Antifungal Activity of Zero-valent Iron Nanoparticles Synthesized by Green Protocols Using Camellia sinensis Extract against Pathogenic Aspergillus Species

Abstract

Zero-valent iron nanoparticles with potential antifungal activity were synthesized following a green protocol using Camellia sinensis leaves extract. FeSO4.7H2O was reduced to black metallic iron by Camellia sinensis leaves extract. The green synthetic procedure without using any hazardous chemical reagents is hopeful which reduces the possibility of chemical pollution. The synthesized nanoparticles were characterized by UV/visible and fluorescence spectroscopies. The surface morphology, size, shape and particle distribution were studied using scanning electron (SEM) and transmission electron (TEM) microscopic techniques. We also performed antifungal studies of the synthesized nanoparticles against three aspergillus stains namely Aspegillus flavus, Aspergillus niger and Aspergillus fumigatus by Muller- Hinton agar well diffusion method. Although the green synthesized iron nanoparticles showed considerable activity against all the three stains, the maximum activity was shown against
A.flavus with a zone size of 11.67±1.63 mm and the least against A.fumigatus with a zone size of 6.67±0.81 mm. These results can assure that the antifungal activity of the iron nanoparticles synthesized by green methods is propitious, since they are biocompatible, less toxic and environment friendly.

Cite this Article
Sherin Philip, Sunny Kuriakose, Tessymol Mathew. Antifungal Activity of Zerovalent Iron Nanoparticles Synthesized by Green Protocols Using Camellia sinensis Extract Against Pathogenic Aspergillus Species. Journal of Modern Chemistry & Chemical Technology. 2017; 8(3): 40–45p.