Effects of Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles on the Growth Inhibition of Fungi Isolated From Cream Cosmetics

Abstract

In this study fungi were isolated from cosmetic industries, 10 cosmetics samples which applied to facial skin were tested for the presence of contaminating with fungi. Three species of fungi were isolated from the cosmetics namely Aspergillus flavus, A. niger and Candida albicans. The sabouraud dextrose agar was used to isolate fungal contaminated cosmetics. These fungi were opportunistic pathogens and may cause skin irritation, infections especially in wounded epithelium and immunocompromised consumers. Candida albicans grow on chrom agar after 2days. A. flavus is producing aflatoxin BI, which proved by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) using an alternative to fungicides controlling development is carried out and investigated. ZnO NPs proved high efficiency to decrease growth of Aspergillus flavus, A. niger and Candida albicans by percentage of (80, 85, 90) % respectively in the concentration of 50 ppm; while 150 ppm of ZnO causes complete inhibition growth of fungi under study as compared with a control group which untreated with ZnO NPs. SEM show changing in Aspergillus flavus and A.niger when treated with ZnO NPs which decreased in the number of fungi cells, mycelium and conidia,as well as the opening of conidia as compared with the control group which untreated with ZnO NPs.