Ecofriendly silver nanoparticles biosynthesis from Penicillium commune NRC 2016-3 as antimicrobial agents for textile materials

Abstract

Abstract The biological synthesis of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) using fungi has received considerable attention, given that they are environmentally friendly, non-toxic, and inexpensive. Therefore, the current work investigates the biological synthesis of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) using the extracellular filtrate of Penicillium commune NRC 2016–3. Physicochemical analyses confirmed the formation of AgNPs with a surface plasmon resonance peak at 420 nm. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) revealed spherical particles ranging in size from 3.69 to 9.61 nm, with a zeta potential of -30.5 mV, indicating good stability. The biosynthesized AgNPs exhibited strong antibacterial and antifungal activity against various test microorganisms, with inhibition zones ranging from 30 to 33 mm for Gram-positive and 26 to 30 mm for Gram-negative bacteria. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) values were found to be 2–5 µg/mL and 20–30 µg/mL, respectively. Furthermore, the AgNPs-treated fabrics revealed good antimicrobial properties and demonstrated their durability even after multiple washing cycles. This finding highlights the potential of green-synthesized AgNPs for creating durable antimicrobial textiles.