Biosynthesized Zinc Oxide nanoparticles control the growth of Aspergillus flavus and its aflatoxin production

Document Type : Reasearch Paper

Authors

• Priti Kumari ¹
• Harish Kumar ²
• Jitendra Kumar ²
• Mohammad Sohail ³
• Krisnha Singh ³
• Kamal Prasad ⁴

¹ Aryabhatta Centre for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, Aryabhatta Knowledge University, Patna, 800001 India.

² Department of Botany and Biotechnology, College of Commerce, Arts and Science, Patna, 800020, India.

³ University Department of Zoology, Vinoba Bhave University, Hazaribag, 825301, India.

⁴ University Department of Physics, T.M. Bhagalpur University, Bhagalpur, 812007, India.

Abstract

The infection of Aspergillus flavus and its aflatoxin production pose a severe threat to humans, animals as well as plants life. Their inhibition using green techniques are considered as one of the important challenges. The present study outlines the antifungal activity of the ZnO nanoparticles (NPs) synthesized from lemongrass leaf extract and their effect on the mycelial growth of Aspergillus flavus and its aflatoxins production. The qualitative and quantitative analyses of aflatoxins were determined, respectively using thin-layer chromatography and spectrophotometric methods. The X-ray diffraction as well as scanning and transmission electron microscopy studies indicated the formations of hexagonal ZnO NPs having the sizes ranged between 7 and 14 nm. FTIR spectrum confirmed the formation of ZnO NPs. The ZnO NPs displayed 92.25% inhibition of the growth of A. flavus and 100% inhibition of the aflatoxins production at the concentrations of 200 µl/mL and 150 µl/mL respectively. The present biosynthetic method is a simple, cost-effective, eco-friendly, high yield, green and handy protocol capable of synthesizing ZnO NPs, which might have accomplished due to the activities of plant metabolites and phytochemicals available in the lemongrass leaves parenchyma. This study revealed that ZnO NPs have the potential to forbid the growth of A. flavus and its aflatoxins production. Hence, ZnO NPs could be used in the plant protection and as a preservative for safe storage of food commodities to prevent A. flavus contamination and aflatoxins poisoning in coming future.

Keywords

• Aflatoxin
• Aspergillus flavus
• Green synthesis
• Lemongrass
• Plant Fungal Pathogens
• Plant Protection
• ZnO Nanoparticles

20.1001.1.20088868.2019.10.4.1.8

Main Subjects

• Green Nanotechnology
• Nano Bio Technology
• Nanochemistry

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