Synthesis and characterization of crustin capped titanium dioxide nanoparticles: Photocatalytic, antibacterial, antifungal and insecticidal activities

Abstract

Current scenario of bio-nanotechnology, successfully fabrication of ultrafine titanium dioxide nanoparticles (TiO2NPs) using various biological protein sources for the multipurpose targets. The present research report involves synthesis of TiO2NPs using antimicrobial peptide (AMP) crustin (Cr). Crustin previously purified from the blue crab, Portunus pelagicus haemolymph, by blue Sepharose CL-6B matrix assisted affinity column chromatography. Synthesized Cr-TiO2NPs was physico-chemically characterized by UV–Visible spectroscopy (UV–Visible), X-ray Diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), High-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM) and zeta potential examination. X-ray diffraction analysis for crystalline nature and phase identification of titanium dioxide nanoparticles was absorbed. Functional groups were found through FTIR ranges between 1620 and 1700 cm−1. HR-TEM analysis showed that the synthesized Cr-TiO2NPs tetragonal shape and sizes ranging from 10 to 50 nm. Finally, the surface charge of the Cr-TiO2NPs was confirmed through zeta potential analysis. Furthermore, the characterized Cr-TiO2NPs exhibited good biofilm inhibition against GPB - S. mutans (Gram Positive Bacteria- Streptococcus mutans), GNB - P. vulgaris (Gram Negative Bacteria- Proteus vulgaris) and fungal Candida albicans. Moreover, photocatalysis demonstrated that the Cr-TiO2NPs was effectively explored the degradation of dyes. The results suggest that Cr-TiO2NPs is an excellent bactericidal, fungicidal and photocatalytic agent that can be supportively used for biomedical and industrial applications.