Environmental benign synthesis and characterization of nickel oxide nanoparticles using chicken egg white as template and evaluations of their antibacterial/antifungal activities

Abstract

Synthetic preparation of metal-based nanoparticles is harmful to human being because of the environmental pollution. To overcome the hurdles in synthesis of nanoparticles, the biogenic synthesis of nickel oxide nanoparticles (NiO NPs) has been performed by a simple, cost effective, non-toxic, and environmentally friendly sol–gel method using fresh chicken egg-white (CEW) as reducing and stabilizing agent. The NiO NPs so synthesized were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR). The powder XRD pattern studies confirmed the formation of NiO NPs and the average crystallite size was found to be 30 nm. The FESEM and TEM micrographs suggested that spherical shape of prepared NiO NPs with diameter range 40 to 50 nm. The FTIR spectrum of prepared nanoparticles confirms the Ni and O metal oxide bonding. The antimicrobial activities of synthesized NiO NPs have also been investigated for some Gram positive and Gram-negative bacterial as well as some fungal strains and encouraging results were obtained and discussed at length.