Synthesis and characterization of zinc oxide nanoparticle by using Aspergillus niger and their antimicrobial activity

Abstract

Green synthesis of nanoparticle gain huge popularity in recent times. Nanoparticle synthesis using microorganisms have numerous advantages over physical and chemical methods because they don’t produce toxic by-products. The present study focused on the synthesis of zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) using the cell filtrate of Aspergillus niger, their characterization, and the evaluation of their antibacterial activity against pathogenic bacteria. The synthesis of ZnO NPs was confirmed using UV-VIS spectrophotometric analysis, where ZnO NPs showed a peak at 378 nm. The nanoparticles size was within the range of 50-80 nm, confirmed by particle size analysis, and the functional groups were determined using Fourier Transmission Infrared (FTIR) analysis. The synthesized nanoparticles were also tested for their antibacterial activity against four pathogenic bacteria (E. coli, Bacillus subtilis, Staphylococcus aureus, and Streptococcus entericus). It was observed that the nanoparticles were highly effective against E. coli while being least effective against S. aureus. As a result of this research, it is concluded that zinc oxide nanoparticles play an important role in healthcare, can be synthesized at a commercial scale at a very low cost using biological methods, avoiding the formation of toxic intermediates in chemical methods, and can be used for a variety of applications.