Journal of Biotechnology & Biomaterials
Open Access

Abstract

Microbial synthesis of nanoparticles is a green chemistry approach that interconnects nanotechnology and microbial biotechnology. In this present study, synthesis of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) has been demonstrated using a metabolically versatile actinobacteria Rhodococcus sp. by reducing aqueous silver nitrate. The synthesis of AgNPs was done using aromatic compounds such as phenol, p-nitro phenol, xylene, benzene and toluene as carbon source for the growth of the Rhodococcus sp. The AgNPs were characterized by Ultraviolet?Visible (UV?vis) Spectrometer, Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Energy Dispersive X-ray Analysis (EDAX), Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS), zeta potential, Selected Area Diffraction Pattern (SAED) and Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM). The TEM showed spherical particles with an average size of 10 nm. The SAED pattern showed the characteristic Bragg peaks of (111), (200), (220) and (311) facets of the face centered cubic (fcc) silver nanoparticles and confirmed that these nanoparticles are crystalline in nature. The AgNPs showed antimicrobial activity for more than 30 μg/ ml against Gram positive and Gram negative pathogenic microorganisms, E.coli, Enterococcus fecalis, Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsialla pneumoniae, Pseudomonas arugenosa and Proteus vulgaris. The synthesis of AgNPs is a biosynthesis process where cell enzyme systems of Rhodococcus sp. may take part in synthesis process as the cell free extract did not showed any reduction of the aqueous silver nitrate. Thus synthesis of the AgNPs can be done using waste containing these aromatic compounds.

Biography

Sachin V. Otari is pursuing his Ph. D. in field of nanotechnology from D. Y. Patil University, Kolhapur, Maharashtra under the guidance of Prof. (Dr.) S. H. Pawar. He has completed his post graduation and graduation in Microbiology from Shivaji University, Kolhapur, Maharashtra. He has two publications in international journals on his name.