Synthesis, characterization, antimicrobial activity and DNA/BSA interaction of functionalized graphene oxide nanoparticles with 2-(ferrocenylmethylamino) benzonitrile

Abstract

In this study, a new GO@APTES@FMB2CN nanocomposite was synthesized for the first time from Graphene Oxide (GO) nanoparticles using modified Hummers method, functionalized with 2(ferrocenylmethylamino)benzonitrile (FMB2CN) using (3-aminopropyl)triethoxysilane (APTES) as linker and was characterized using SEM-EDX, FTIR, UV–vis and XRD. The aim of the present study is to examine the biochemical interaction between GO@APTES@ FMB2CN nanocomposite and vital biomolecules viz, deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) and bovine serum albumin (BSA), further its antimicrobial activity.The binding interaction between the studied nanocomposite and Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) and bovine serum albumin (BSA) was performed by employing electrochemical (cyclic voltammetry) and UV–visible methods. The binding studies showed that the nanocomposite interacted with DNA in a spontaneous mode via intercalation nature. It was also found that the studied GO@APTES@ FMB2CN nanocomposite was bound to BSA by a static and spontaneous process. Antimicrobial activity of GO@APTES@FMB2CN nanocomposite was tested using the well diffusion and broth microdilution methods against two gram- bacterial pathogens, Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P.aeruginosa)and Escherichia coli (E.coli) and one gram+ bacterial pathogen Staphylococcus aureus (S.aureus),as well as against one yeast, Candida albicans (C.albicans) and determined its inhibition zones. The GO@APTES@FMB2CN nanocomposite exhibited antibacterial and antifungal activities against the studied pathogens.