effect of silver nanoparticles against Gram negative and Gram positive bacteria, but the bactericidal mechanism of this compound has not been clearly elucidated. Morones et al (2005) studied the antibacterial activity of silver nanoparticles against four types of Gram negative bacteria, Escherichia coli, V. cholera, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and S. typhus. They have observed that these silver nanoparticles are attached to the surface of the cell membrane and disturb the function of cell membrane, penetrate bacteria, and release silver ions
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